It was a rough 2009 for driver Johnny Benson, who began the year trying to defend his championship in the Camping World Truck Series.

That became impossible during a span of less than a week in June. First, it was announced that funding had run out for the No. 1 Toyota he had been running for Red Horse Racing, so the defending champ suddenly had no ride with which to defend his 2008 championship.

Kyle Busch and Johnny Benson flank young driver Tayler Malsam.

Busch and Benson are in agreement that the veteran driver can fulfill a high purpose at KBM as a mentor.

• Busch launches Truck team

As shocking as that news was, it got worse for Benson five days later when he was involved in a horrific wreck during a Super Modified race at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich. On just the second lap of the event, Benson's machine collided with another vehicle in between Turns 3 and 4, bounced off the wall after hitting driver's-side first, then burst into flames.

Benson was hospitalized afterward, suffering a broken collarbone, separated shoulder, three broken ribs, bruised lungs, a fractured wrist and third-degree burns on one elbow. He eventually had to undergo two surgeries -- one to repair his shoulder and collarbone, and one to deal with the major burns he suffered.

Amazingly, though, Benson said he never feared that his racing career might be over at age 46. He still hopes to get back into a Camping World Series truck full time for the 2010 season, and currently is working for and with the new Kyle Busch Motorsports operation to make that happen.

"It's funny because it's the first surgery I've ever had -- and there was a lot of stuff that went wrong [and had to be fixed]," Benson said recently. "I know how to fix race cars; these guys [at Kyle Busch Motorsports] all know how to work on and fix race cars. When you wreck one bad enough, you either save it or you don't.

"Well, on yourself, there is only one way to do it: you have to save it, obviously. It's just amazing what the doctors can do and what they can fix -- and really, within the matter of a couple of months, get you right back to where you were."

Benson's shoulder surgery was performed by Dr. Jonathan Paul, a respected orthopedic surgeon and sports-medicine specialist based in Charlotte, N.C. Benson said he has received a clean bill of health to race again in 2010.

"The last month or so has been a big surprise even to myself," Benson said. "I had to figure out the stuff that I can and can't do. I even split about eight barrels full of firewood just before Thanksgiving -- so that pretty much answered it for myself as far as if I would be ready or not." (Continued)