Many drivers in new colors as Truck season begins

Busch debuting his new team; females more involved

By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
January 27, 2010
11:17 AM EST

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If there are three major themes for the 2010 Camping World Truck Series season, they might include Rowdy's brand-new adventure, the return of a famous family numeral and a decidedly female influence.

Rowdy, the owner

Nationwide Series champion and full-time Cup driver Kyle Busch announced he would field at least two Toyota trucks in the Truck Series under the Kyle Busch Motorsports banner.

After coyly denying plans, even as late as November's championship banquet, to put together his own Truck team for 2010, Kyle Busch did just that less than three weeks later, announcing his intentions to field at least two Toyota trucks with Rick Ren overseeing operations. While Busch will share time with Brian Ickler in the No. 18, Tayler Malsam will handle full-time driving duties in the No. 56. In addition, Busch indicated he'd field a third truck for former series champ Johnny Benson, if funding could be procured.

"Everyone knows how much I love to race, and the Camping World Truck Series is one of my favorite places to race, so to be a team owner in this series is a perfect match," Busch said in December. "We started KBM two years ago with the Late Model program and this seemed like the next natural step. I'm also very pleased with our driver lineup -- having young, talented guys like Tayler Malsam and Brian Ickler."

However, a last-minute decision by the Miccosukee Indian tribe could impact sponsorship for Busch's new team, at least in the short term. The Charlotte Observer reports that the tribe is expected to vote early next month to discontinue its NASCAR sponsorship programs in all three major national series. Busch has stated intentions to run the season-opener at Daytona in any case.

Ren's departure at Kevin Harvick Inc. opened up a position for Dave Fuge as the new crew chief for defending series champion Ron Hornaday. In addition, Harvick plans to share driving duties with Elliott Sadler in a second team truck for at least 15 races, with another driver to be named later.

Dillon

Richard Childress' grandson, 19-year-old Austin Dillon, hopes to climb the next ladder in his career as he attempts to run full-time in the series in 2010 -- and he'll do it driving black Chevrolets with the family's No. 3 on the side. Bass Pro Shops has come on board as sponsor, and Danny Stockman will handle crew chief duties.

"It's a really fun number to run," Dillon said during an interview earlier this month. "It comes with a lot of background history. My grandfather got to run it and the man who made it famous was Dale Earnhardt.

"Mike Skinner ran it in the Truck Series and I got to race against Mike with it last year twice. It's just a really good number to run. I love running the number, running the dirt series a few times. It's just something close to me and my family."

Dillon will battle for rookie of the year honors with 2009 ARCA champion Justin Lofton, who steps into Red Horse Racing's No. 7 Toyota for 2010 with family sponsorship. Team owner Tom Deloach is still pondering whether to field a third truck for ex-Formula 1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr., who tested in the winter and was enthusiastic about making the leap from open-wheeled cars.

Cobb

But the most intriguing storyline of 2010 might be the emergence of female team ownership.

When Circle Bar Racing decided to downsize at the end of the season, Jennifer Jo Cobb was there with checkbook in hand. She purchased the assets of the No. 10 Ford operation, and at last report, was hopeful of landing a sponsor that would allow her to race the full 2010 season and run for rookie of the year.

"I have been working, learning and moving my way through auto racing's big league ranks for eight years," Cobb wrote on her Web site. "I have so much more to learn but I have developed a philosophy that more has to be done to ensure success up front: better equipment, people who care and investors who are willing to take a risk.

"We have put those elements together and I look forward to working with these teams to see how we can grow into a staple ... in 2010."

Honduran-born Daisy Ramirez, chief operating officer of Bebida Beverage Co., has acquired several trucks from Key Motorsports and plans to run a full-time team out of the former Chip Ganassi-Felix Sabates garage, with specifics to be announced at a later date.

Starr

Angela and Amber Cope, twin nieces of 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope, are expected to share limited seat time with their uncle's new Stratus Racing Group operation. Florida short-track star Alli Owens hopes to step up in class this season with Venturini Motorsports, running a limited ARCA schedule with the possibility of some truck starts.

And keeping with the theme, Darlington Raceway -- the Lady in Black -- has been added to the 2010 schedule as a replacement for the Milwaukee Mile.

While some veteran drivers landed full-time rides for 2010, others are still looking. David Starr will team up with Randy Moss in the No. 81 Toyota, while Jason White reunites with SS Green Light Racing as a teammate to Sean Murphy and Tony Jackson Jr.

Benson and Dennis Setzer have rides with Danny Gill for Daytona, but plans after that are hazy. And Ted Musgrave has been rumored as landing at Billy Ballew Motorsports, possibly to share seat time with Michael Waltrip and Steve Wallace.

Among those hoping to at least run a partial schedule this season include Marc Davis, Aric Almirola and Chrissy Wallace.