Jones, Boston, Tifft, Suarez tabbed for rides along with team owner Busch
HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- The 2015 driver lineup for Kyle Busch Motorsports is complete, with the organization announcing its Camping World Truck Series roster via press release Friday.
A week after announcing Erik Jones would compete full-time in one of the team’s entries, officials announced the remaining drivers for what will now be a three-truck effort next season.
Justin Boston will likewise run a full schedule for KBM while Matt Tifft, owner Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing XFINITY Series driver Daniel Suarez will share driving duties in a third KBM entry.
"Being able to drive full-time … next season is definitely going to be a big step in my career," Boston, 25, said. "KBM builds really fast (trucks) and I know that I’m going to be in a position to win races next -- as a driver, that's all you can ask for."
Boston made two starts this year for JGR in what will be known as the XFINITY Series in '15, finishing ninth and 12th.
Tifft's road to the series has included stops in ARCA and NASCAR’s K&N East and West programs. Friday night’s start in the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead was his third this year in the Truck Series.
He is scheduled to make six starts with KBM next year while Suarez is tabbed for 10 or more, as well as a full XFINITY schedule. If that's indeed the case, then it appears Busch will be cutting back his appearances in the series. The Sprint Cup Series driver made 10 starts this season, winning seven times.
Busch said the addition of Boston and Tifft "gives us the opportunity to compete for the Rookie of the Year honors with Justin, a driver's championship with Erik and the owner's championship sharing a truck between Matt, myself and Daniel.
"Justin was able to pick up a couple of ARCA wins this season and had solid runs in his starts for JGR in the Nationwide Series," he said. "Matt knocked on the door of victory a couple times in the ARCA Series while running a part-time schedule and had a nice run in his Truck Series debut at Martinsville last month."
Toyota's Dave Wilson, president and general manager, TRD, U.S.A., said the expansion of KBM "demonstrates the strength of the organization and their commitment to bringing young talent into NASCAR."
"The success that youngsters Erik Jones and Darrell Wallace Jr. have had this year … has certainly been fun to watch. KBM is a great team partner of Toyota, they helped us win another manufacturer championship this year and they visited Victory Lane a record-setting 14 times in 2014."
Wallace, who won for the fourth time this year with Friday's race, won't return to KBM next season, but is expected to compete in the XFINITY Series for JGR.
"I wish things were finalized," Wallace said afterward. "We're continuing to work hard to find out future plans for me. I'm going to go play some golf down here in Miami, enjoy this win, (and) enjoy the offseason. But as far as plans, we're continuing to work hard.
"You never know, we could be in the XFINITY Series, get some truck races. You never know, we're working hard with … everybody at JGR; they've been giving me a great opportunity ever since '09, so we'll continue to -- hopefully this helps some way, but we'll stay on it and come up with something soon, I hope."
"Him being a JGR driver, we were just fielding those trucks for him in the last two years, so it's been fun to help him grow," Busch said, noting that his organization is focused on grooming talent in order for it to move forward.
"Heck, I think now it's about two thirds of our people head on over to JGR anyway, so I'm about ready to call that place KBM South," he said.
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