Sieg Steps-In for Busch at Kansas
Kansas City, KS | 04-21-2008
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Shane Sieg is slated to step in for Kyle Busch to pilot the No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota Tundra in Kansas. Busch, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series superstar, has piloted the Tundra in the first four races of the season holding the championship points lead already scoring two wins (California, Atlanta).
For the first time since the beginning of the 2008 NASCAR Season the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series have not run in companion. After evaluating the practice, qualifying and race schedules at both Talladega and Kansas, it was evident that it was impossible for Busch to make the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 race Saturday, April 26 at 6:00pm ET (5:00pm CT).
Sieg comes to Billy Ballew Motorsports with three starts for the team in 2007 posting a 10th place finish at Loudon. Sieg has 29 starts over four years and has two top-10 finishes with his prior start at the 1.5 mile tri oval speedway finishing 16th. Sieg piloted the No. 07 Craftsman Truck in two of the four 2008 truck races.
"It is a great opportunity for me to get back behind the wheel of Billy Ballew Motorsports equipment," Sieg said. "I know I have big shoes to fill but I just want to bring a good finish home to keep Billy Ballew as the team owners point leader."
"With Kyle’s schedule at JGR this weekend there was no way he could make the race in Kansas," Billy Ballew said. "Shane (Sieg) has driven for us before and is familiar with the equipment, giving us a top-10 in Loudon last year. We hope to leave Kansas still leading the owner’s points and know Kyle can make up some ground in the drivers points when we race at Lowes. I would like to thank James Finch and the Miccosukee Resorts for staying onboard with Shane and the No. 51 Tundra this weekend and I hope we can give them a good finish."
Although Busch will miss the Kansas event and likely lose the points lead it is mathematically feasible for him to win the Championship. Previous NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champions have come from nearly 200 points out of the lead.
Billy Ballew Motorsports has eight previous starts at the Kansas Speedway with a best finish of ninth in 2005 with John Andretti behind the wheel.
Ballew field two teams in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Marc Mitchell making his return after Denny Hamlin piloted the No. 15 at the Martinsville Speedway. Mitchell will be making his first start with Toyota as the manufacturer. The truck was run as a Chevrolet in the first three races of the 2008 season.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 is slated for 6:00pm ET (5pm CT) Saturday, April 26, 2008. SPEED will televise the race live beginning at 5:30pm ET (4:30 CT). The race can also be heard on MRN and XM-Satellite radio stations and their affiliates.
For more information on Billy Ballew Motorsports visit www.BillyBallewMotorsports.com.
# # # # |