There’s a good chance that Brian Ickler’s phone will ring again if Kyle Busch needs to miss another race in the NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series.
Ickler, who was filling in for Busch in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 that concluded on Monday at Kansas Speedway, finished in fifth place. Busch had already won two of the four trucks series races this season.
“It’s hard to remember everything that happened this weekend,” he said. “It was so drawn out and long.”
Ickler not only benefited from driving Busch’s truck, which led the points standings entering the Kansas race, but he also had Busch’s father, Tom, working as his spotter from atop the Kansas Speedway grandstand.
According to Ickler, the team entered the day hoping for a top-10 finish. So to end the rain-shortened Kansas Speedway race in fifth place was something that made him “ecstatic.”
Owner Billy Ballew will be relying on Ickler more this season. A San Diego native, Ickler is already scheduled to drive the truck again on June at Texas Motor Speedway.
“Kyle has a lot to do with this (success),” Ickler said. “It’s just good people is what it comes down to.”
And judging by Monday’s performance, Ickler looks to be one of those people.
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