Template:NASCAR Owner Infobox Billy Ballew Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. They were formed in 1996 by Georgia businessman Billy Ballew, and have become notable for the fact they rarely field a team for the same driver for more than one season. After running a limited ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule, Ballew turned towards NASCAR.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Kyle_Krisiloff2006Truck.jpg/200px-Kyle_Krisiloff2006Truck.jpg)
Truck #15 history
The 15 truck of Billy Ballew Motorsports has been its original truck since the 1996 season. The team gained notoriety in 2000 when their truck, sponsored by Line-X and driven by former Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine was involved in a scary crash in the tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway. Ballew's #15 would run full time in 2002 with driver Rich Bickle and jeans manufacturer Dickies sponsoring the truck. Known as Countryman-Ballew Motorsports, the team improved its standings from 23rd to 14th. However, before the Power Stroke Diesel 200, Dickies had signed a deal to sponsor Bobby Hamilton Racing's #18 truck and driver Robert Pressley for the remainder of 2002 and all of 2003. Ballew would run the truck without sponsorship for the rest of the year. Veteran driver Andy Houston was put in the ride for 2003, but success was little. In the 2004 season, Ballew would tap sprint car driver Shane Hmiel to drive the truck full time. The chemistry between the two was evident, as Hmiel would bring Ballew his first ever Truck Series win at the Las Vegas 350, passing Todd Bodine late in the race. While joining Busch Series team Braun Racing for 2005, Ballew would again field multiple drivers in his truck, including Hmiel, Kerry Earnhardt, and NEXTEL Cup driver Kyle Busch. The team hit a high that year, with Earnhardt living up to his namesake by winning the team's first ever pole at Daytona, and Busch winning four races, including his first ever Truck Series win at Charlotte and a win at Atlanta, Ballew's home state. In 2006, Bsllew signed on ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Kyle Krisiloff, with sponsorship from ditech.com. However, after conflicts with Kyle's father Steve, a famous USAC driver, Ballew would release Krisiloff and again field multiple drivers. The rotation included recently reinstated driver Kevin Grubb, journeyman John Andretti, restrictor plate specialist Mike Wallace, and Busch returned to the team. Busch would coem close to victory at Texas, Wallace was only 2 miles from a top 5 in Talladega until he was wrecked on the last lap, and Andretti had a top-15 finish at Kansas. For 2007, African-American driver Bill Lester was tapped to drive the #15 truck. However, with ongoing sponsorship difficulties midway through the season, Lester stepped out of the truck, handing it over to drivers such as Nate Monteith, Kenny Wallace, Denny Hamlin and Georgia native Shane Sieg.
Truck #51 history
The 51 truck made its debut at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 2006 with Kyle Busch driving. The number originated from the movie Days of Thunder where charachter Rowdy Burns drove a black #51 Chevy agaisnt rival Cole Trickle. However, for a much more serious cause, the stunt driver for that movie was 2004 NCTS Champion Bobby Hamilton, who was in chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. As a tribute to Burns, Busch's name atop the truck was changed to "Rowdy" Busch. The truck won in its debut. For 2007, this truck will be split by multiple drivers, including Busch, Paul Menard, and Kelly Sutton. Busch picked up Ballew's first win of '07 at Atlanta while driving the #51 "Rowdy" Truck.