By John Sturbin| Senior Writer
RacinToday.com

Fort Worth, Texas – Brian Ickler did his best impersonation of Kyle Busch Thursday afternoon at Texas Motor Speedway, topping the speed chart during the second practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series Winstar World Casino 400.

Ickler, making his fourth series start of the season, is driving the No. 51 Miccosukee Resort/Samsung Instinct Toyota Tundra normally wheeled by Busch.

Ickler, a 23-year-old former off-road racer from San Diego, toured the 1.5-mile TMS quadoval in 30.376 seconds/177.772 mph. Ickler subbed for Busch, the Nationwide and Sprint Cup star, in the No. 51 at Kansas Speedway in April, starting ninth and finishing fifth. Ickler also has starts at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Dover International  Speedway in the No. 15 Toyota fielded by Billy Ballew Motorsports.

Busch has two poles and two wins in the No. 51, propelling Ballew to the top of the owner points standings.

Ickler’s lap edged out Johnny Sauter’s at 177.451 mph in the No. 13 Fun Sand/Curb Records Chevrolet. Rick Crawford rounded out the top three at 177.340 mph in the No. 14 Circle Bar/International Truck Engines Ford.

Points-leader Ron Hornaday Jr., who is working on a two-race winning streak at TMS, was ninth at 176.875 mph in the No. 33 Longhorn Chevy.  Hornaday paced the opening session with a hot lap in 30.130 seconds/179.223 mph  – the only lap in the 179 mph bracket.

Qualifying is scheduled for 6 p.m., CDT, today. The 167-lap race will take the green flag Friday at 8 p.m.

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