Due To Rich Toyota Supply Of Drivers, Busch Sends Warning To Gilliland To Pick Up Pace

SpeedPagan

SpeedPagan

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Charlie Spencer said:
While I can see Kyle's point of view as an owner, I don't know about airing this laundry in public.
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A lot of talented drivers are coming through and KBM has great equipment. Gilliland outside of maybe three or four races have been truly imepressive. He did just turn 18 though and I'd say he needs more seasoning. Not everyone gets it right then. Gilliland has his dad's team to fall back on if need be. DGR-Crosley has great trucks, too.
 
Kyle knows a thing or two about the truck series, he has won a few races up in there. Kyle has proven the equipment can win
 
Sounds like he's frustrated in trying to motivate Todd, and hoping this approach works putting it out publicly that he needs to start performing. 3rd year 25 truck races in, I've gotta agree with Kyle, when you're in elite equipment you have to get results, the time window is not long. I doubt he's ready to axe him just yet, but he's putting him on notice for his 3rd year full season, the pressure is on, it's time.

May or may not be the best approach but that's Kyle.
 
Turtle84 said:
Sounds like he's frustrated in trying to motivate Todd, and hoping this approach works putting it out publicly that he needs to start performing. 3rd year 25 truck races in, I've gotta agree with Kyle, when you're in elite equipment you have to get results, the time window is not long. I doubt he's ready to axe him just yet, but he's putting him on notice for his 3rd year full season, the pressure is on, it's time.

May or may not be the best approach but that's Kyle.
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This is his first full-season because he just turned 18. Give him at least a full-season to see how Todd is. He has a ton of potential, but who knows? He's going to have to run better than 14th though.
 
Kiante said:
This is his first full-season because he just turned 18. Give him at least a full-season to see how Todd is. He has a ton of potential, but who knows? He's going to have to run better than 14th though.
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Glad Gragson excaped. Exactly, first year for Gilliland to run all of the tracks, 3rd at Daytona and 10th at Atlanta so far this year and he is doinking him? Burton has an 18th at Daytona and an 8th at Atlanta. WTF.
 
I agree young Gilliland needs to perform better but, good lord, the idea that we need prospects to start winning races and titles at the national series level before their balls drop and then running competitively in Cup before they'd otherwise graduate with a bachelor's degree is concerning. Not often is a driver allowed to truly develop and come into their own anymore. It's a wonder we actually managed to get Ryan Preece back into the game.
 
kyle18fan said:
Certainly Kyle would want his drivers to perform, Jones won him a championship and Kyle's trucks are top notch.
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Sure, but to like air this out there like he did in public, that's a little to much. This was better staying behind closed doors.
 
This is the problem with the current youth movement and NASCAR badly needs to step in and raise age limits. The notion that you have to be a seasoned veteran and practically Cup-ready when you're 18 is a problem.

I mean, we have 10-year-old kids racing full blown Late Model Stocks and Super Late Models now. We have "Jr. Late Models" popping up all over the country for 10-16 year-olds to race Late Models when they need to be running Bandoleros and Legends first.

The last youth movement this sport had, 25 was considered young.

This is going to be so destructive for the sport down the road.
 
  1. I don't know about destructive, chaotic comes to mind with me. Could get to be one or two races and they are out of the car becomes common. I can see the younger drivers in the late models, but I don't see them winning very soon, it will take some time, just like it does everywhere else. But I do think that is bad taste laying all of that "out there" that should have been said behind closed doors. But DGR Crosley could become even more of a competitor in Yota world as time goes on. Kyle could be training his future competition.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
This is the problem with the current youth movement and NASCAR badly needs to step in and raise age limits. The notion that you have to be a seasoned veteran and practically Cup-ready when you're 18 is a problem.

I mean, we have 10-year-old kids racing full blown Late Model Stocks and Super Late Models now. We have "Jr. Late Models" popping up all over the country for 10-16 year-olds to race Late Models when they need to be running Bandoleros and Legends first.

The last youth movement this sport had, 25 was considered young.

This is going to be so destructive for the sport down the road.
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It’s the way everything is going now sports wise. Blame Jeff Gordon lol
 
FLRacingFan said:
I agree young Gilliland needs to perform better but, good lord, the idea that we need prospects to start winning races and titles at the national series level before their balls drop and then running competitively in Cup before they'd otherwise graduate with a bachelor's degree is concerning. Not often is a driver allowed to truly develop and come into their own anymore. It's a wonder we actually managed to get Ryan Preece back into the game.
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Yep!
 
Most of them start at 5, so a late model at ten is a bit of a stretch, but still isn't out of the realm of possibility. Nascar at least does have an over 18 at the larger tracks for an age limit.
 
Toyota is paying the freight, and Toyota will decide how long Gilliland stays in the KBM truck and where he goes after that. I'm not saying Kyle's report card won't be considered by Toyota - I'm pretty sure it will be considered - but this is not a traditional team-employs-driver relationship like we are used to in the Cup series... just sayin'.
 
Kiante said:
This is his first full-season because he just turned 18. Give him at least a full-season to see how Todd is. He has a ton of potential, but who knows? He's going to have to run better than 14th though.
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Yeah I could have clarified that better, 1st full season, 17/23 races last year, 3rd year of being around it.

Agreed, he has to get at least 1 full season under his belt before anything. I think he does, if not more. Kyle is just attempting to prematurely light a fire under Todd's seat to get him going. Maybe it works maybe it doesn't. That's how Kyle rolls with the press.
 
LewTheShoe said:
Toyota is paying the freight, and Toyota will decide how long Gilliland stays in the KBM truck and where he goes after that. I'm not saying Kyle's report card won't be considered by Toyota - I'm pretty sure it will be considered - but this is not a traditional team-employs-driver relationship like we are used to in the Cup series... just sayin'.
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Todd will be fine because DGR is affiliated with Toyota. David is not going to let his son flounder around.
 
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LewTheShoe said:
Toyota is paying the freight, and Toyota will decide how long Gilliland stays in the KBM truck and where he goes after that. I'm not saying Kyle's report card won't be considered by Toyota - I'm pretty sure it will be considered - but this is not a traditional team-employs-driver relationship like we are used to in the Cup series... just sayin'.
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I'll agree with this.
 
When a guy like Ty Gibbs is right behind you getting through the ranks with money and a last name I can't blame KB for trying to motivate his employee.
 
Personally I think when Kyle fades a bit in later years, and his wins get farther apart, his mouth is going to hasten his demise as they say if he doesn't change his ways. I don't think I have ever heard an owner publicly call out a driver like that. And not everybody thinks Kyle is on a noble mission racing in the truck series to start with. The level of competition is a bit lop sided, and picking on an 18 year old kid isn't going to set right with everybody. Great driver but I don't call him KDB because he is a choir boy
 
I would hate for Kyle to own a McDonald's franchise. He wouled hire a 16 year old as GM and expect him/her to win a Nobel Peace Prize for leadership their first year.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
This is the problem with the current youth movement and NASCAR badly needs to step in and raise age limits. The notion that you have to be a seasoned veteran and practically Cup-ready when you're 18 is a problem.

I mean, we have 10-year-old kids racing full blown Late Model Stocks and Super Late Models now. We have "Jr. Late Models" popping up all over the country for 10-16 year-olds to race Late Models when they need to be running Bandoleros and Legends first.

The last youth movement this sport had, 25 was considered young.

This is going to be so destructive for the sport down the road.
Click to expand...



I think that NASCAR believes the " young guns " to be the sports savior
 
Maybe Kyle is just telling the kid the truth about what life is really all about and letting him know that at this point not everyone gets a trophy. How many past drivers have failed at getting their kids into the big money game? I think "Front Row Joe" is getting the job done but I don't have much hope for many.
 
Revman said:
Comical. Anybody else says that stuff, and there isn't even a thread. Great owner. Walks the talk.
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Show me another owner that has said this in public. I don't care what Kyle says to him behind closed doors, but to put this out for public consumption, in these terms is a D*** move. The kid is 18 years old for God sake.
 
Let's get this straight -- IF Gilliland doesn't perform it could affect the quality of silver spoon KyBu can pass down. This is not only a business ($$$$$$$$) it is personal ($$$$$$$$). NASCAR is not a charity. KyBu needs to keep the $$$$$$$$ flowing or he might have to shutter his racing team like Kez did. JGR is the mothership but KyBu wants his business to succeed. NASCAR drivers are like Strippers -- they have to perform or their moving down to a lower series/stage.

How did I do defending KyBu? :D
 
Rick Hendrick has dealt with LOTS of drivers, even fired a few including Kyle Busch. Ever hear him say a bad word in public about ANY of them? Same goes for Roger Penske, or dare I say it, Joe Gibbs? To keep the analogy a little more in Kyle's realm, how about Dale Jr?
 
Formerjackman said:
Rick Hendrick has dealt with LOTS of drivers, even fired a few including Kyle Busch. Ever hear him say a bad word in public about ANY of them? Same goes for Roger Penske, or dare I say it, Joe Gibbs? To keep the analogy a little more in Kyle's realm, how about Dale Jr?
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Nah, Dale Jr. is too classy to put a driver on blast in public.
 
After reading the article, I don’t have a problem with what KDB said. Todd despite his age is a paid professional for one of the most successful teams and manufacturers in the sport, he chose this line of work. Results are everything and it’s like that in every walk of life I would think. Don’t produce, get replaced. Saying that....I don’t agree how Kyle went about all this. Say this behind closed doors, keep it in house. I’m not sure if I understand trying to get results out of a guy through the media. I would bet this sports legendary car owners like Roger Penske would never go about it that way. Kyle could have said everything he said about Todd to his face and behind close doors. For all I know it’s been said, but just keep that out of the public eye.
 
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