Dodge/Save Mart 350 - Brian Vickers Notes

ROAD COURSE ROOKIE: Driving the No. 25 GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet, Brian Vickers will make his NASCAR debut on a road course during this weekend's NEXTEL Cup Series event at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. The Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender has not entered a competitive road course race since his go-kart days in the mid-1990s.

PICKING UP THE PACE: Vickers and GMAC Racing captured their second top-10 finish of 2004, coming in ninth at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. The 20-year-old's career-best NEXTEL Cup result came in May at Richmond International Raceway, where he finished eighth. The MIS performance vaulted Vickers and the No. 25 team three places in the championship standings to 19th. They left the season-opener at Daytona Beach, Fla., 39th overall.

VICKERS' HOT STREAK CONTINUES: GMAC Racing extended its string of top-10 qualifying efforts to six races after earning the outside pole position at Michigan. During the stretch dating back to the May 2 event at California Speedway, Vickers and the No. 25 team have an average starting position of 3.16.

'25' HITS THE ROAD: In an effort to better prepare for Sunday's Save Mart 350, the No. 25 GMAC team tested at three different road courses: Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C.; Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.; and Sonoma's Infineon Raceway.

BRIAN VICKERS, DRIVER OF THE NO. 25 GMAC FINANCIAL SERVICES CHEVROLETS: (ON TESTING AT INFINEON RACEWAY.) "We made a bunch of changes to the car throughout the day, electing to stay in race trim for the duration. It took me a little while to get going and learn the track, but by the end of the day I felt good about our progress."

VICKERS: (IN ALL OF THE ROAD COURSE TESTING YOU'VE DONE DURING THE LAST TWO MONTHS, WHAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST THING YOU'VE LEARNED?) "The answer sounds very simple, but in reality it's not that easy. In order to be successful, I've learned that I can't drive a road course like an oval. There's not a single turn on a road course that you can approach like you would on a oval."

VICKERS: (WHY HAVE YOU AND THE NO. 25 TEAM TAKEN SUCH A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO ROAD COURSE RACING?) "Even though I haven't done much racing on road courses in a long time, I still look forward to the opportunities at Infineon and Watkins Glen (N.Y.). Some teams don't put a lot of effort toward the road course events, but there was no way we would take that approach. Enjoying the road courses is all up to the driver. You can't force yourself to like something. If you want to try hard, learn the skills and be open-minded about it all, there's a good chance you can excel at it. The key is wanting to do it."

VICKERS: (ONE OF YOUR TEAMMATES, JEFF GORDON, IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST ROAD COURSE DRIVERS ON THE CIRCUIT. HOW MUCH HELP HAS HE PROVIDED TO YOU AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR FIRST RACE?) "Jeff's provided me with assistance in one way or another at every road course I've tested so far, whether it be at the test or on the phone. Information on braking, shift points and making sure to get off the corners has been just some of the stuff he's tried to help me with."