UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 - Brian Vickers Notes

'25' FASTEST AT VEGAS TEST: GMAC Racing joined more than 20 NEXTEL Cup teams for January's test session at Las Vegas. The team spent the first day of the two-day test running in race trim before changing their attention to the car's qualifying setup on Day Two. Unofficially, the No. 25 Chevrolet recorded a lap of 31.25 seconds, the fastest of all participating teams in qualifying trim.

CLIMBING THE STANDINGS: Vickers finished 16th during the Subway 400 at North Carolina Speedway two weeks ago, vaulting GMAC Racing 10 places in the standings to 29th -- just 80 markers behind 10th-place Joe Nemechek. Last year, the No. 25 team earned their first top-10 finish of the season at Vegas, finishing ninth. One week later, the team traveled to Atlanta and finished ninth again.

NEW CHASSIS FOR VICKERS: The No. 25 team will field a new car for this weekend's 400-miler at Las Vegas. Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 2557 will make its race debut after being introduced by the team during January's test at the 1.5-mile oval.

HENDRICK LOOKING FOR SECOND 'W': This weekend, Hendrick Motorsports will be shooting for its second-ever win at Las Vegas. Jeff Gordon and the No. 24 DuPont team went to Victory Lane in 2001, which is also Chevrolet's only win in six tries.

VICKERS AT VEGAS: Vickers has made two career starts at LVMS, both in the Busch Series. Sunday's event will mark the Cup debut for the Thomasville, N.C., native at Vegas, where he most recently qualified sixth and finished 13th during last year's Busch Series race.

BRIAN VICKERS, DRIVER OF THE NO. 25 GMAC FINANCIAL SERVICES CHEVROLETS: (ON GOING TO LAS VEGAS AFTER A SOLID TEST SESSION THERE IN JANUARY.) "I think everyone on the GMAC team, including myself, is excited to get back to Vegas and see how we stack up on race weekend. Knowing we ran well during testing, and that this team performed strong here in 2003, makes everyone that much more eager for the return trip when it all counts."

VICKERS: (ON THE TIRES AT LAS VEGAS.) "The biggest difference between this year's Vegas tire and last year's is how much the lap times fall off. Honestly, the fall-off became noticeable after about 10-to-12 laps, but it's not anything new to Vegas because tires have always reacted that way. The tires aren't the only item we're having to deal with -- we also have a reduced spoiler that can make the car pretty uncomfortable to drive if you don't have the right balance."

VICKERS: (FIVE ROOKIES FINISHED IN THE TOP 20 AT ROCKINGHAM. DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU?) "Knowing most of the other rookies like I do, nothing during the first two races has surprised me, and nobody else should be surprised either. Everyone realizes the strength of this year's rookie class -- our collective experience and the caliber of teams we're all associated with. The only thing that would surprise me is if the rookies didn't have a strong showing each week."