‘OPEN’ DEBUT FOR VICKERS:
Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 25 GMAC/ditech.com Chevrolets, will be making his debut in the NEXTEL Open at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this weekend. During his 2004 rookie campaign in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, the 20-year-old competed in the All-Star Challenge thanks to the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports team’s May 2003 win at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
‘25’ HAS ‘OPEN’ HISTORY:
In 1997, Ricky Craven won the NEXTEL Open in a Hendrick Motorsports No. 25 Chevy, earning his way into the All-Star Challenge. He finished eighth in the 70-lap event.
HENDRICK IN THE ALL-STAR:
Rick Hendrick, who founded Hendrick Motorsports in 1984 as “All-Star Racing,” has five NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge wins -- more than any car owner. He has earned those victories with three different drivers: Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997, 2001), Terry Labonte (1999) and Jimmie Johnson (2003).
CHASSIS 334 FOR GMAC RACING:
For the NEXTEL Open, GMAC Racing will once again field Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 334. Saturday will mark the fourth appearance of the car in 2005, including its February introduction at California Speedway, where it qualified on the outside pole. The same machine also competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Vickers started eighth and finished sixth, and Texas Motor Speedway.
TWO CHANCES FOR DUO IN ALL-STAR RACE:
Busch and Vickers will each have two chances to make the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge on Saturday night. They will attempt to race into the million-dollar event by winning the NEXTEL Open and fans can vote for the Hendrick Motorsports teammates by visiting www.nextel.com/allstar.
BRIAN VICKERS, DRIVER OF THE NO. 25 GMAC/ditech.com CHEVROLETS:
(WHAT’S THE MINDSET FOR THE NEXTEL OPEN, KNOWING ONLY THE WINNER WILL TRANSFER?) “It’s a go-for-broke type of weekend, whether you’re in the Open or the all-star race. First place is what it’s all about. That’s what pays the money.”
VICKERS:
(DID YOU ATTEND ALL-STAR EVENTS IN THE PAST AS A FAN?) “I used to go to the all-star races a lot with my family when I was real young. In high school, I went with some buddies and we grilled out and had a great time. Actually, I attended the race as a fan up in the grandstands up until I ran in the race last year. In 2003, when I was running in the Busch Series, my friends and I got some tickets and watched the race.”
VICKERS:
(DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ALL-STAR RACE MEMORY?) “The year Kyle Petty turned Dale Earnhardt in Turn 4 and then spun Davey Allison going across the start-finish line really sticks out. There was one car sliding backward and the other car going forward. That was an awesome race. There have been so many good ones, but at that point I was just old enough to really know what was going on.”
