PREVIEW: BRIAN VICKERS (NO. 25 GMAC CHEVROLET)
VENUE: PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY (1-MILE OVAL)
CIRCUIT: NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES (RACE 35 OF 36)
EVENT: SUNDAY, NOV. 12, 2006 (312 LAPS, 312 MILES)

THREE YEARS IN A ROW: Driving a No. 25 GMAC Chevrolet, Brian Vickers started first Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, giving him four career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series pole positions. It marked the first time since 1988-90 that the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports team has posted poles in three consecutive seasons. Vickers captured two in his 2004 rookie year and one in 2005.

FIXTURE AT THE FRONT: In five career starts at Phoenix International Raceway, Vickers holds an average starting position of 5.80, the all-time best amongst drivers with a minimum of five starts at the one-mile oval.

CHASSIS 295 FOR '25': GMAC Racing will call upon Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 295 for this weekend's 312-lapper at Phoenix. The car has seen action three times this season, earning a 13th-place finish at PIR in April, a 17th-place result at New Hampshire in July and a fifth-place showing at New Hampshire in September.

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BRIAN VICKERS, DRIVER OF THE NO. 25 GMAC CHEVROLET: (ON PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY.) "Phoenix has been a good track for us recently and we always seem to qualify well there. It's a fun track, especially when you set off into Turn 3. It's very unique and Turns 1 and 2 are completely different from Turns 3 and 4. You can carry a lot of speed going off into Turn 3 and you kind of just carry it all the way through the corner. If you like to run loose, Phoenix is a perfect track for that because you have to run off the right-rear to keep the car freed up."

VICKERS: (ON THE PHOENIX AREA.) "When the schedule allows for it, I do try and arrive a day or so early in the Phoenix area. It's beautiful there and has some really great golf courses."

VICKERS: (WHAT KIND OF GOLFER ARE YOU?) "I'm a decent golfer and I've played since I was a kid. I can hit good shot most of time, know the fundamentals and know how to correct my shot if I make a slice. I don't play enough now to be consistent, that's my biggest flaw. When I used to play more, I felt more consistent. Now, if I get a couple of games every three or four months during the season, that's pretty good."