brian vickers

Kyle Busch at Infineon in 2011You know what they say, it only takes a few to ruin it for the many.

It seems that after a few incidents with Kyle Busch, NASCAR is pondering the “Boys have at it” stance, and trying to determine where the line should be drawn when it comes to letting the drivers settle things amongst themselves.

It wasn’t just Kyle Busch, but also incidents with Brian Vickers “fencing” Tony Stewart onto a pile of tires at Infineon an then again, Vickers raging vendetta against Matt Kenseth at Martinsville.  (If you remember that race, that was a pretty piss-poor move on Vickers part… blatant and arrogant.)

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NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton feels that generally speaking, the self-policing policy is working.  It would only be the intent of a few that are making headlines from the sport.

He also pointed out that he’s also aware of differences like retaliations at a small track vs a high-speed track, and takes everything into consideration.

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At one point, drivers weren’t sure where the line lay, as far as having gone too far with their need for retaliation.

Common sense says one thing, but in the height of competition, it can become an entirely different beast.

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NASCAR News and opinion from NASCAR BITS & PIECES on Brusimm.comYou would think that being third in the points would hold some merit with folks, but apparently not so with the folks at Turner Motorsports!

TM released Reed Sorenson today from the NASCAR Nationwide team and is now scrambling to get drivers behind the wheel for the rest of the season.

(Well if you hadn’t of…)

Right now they’re looking at Brian Vickers for a few events and they’re not sure about the rest of the season.

Not sure what’s up with that, but there it is.

Also, the team will be losing Dollar General as their sponsor for 2012.  So they have double troubles.

But Turner Motorsports isn’t the only team with issues in the NASCAR.

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NASCAR News and opinion from NASCAR BITS & PIECES on Brusimm.comI don’t know if you heard, but as NASCAR qualifying was charging along, Brian Vickers had the pole, and then, with five cars left to qualify, the rain came.  That’s in this second race of the 10-event final rounds pursuit , the Chase for the Sprint Cup or just called, The Chase!

Juan Montoya had declined to take to the track at that point, with a light drizzle, and Montoya was noted in saying that

“Send out the No. 48, if he’s so brave.”

Talk about nerves being frazzled by weather! I was worried for Vickers, after all their hard work, it might go by the wayside, but then they got qualifying back under way and Ryan Newman ended up snagging the pole.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Cup 2011Here’s where the Chase drivers sit in the field after qualifying:

Ryan Newman (1st),
Kurt Busch (5th),
Kevin Harvick (6th),
Jeff Gordon (7th),
Kyle Busch (8th),
Jimmie Johnson (10th),
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (12th),
Brad Keselowski (16th),
Tony Stewart (20th),
Carl Edwards (23rd),
Matt Kenseth (27th) and
Denny Hamlin (28th).

(Race Lineup )

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Over the last few years Bristol Motor Speedway has been having drivers pick their own theme song to play when they’re introduced to the crowd.  Now you might not have realized this because in most cases, songs chosen by the drivers aren’t always licensed by the network to air.

Yea, it’s a bit picky, but pretty much anything and everything you see on the tube in any telecast is arranged for by contractual obligations and agreements.  I remember when it was noted how Fox had to keep fessing up rights fees for the songs that Daryl Waltrip kept breaking out into during the early telecasts.  Have you noticed he doesn’t break out into impromptu song any more?

Well, along the lines of song introductions in Thunder Valley, my blogging peer, Leon, compiled his own idea of what songs he thought would go well with what drivers in their introductions.

Amongst his picks:

Carl Edwards ————- “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon;

Brian Vickers ———– “My Heart Can’t Tell You No” by Rod Stewart.

He’s picked out eighteen other drivers and songs.  You should go check it out at his site, Working on My Redneck!

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Jeff Gordon broke his 66 race non-winning streak Sunday by using the last 20 laps of the race to close in on Kyle Busch, get in under his bumper and passing him up with only a few laps to go.

Jeff Gordon sounded like a giddy first-timer, echoing Trevor Bayne‘s line from last week, “Are you kidding me?”

The fans at the track made me proud when, during Jeff Gordon’s attempted victory burnout, they actually cheered for his win.  I’m used to the crowd booing a winner.

The race had a few events, including the big one.  Yes, yes, I know, the “big one” usually happens at plate races, but Matt Kenseth nipped the tires of Brian Vickers, and things went astray and at least 12 other racing contenders became collected in the aftermath.  Mr. Vickers didn’t seem too happy afterwards, but I hope he see’s the replays before he goes off on Matt Kenseth.  The first wreck saw Kyle Busch side-slapping Carl Edwards and causing a small wreck earlier.  I hope this doesn’t set off Mr. Edwards on one of his venge modes on Mr. Busch!

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Brian Vickers Is Back?

by on January 11, 2011

in nascar, sports

Brian Vickers

I normally hate question mark titles, but I’m playing it safe with this one!  Cool news where Dustin Long reported that Brian Vickers was back in a car and testing at the Walt Disney World Speedway in Florida.

To quote Brian Vickers:

“Everything was just the way I left it last May. Just to fire the car back up was awesome, and then to punch it for the first time was such a great feeling.”

And it is awesome news indeed that squashes the rumor and worries about whether Brian Vickers will return to a car or not.

Last May Brian was found to have a blood clot and he was removed from the Red Bull car to undergo treatment for the clot.  Clots are amazingly dangerous little creatures and despite the tremendous physical conditioning the drivers go through to compete from within their cars, clots don’t play favorites.

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I was surprised to hear that Brian Vickers had gone through heart surgery to repair a hole in his heart. Last I heard, they were looking to deal with the blood clots that stymied his time in the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota.

On top of the heart surgery, a stent was installed to help deal with said blood clotting.

He expects (hopes?) to be back in the car by Daytona in February of 2011.  He’s already been biking up in Aspen, so he must be doing pretty good.

That’s good to hear and I look forward to his return to the seat of the Toyota, barring any complications to get cleared by NASCAR to do such. I miss him on the track.

[ThatsRacin]

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Kasey Kahne

Kasey Kahne

In case you had not heard the news (I’m wondering exactly who hasn’t?), sources are saying that Mark Martin will be staying in No. 5 Chevy in 2011 and Kasey Kahne will be spending his in-between year at Red Bull Racing.  In 2012, Kasey will come to Hendrick Motorsports.

Red Bull will confirm later this year who will be driving what. Right now Brian Vickers is out dealing with his blood clot issues. If he returns, expectations are that Kasey will take over Scott Speed‘s ride.

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If you’re wondering who we might see cross the finish before the rest of the pack in NASCAR’s Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 from Michigan International Speedway, let’s take a look at a few short stats.

Brian Vickers won the last 3 poles here at the track and he won the last NASCAR race held at Michigan. Alas, he’s not entered this weekend due to his health issues. [http://brusimm.com/2010/05/27/brian-vickers-hell-be-missed-but-needed-to-step-down/]

Other recent winners include the following:

  • 8/16/2009 Brian Vickers
  • 6/14/2009 Mark Martin
  • 8/17/2008 Carl Edwards
  • 6/15/2008 Dale Earnhardt Jr
  • 8/21/2007 Kurt Busch

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NASCAR Sprint Cup and Red Bull driver Brian Vickers

Brian Vickers

It was a curious and worrisome day for many fans of NACSAR driver Brian Vickers when Casey Mears first stepped into Brian’s Red Bull ride.  The worry became any number of mental maladies when Brian officially announced stepping out of his Red Bull ride due to blood clots.  Brian put on one hell of a brave face when he made that announcement because a blood clot is a scary proposition.

Despite the incredible physical conditioning that most race drivers have to be in to be competitive in the cockpit, things can still go wrong with their health.

For Brian Vickers it wasn’t anything obvious like a back collision with a wall that made him cross-eyed for a week.  It was a subtle and insidious little thing called a blood clot.

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