Brian Vickers is still in search of his first Nextel Cup Series victory. Credit: Autostock

10 Questions: Vickers

One of Hendrick Motorsports' young lions, Brian Vickers, is one of several Nextel Cup drivers that have endured a great amount of frustration early this season.

And as many of them also have, Vickers has been bolstered by the fact that his No. 25 Chevrolet has run well enough at times to contend for top-five finishes, despite currently being logged in 20th in the standings.

While preparing for the Samsung/RadioShack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, Vickers took a break to answer 10 Questions not necessarily connected to his racing career.

1. What is your favorite outdoor activity?

	Credit: Autostock
	VICKERS MAILBAG Brian Vickers will answer fans' questions each week on NASCAR.COM.  •   To post a question, click here

Vickers: Hmm. I don't know, but it would probably just be doing nothing -- just chilling.

I mean, I like golf and I like scuba diving -- things that involve some activity. And I've been riding horses down here in Texas.

But just chilling on the beach is probably the best. Because you know, with our schedules, we probably don't have much time for any of those activities anyway.

2. What is your favorite section of public road in the United States?

Vickers: It would probably be the one with the fastest speed limit and the most curves.

Now, the most curves would be up in the mountains and the fastest speed limit? I don't know about that, because I don't really look that often -- at the speed limit, anyway.

3. If you could be President of the United States for a day, what would your greatest accomplishment be?

Vickers: The two that come to mind right away would be something to do with education, and solving the country's dependency on foreign oil.

Initially, I was a fan of ethanol, but I don't think that's a long-term solution, because it still creates pollution problems, but it will at least keep the U.S. economy growing and it will keep the money in-house for the U.S. farmers to supply the [raw materials].

That will stop supplying money to the Middle East but I think a hydrogen-based fuel is more of a long-term solution. But I don't think that technology is quite where it needs to be -- but ethanol is, right now.

4. Do you have an iPod, and if so, what's on it these days?

Vickers: Yes I do, and I mean, it's got everything on it -- from Frank Sinatra to Eminem to OAR to Jack Johnson, country songs -- you name it, and it's all there -- rock 'n roll, Rage Against the Machine.

My mood depends on what I listen to, but probably what I listen to the most is OAR. Jack Johnson would probably be second and then it's just a random choice after that.

5. Outside of racing, what athlete do you most admire?

Vickers: Wow, there are so many that I think of, but I think it would be Lance Armstrong. That's a pretty impressive accomplishment, to achieve what he did after the personal illness that he had to overcome.

6. Which show is "must see TV" for you?

Vickers: I think Family Guy because I enjoy cartoons and it's hilarious.

It's a cartoon based for adults. It's definitely rated R but it's funny. And it touches on all kind of modern-day problems and politics, so I enjoy it a lot.

7. What time do you go to bed most nights, and what time do you get up in the morning?

Vickers: It varies, because there are nights I go to bed at 10 [p.m.] and there are nights I go to bed at 4 [a.m.]. There are mornings I get up at 7 and there are mornings I get up at 10.

I think that's about my range. It's purely situational, in that whatever I have to do, I do -- and I adjust to it as I go.

I don't have a set schedule; it's more situational, as you say. But that range, between 10 and 2 going to bed and between 7 and 10 getting up is about the norm for me.

8. What is your No. 1 guilty pleasure?

Vickers: I'm not sure but it might be candy, because I like that -- or sleeping in. If I had to pick, my favorite candy brand is probably Smarties.

9. Who is the coolest or most impressive person or celebrity that you've gotten to meet?

Vickers: Let me think about this one. I'm not too good with names, but let me think for a second.

You know, it can be within racing, and I would probably say it would be Jeff [Gordon]. I would consider him to have celebrity status and he is actually a really, really neat guy.

If I had to pick the celebrity I'd most like to hang out with -- well -- same thing. He's a close friend of mine, but it would probably be Jeff.

I've got a lot of friends in our sport, but I would consider Jeff to have that celebrity status, he's a real neat guy and fun to hang out with and a real good friend.

As far as other celebrities go, and like I say, I'm not good with names and I've met a lot of them. But I would say in general, nine times out of 10, usually if you get to meet a celebrity you really, really want to meet, or a personal hero, from my experience it's usually a letdown.

I don't mean that in a bad way for any of those people, but when you think of celebrities and you read about them in the magazines or you watch them on TV -- you put them up on this pedestal.

In the end they're just regular people and they've got their own problems. Sometimes they've got more problems than most people because of how much they have to deal with.

10. If you could go back in time, what period in history would you like to live in, and why?

Vickers: I don't know, but I think maybe the 1940s -- not only during World War II, but pre-, during and post-war.

That era, and that generation I guess you always hear about, and I've always respected those guys and think of them -- and they've always been known as one of the greatest generations of all time.

I think it would be pretty neat to get to hang out with some of them and to meet some of the people that history has called the greatest generation of all time.