 | | Brian Vickers plans on remaining close with all his Hendrick teammates. Credit: Autostock |
August 23, 2006
12:56 PM EDT (16:56 GMT)
Brian Vickers will make his sixth career start at Bristol, where his best finish is 12th in the spring of 2005. He has finished 20th in his two night appearances there. Q: What Hendrick teammate are you going to miss the most next season and why? -- 25VickersFan Vickers: All of my teammates are great and it's not as if I won't see them anymore. Our sport isn't like other sports when you change teams and you might only see your former team only a couple of times a year. We have 36 races a year and see each other a few days every week no matter what. Q: If you had to choose between the Daytona 500 or the Brickyard, which one would you want to win more and why? -- nascargurl2425 Vickers: That's always a tough question. To me you're comparing apples and oranges and not apples to apples. I'd have to say winning at Indy. I could go on with the reasons, but one track has 100 years of prestige and the other has 50-something years. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to be fortunate enough to win either, but if you're putting me on the spot, I'd have to say the Brickyard. Q: Which night race do you like best? -- Tessa, Georgia Vickers: All of the night races are neat. To win at Charlotte would be cool. You grow up racing at night under the lights at the short-tracks because that's when short tracks run -- at least most of them. To race at Charlotte or Daytona under the lights at 180 or 200 mph is pretty special. It's like the tracks come alive at night and the fans like it because everything looks so much more electrifying. Q: During the offseason, how much time do you spend at the shop? -- Several users Vickers: A lot of people believe that because the season is over that everyone just goes on vacation and hangs out until the next season, but that's far from the truth. The offseason is very busy for the teams because they're building new cars and preparing for the season ahead. For the drivers it's a little less hectic. I'll spend time relaxing, catching up with family, friends and trying to get ready for the upcoming season. Time can be spent in the shop fitting seats or doing photo shoots and appearances for sponsors. The time really does go by fast. It seems like one minute we're at the season finale at Homestead and the next we're testing at Daytona in January and you're like, "Where did December go?" Q: What are your thoughts on adding a road-course race to the Chase? -- Several users. Vickers: I enjoy road courses and wouldn't be opposed to the idea of there being one in the final 10 races, but I'm not gung-ho for having a road course in the Chase. Our sport is built around ovals and we go to road courses probably more so because there isn't an oval track in the San Francisco market. Watkins Glen is an awesome place with a lot of road-course history, so I can understand why we race there. We race predominantly on the ovals, so the champion should be decided with that in mind. | 
