Vickers looking ahead, but with an eye out for Busch

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Brian Vickers is in his happy place these days, and he isn't about to let Kyle Busch spoil that for him.

Vickers met with the media Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he was preparing for Saturday night's Sharpie 500. He wanted to talk mostly about his immediate future, which was brightened considerably in the previous week when he not only won the Carfax 400 at Michigan last Sunday but followed that by signing a lucrative multiyear contract extension with Red Bull Racing two days later.

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Brian Vickers talks about his relationship with Kyle Busch after their run-in at Michigan and sizes up his chances to make the Chase.

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While that certainly was understandable, the subject of his running feud with Busch hung over Vickers' happy place like a dark rain cloud, threatening to spoil the party.

"The win last week was very special to myself and the entire team, of course," said Vickers, one of the first employees hired by Red Bull when the organization was started from scratch less than three years ago. "Everything that we've gone through as a group from the start, being one of the first employees there and seeing the progression throughout the past two-and-a-half years -- all the struggles we went through and the pains we went through, especially that first year -- that all made this win that much more sweet."

Jay Frye, general manager of Red Bull Racing, said that he and Vickers and the entire organization believe that last Sunday's win was the first of what will be many victories for the No. 83 Cup team. The win at Michigan was the first in the brief history of the operation.

"Once you learn how to win, hopefully that opens the floodgates for a lot of other good things to happen," Frye said. "I really believe that's the case for this team. It's gaining a lot of confidence and getting better every week."

The Cup victory at MIS came on the heels of last Saturday's memorable duel with Busch on the final lap of the Nationwide Series race at the same venue. As Vickers, running second at the time, bumped and battled with Busch, who was leading, Brad Keselowski came out of seemingly nowhere to pass them both and claim the victory. (Continued)