RELATED: Full schedule for Texas
FORT WORTH — Brian Vickers hasn’t made three consecutive Sprint Cup race starts since the 2014 season. He’s preparing to do it in Saturday’s Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and he’s doing so with the attitude of deep gratitude and high expectations for himself.
His job filling in for Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Chevrolet while the three-time Cup champ recovers from an offseason back injury and surgery, has given Vickers, 32, the kind of opportunity he has sought and deserves.
He’s coming off a season-best seventh-place finish at Martinsville after starting an impressive third and was 13th at Auto Club Speedway in his previous start. At this point, continuity is a bonus and Vickers certainly likes the direction this is going.
“It’s probably a better question for the team, but speaking to them I know that their sentiment would be ‘It’s huge,’ ” Vickers said Thursday at Texas. “Having some consistency in the driver’s seat has been great for them and great for us to build that chemistry and work together. It takes time. It just does.
“From a communications standpoint with me, the crew chief, the engineers, the spotter, it takes time, but we are getting there. We are making it happen. It’s an honor for me to be in the (No. 14) car. I’ve said this before, I will say it again, I hate that I’m in the car because of the circumstances because Tony is injured and he’s not here.
“I have been in his shoes many times. I wish him nothing but the best. I would love to see him in the car soon, but happy to fill in for him until then. I think the more times we are together, the more times we are in this car, the better it will get.”
Vickers won the pole at Texas in 2006 driving for Hendrick Motorsports, and his best finish at the 1.5-mile track is 2014’s fourth-place showing — his only top-five — while driving for Michael Waltrip Racing.
But listening to Vickers talk and seeing the excitement in his face, he absolutely believes things are looking up. He is bolstered by the good finishes and optimistic about having the continuity and very real sense of promise here in Texas this weekend.
“It is a challenge, you know, not being in the car every week; although it is kind of nice, at the same time,” Vickers said with a laugh. “It’s certainly an added challenge. But, as you guys know, everyone in this room pretty much is on the circuit and understands the grind of the length of our season. But the last three weeks I think, have been great, working with (crew chief) Mike (Bugarewicz) kind of continually, and the whole team, and really building momentum we need to put a car in Victory Lane.
“I feel like we’ve done it in the last few weeks. Martinsville showed that. I feel like we have a good car coming here to Texas and hopefully we can build on that and take a seventh and turn it into a win or a top 5.”
Vickers’ SHR teammate Danica Patrick says Vickers has been an ideal addition to the team during Stewart’s recovery.
“Brian has done a great job,” Patrick said Thursday. “He’s done really well. He fits in really well. He’s intelligent with the race car, he’s helpful as a teammate. He’s fallen into place really well.
“So I’ve always known Brian is a really good driver. He’s had a great career and it’s good we could find someone so strong and consistent and full of experience to be in the seat for Tony while he’s getting better.”
Vickers is scheduled to be out of the car next week in Bristol, Tenn — Ty Dillon will drive — and has honestly kept things open depending on Stewart’s return and the uncertain time frame of it all.
This is bonus time for Vickers, who missed all but two races last season because of blood clots — marking the fourth time since the 2010 season he was sidelined while dealing with important medical issues.
His attitude and determination now is very evident and he’s making good on an unexpected opportunity.
With his time at SHR a moving target, and his health strong now, Vickers has been open to various opportunities. He said Thursday that he hasn’t ruled out a possible Indianapolis 500 start with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in May.
“I would love to race anything, quite honestly,” Vickers said. “The Indy 500 would be one of them. I would love to run Le Mans again. I would love to race sports cars. I would love to be in this car.
“I am really enjoying this opportunity as well. I’m open to all of those opportunities. Indy is one of them. I would love to have something to announce, unfortunately, there is nothing to announce at this point. It is still on the table. It’s not done, but it’s not off the table yet, either. We will continue exploring that and if it happens great, if not, move on to the next opportunity and maybe next year.”