Vickers On Pole, Ready to Avenge June Race

Brian Vickers made a big statement Friday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway.

The Red Bull Racing driver not only posted the fastest time in practice Friday afternoon, but also put his No. 83 Toyota on the pole in commanding fashion for Sunday's 3M Performance 400 at the track an hour west of Detroit.

Vickers' lap -- 188.536 mph -- was over three-tenths of a second faster than outside pole-sitter Jimmie Johnson. To put it into prospective, Bobby Labonte in 35th was only one second off of Vickers' speed.

The No. 83 team easily had a winning car during the June race at Michigan and led 44 laps in that effort. The race -- won by Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- ended in fuel mileage fashion, though Vickers still had a chance to win but NASCAR hampered his progress by putting him in the wrong restart position on the final green-white-checkered.

Had Vickers restarted a position higher, he might have been able to at the very least finish second, but instead wound up with a fourth-place finish. NASCAR apologized for the incident after the race and Vickers accepted it, but you've got to believe that he's still simmering over that call.

To round out the Top-5 starting positions, Elliott Sadler qualified his No. 19 Dodge third, Earnhardt Jr. was fourth, and Jeff Gordon -- coming off an absolutely horrible performance at Watkins Glen -- will start fifth. Point leader Kyle Busch lines up 11th.

Johnny Sauter failed to qualify in the No. 08 car.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-16-2008 @ 3:26AM

Don Emerson said...

yeah, Vickers might have a fair chance in this race since Nascar made the nation happy by giving Jr a victory. Good luck Brian. Works for me.....

8-16-2008 @ 7:57AM

Race Sports Driver said...

OK,.............Emerson is a Drunk! 'Don Won & Assoc.' are a loss.......and so is Brian France. Hey 'Coke' boy Brian...............how does it feel to 'feel' up to certain drivers!!! >-) Do you want me to spill the beans!!..........You asshole!

Ratings and attendance will continue to drop because of your ignorance.............dumb ass!

8-16-2008 @ 8:27AM

art said...

don that is no doubt the dumest thing you have commented on . get a life

8-16-2008 @ 4:14PM

mike said...

why is steve wallace allowed to drive anything

8-16-2008 @ 4:56PM

Because of who his daddy is. But with his talent look for Steve to be bringing up the rear of the truck race real soon. I wouldn't give you 50 cents for the whole Wallace bunch. They are an untalented, overrated, egotistical family of wannabes. Works for me.....

8-17-2008 @ 9:28AM

Brad said...

There's the true 'Damn the Nation' Don we all know......Let the evidence speak for itself.......If Eury Jr. makes a bad call it's off with his head ! ! !.........but when he makes a good call like Michigan......it's Nascar giving the WIN to Dale...... Aloha, Brad P.S. Come on Don ya sound like a bronc buster that bumped his head when he got bucked off......'a little wishy-washy'................Now pick yourself up, put another quarter in the machine and ride around in circles a little longer, you'll get the hang of it. LOL