'08 Rear-View Mirror: Brian Vickers

Warning: Objects in this post may be the only way to successfully live through the NASCAR off-season. For best results, read rearview mirror early and often.

Driver: Brian Vickers
Team: No. 83 Red Bull Racing Toyota
'08 Final Standing: 19th (-3104)
Best Race: Pocono 500 (2nd-place)
Worst Race: Phoenix, Indianapolis & Lowes (42nd-place)

Season in a box: Aside from a not-so-surprising impressive first year under the Toyota banner for Joe Gibbs Racing, Brian Vickers was easily the brightest star from NASCAR's newest manufacturer with some near-wins and consistent finishes.

Vickers, in just his second full season with Red Bull Racing after leaving Hendrick Motorsports at the end of 2006, put together a nice effort of finishes -- especially in midsummer stretch of the racing season -- to make himself a viable contender for several race wins. Vickers took his best finish of 2nd-place at Pocono, but had likely his best chance to win at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May until a loose wheel broke off the car sending him into the wall while he was up front.

In the next seven races, Vickers put up 2 Top-5s, 3 Top-10s and didn't finish below 16th until engine problems took him out of the running at the exploding tire fest that was the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. Consistency wasn't really the problem for Vickers, but rather luck was -- especially if you look at the Lowe's tire problem, the Indy engine problem, a suspension problem that resulted in a crash at Phoenix, and a blown tire to cause a huge wreck at Talladega.

Through the crystal windshield: I may be somewhat partial to Vickers -- he just seems like a real neat, down-to-Earth kind of guy -- but I'll be quite surprised if he doesn't land RBR in victory lane for the first time in 2009. The No. 83 has been so, so close many times and has had race cars that have shown they can compete on a high level.

If this team can learn to get all of its mechanical ducks in-a-row and maybe find a little bit more luck (especially with wheels and tires), this team can be a contender to make the Chase in 2009, along with a win or two at the series' 1.5- and 2-mile tracks.

Next up: Kurt Busch