Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images |
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| 2005 Season |
| Final Points Standing | 17th
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| After First 26 Races | 18th
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| Earnings | $4,559,903
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| Starts | 36
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| Poles | 1
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| Wins | 0
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| Top 5 | 5
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| 6-10 | 5
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| Laps Led | 315
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| Lead Lap Finishes | 22
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| Bonus Points | 60
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| Races Led | 10 |
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| 2005 Performance |
| Below is the ranking of the team on each type of track along with the driver's best finish. |
| Track Type | Ranking |
| Flat Tracks | 7th
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| Best Finish | 2nd, Pocono
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| Intermediate Tracks | 13th
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| Best Finish | 3rd, California
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| Plate Tracks | 23rd
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| Best Finish | 6th, Talladega
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| Road Courses | 18th
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| Best Finish | 8th, Watkins Glen
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| Short Tracks | 35th
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| Best Finish | 12th, Bristol |
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2006 Spin
Brian Vickers is another driver who could really wreck our rankings this season. The 2003 Busch Series champion now has two full seasons of Cup experience under his belt and has shown steady but slow improvement. Another year in the Busch Series may have been a wiser move than rushing up to the Cup ranks, as the learning curve has been a steep one for the Thomasville, N.C., native.
Five top 5 finishes highlighted Vickers' 2005 campaign, but the instant success of fellow Hendrick driver Kyle Busch has suddenly put pressure on this team to step up and challenge for wins. If Busch has the solid season we have predicted and Vickers is only able to replicate his '05 numbers, the rumor mill could start tossing around possible replacement names.
This team has the resources and ability to post some good finishes. Rick Hendrick's equipment is top-notch, and a win would seem to be close at hand, as Vickers certainly has the talent to get it done. The problem is that he had the equipment last year but was unable to close the deal. If this team puts it together, a track such as Atlanta could be the site of that elusive win. Vickers also had a stellar run in '05 at Pocono, where he led 121 laps before Carl Edwards snuck in and swiped the win.
Expect roughly the same numbers as last season with a couple of additional top 10s thrown in and a possible win. Now is the time for Vickers to have a breakout year.
2006 Recap
Vickers' 2005 run was a step in the right direction. After an '04 campaign that saw zero top 5s and only four top 10s, he was able to register five top 5s and 10 top 10s.
The team appeared to be clicking when the circuit hit Dover in the spring. A strong sixth-place run was followed by Vickers' best race of the season at Pocono. Vickers had the car to beat all day in Pennsylvania, leading 121 laps before finishing second to a hard-charging Carl Edwards. However, the 25 team still sat 21st in the point standings.
It was misery for the next three events, where Vickers' average finish was 34.7, before another strong run, this time a fourth at Chicago.
A string of four top 10s in five weeks late in the summer propelled Vickers to 17th in the standings. He faded down the stretch, though, earning only one top 10 in the Chase races and finishing 17th in the final point standings.
• The Good: The June Pocono race was a career day for Vickers. He qualified third and led 121 of the 201 laps. He lost the lead with 30 laps to go, but this race squelched driver-change rumors.
• The Bad: After transmission repairs in Richmond, Vickers hit teammate Jimmie Johnson, sending him for a spin. As a result, Johnson finished a lap down, falling from third to fourth in the points.
• The Ugly: In the Coca-Cola 600, Vickers led 98 laps but made a bonehead move late, causing a crash that eliminated contenders Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin, among others.
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