Meet the Sheriff

Brian Vickers is known as ‘The Sheriff’ by NASCAR insiders and in Team Red Bull as the undoubted leader. Eight facts you should know about Brian.

Born in NC

Born in the ‘NASCAR state’ North Carolina, Brian Vickers finds himself in grand company: Dale Earnhardt (senior and junior), Richard Petty or Dale Jarrett are among the famous NASCAR sons of the state. Most cup teams operate from NC; in 2010 the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be opened in Charlotte.

Start from home quarters

Brian Vickers began his stock car career in the family-owned racing team of his father Clyde. When money was scarce, Rick Hendrick was already onto the talent from Thomasville, scooping up the then 19-year-old and taking him to Hendrick Motorsports.

High-speed party guest

Despite being squeezed for time, Brian didn’t miss his high school graduation party. After qualifying for the Carquest Auto Parts 300 in Charlotte he raced to the celebrations at his high school only to be back at the race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway just in time.

Youngest Nationwide Champion

At the tender age of 20 but still in his tenth ‘motor sports pro season’ Brian Vickers became the youngest NASCAR Nationwide champion of all time in 2003.

Winning just like his icon

Brian’s first cup victory was celebrated in 2006 at the UAW Ford 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway in the style of his role model ‘Intimidator’ Dale Earnhardt. A gentle nudge at the right time; in the last bend both leaders spun towards the wall… and freed up the track for Brian.

The Sheriff gets his gun

For his pole position at the Dickies 500 on the Texas Motor Speedway in 2006 the event organizer gave ‘Sheriff’ Vickers his own specially designed Beretta. His lap average was an unbelievable 196.235 mph (315.810 km/h) – the fastest lap of the year.

Team Red Bull in numbers

In his two years with Red Bull Racing Brian lifted his #83 Team into the front mid-field, and only just missed out on the Chase in 2008. He celebrated his biggest successes in Red Bull colors at the Pocono 500 as second and pole sitter in Michigan. His Red Bull balance sheet: eleven top 10 placings, five of them in the top five.

Typically American

Off the race track Brian is interested in typically American sports. He’s a huge fan of the Charlotte Bobcats (basketball) and the Carolina Panthers (American football). But he’s unfortunately not always able to watch the Panthers live – for both him and the Panthers, Sunday is a working day.