CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver Brian Vickers and fellow Toyota driver Denny Hamlin are the only drivers who own two top-five finishes in the three restrictor plate races in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
Vickers finished fourth at Talladega Superspeedway in May then came within a few feet of winning the July race at Daytona before finishing second.
The Michael Waltrip Racing driver hopes he gets another chance for victory at Talladega this weekend at the fourth and final restrictor plate race of the season. Success at the 2.66-mile track isn’t something new for Vickers. His first career victory came at the fall Talladega race in 2006. He owns five top-five finishes in 15 races at the Alabama track.
Vickers and the No. 55 team will spend Tuesday and Wednesday testing at Phoenix International Raceway before traveling to Talladega. On Oct. 28 and 29 they will participate in a Goodyear test at California Speedway where the team will test the 2015 Camry Toyota unveiled Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
VICKERS: “Talladega will always be a special place to me. I think every driver remembers that first victory and the track where it happened. Talladega is also a place where we have finished well. I don’t know if there is any great strategy to Talladega. In May, track position made so much difference at the end of the race. Once we got to the front we could stay there. Clint (Bowyer) and I got up there and I think we each had a real shot at the win. I can say all the standard things about Talladega. Stay out of trouble, be there at the end and have a good drafting partner. But at the end of the race you also need a lot of luck. If you do everything right and get a little luck anyone can win.”
2015 CAMRY: “I saw the new Camry and I think it looks great! Can’t wait to go testing with it. I think fans will notice it looks more like the new Camrys at the dealership. The front end, grill area and front fenders look exactly like the production Camry. I think it’s important for the sport to keep our race cars like the cars you see on the streets. I also hope it is as fast as it looks. If so, 2015 will be fun.”
NOTES:
· CHASSIS: Primary: 789 finished fourth at Talladega in May. Backup: 753 finished 30th in the Daytona 500
· AARON’S INC: Aaron’s joined MWR in 2000 serving as a primary sponsor in Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races. The Atlanta-based company, with more than 2,130 stores across the country, helps customers own the life they want. Aaron’s carries only the best brand names in furniture, electronics, and appliances with a variety of flexible payment options. It’s really easy to “Own It” at Aaron’s with customers who are now pre-approved for up to $2,500 in merchandise without needing credit. Visit Aarons.com to find a store near you.
· AARON’S RACING REWARDS: Join Aaron’s Racing Rewards and take advantage of exclusive member benefits such as at-track discounts from Michael Waltrip Racing and FanVision. Become a member by Oct. 31 and you’ll be automatically entered in our Racing Rewards Sweepstakes where the grand prize is a $5,000 shopping spree at Aaron’s! Visit www.aarons.com/racingrewards for more information. If Brian Vickers finishes 1-10 in Texas, fans can win:
§ 6th–10th Finish – 20 members randomly chosen to win an Aaron’s/MWR t-shirt
§ 2nd–5th Finish – 5 members randomly chosen to win a 32” Magnavox LED
§ 1st-Place Finish – 1 member randomly chosen to win a $5,000 Aaron’s shopping spree
· CREW CHIEF BILLY SCOTT: No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Crew Chief Billy Scott began racing motorcycles as a 5-year-old and stock cars when he turned 15. He worked in the truck series as a mechanic before he returned to college to obtain an engineering degree. After graduating in 2005 Scott worked at Robert Yates Racing and began as an engineer at MWR in 2008. The 36-year-old served exclusively as the No. 55 team’s lead engineer the last two seasons.
· TELEVISION:
· MWR ONLINE FAN STORE: The new Michael Waltrip Racing online team store is now open. Sign up now at to get discounts and merchandise specials emailed to you. With over 100 items in stock, this is the place to get all your MWR gear.
