Brian Vickers

In a world as competitive as the one of NASCAR racing, it is quite difficult for a racer to stand out and shine. That being said, Brian Vickers managed not only to stand out and shine, but to actually outshine some of the legendary heavyweights of the racing circuits. Born Brian Lee Vickers on October 24, 1983 in Thomasville, North Carolina, Brian became the youngest NASCAR champion in history by winning the Busch Series in 2003 at age 20, quite an accomplishment considering that Vickers started his driving career only 9 years earlier piloting go-karts. Between 1994 and 1997, Vickers went on to win eighty races and three championships in the World Karting Association.

In 1998 Vickers moved to the Allison Legacy Series, winning 5 races during the season. He subsequently competed in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series before moving to the USAR ProCup, were ha was named “Rookie of the Year” after winning two races in 2000. The next season would mark his Busch Series debut at the GNC Live Well 250, driving his father’s #29.The 2002 would prove to be a difficult one for Vickers, his best finish being a 7th place at the Hardee’s 250. For the 2003 season, just when his team was on the brink of shutdown due to lack of funding, Vickers was called to replace Ricky Hendrick in the #5 GMAC Chevrolet. He would win three races, ultimately winning the Busch series championship and becoming in the process the youngest champion ever in the Series.

Vickers wouldn’t make his comeback to the Busch Series until 2005, instead focusing on the Nextel Cup, where he debuted at the 2003 UAW-GM Quality 500. For the 2006 season, he has scored three top-ten finishes driving Hendrick’s #25 Ditech.com/GMAC Chevrolet, his best position being a seventeenth place. For next year’s season, however, Vickers will be joining the Red Bull Toyota Cup team. At this point, Brian Vickers scores no wins, 20 top-tens and poles.