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15th
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In a year of redemption Brian Vickers, a part-time driver at Michael Waltrip Racing, won New Hampshire Motor Speedway in a race marked by 12 cautions. Vickers became the 11th different winner in the last 11 races. It was his third Sprint Cup victory.
Vickers had been sidelined, earlier in his career by blood clots, aimed at a comeback with Red Bull Racing, but then the team shut its' doors and Vickers had no job.
Little-by-little he's returned, racing part time for MWR last year and this year while running for the Nationwide Championship with Turner Scott Racing.
It was only Vickers' eighth Sprint Cup start this year and 16th in the last two years.
“Man, just thank God for the chance and the opportunity to come back and this team and Rodney (Childers his crew chief) and just everyone believing me and giving me a second chance.”
“When you have a car that good in practice and first pit stop of the race we made big mistakes got a penalty and lap down Brian drove his butt off and never gave up. This morning we knew if it came down to a fuel mileage race we'd have a good car,” Childers explained.
What's also remarkable is that Vickers' No. 55 is shared with Mark Martin and team owner, Michael Waltrip.
Also in the vein of redemption Kurt Busch's resurgence also was palpable.
The 2004 Sprint Cup champ had led as late as lap 202, including a race high 102 laps; only to fall back after pit stops on a caution. Busch got caught trying to overtake Ryan Newman in turn two, and got tagged by Matt Kenseth on lap 226. He went to the garage for repairs. That ended his hopes of a breakout win for the single-car Furniture Row Racing.
Although led from lap 203 to 286 a miscalculation on fuel helped put Vickers in the catbird seat.
The three-time champion tried to stretch fuel, while dominating the last third. Even on most restarts he could hold off second place, Kyle Busch, who had won the Nationwide race here on Saturday. But it became obvious that Stewart couldn't continue his winning pace, and in fact he ran out of fuel on the final lap falling to 26th.
Busch said “I think we were the fastest car here today. Definitely on the short run. I guess I burned my front tires off.”
Third place Jeff Burton explained “I was pretty excited about that green white and checkered. That gave us a shot. Brian spun his tires and just couldn't get going then Tony and to check up to keep from passing him at the (start/finish) line and that was the end of it for us.
Polesitter, Brad Keselowski, finished fourth behind Burton and said “it is a solid day but not the win I want for sure.”
After the race Stewart said that he knew fuel was a concern. “Pretty nervous, I mean it's hard to calculate how much we are saving on the cautions so thought we were about three-quarters of to the good before that last caution. Obviously didn't get saved as much as I thought we would,” said Stewart.
Jimmie Johnson continues to lead the standing by more than one entire race, 56 points. Clint Bowyer is second followed by Carl Edwards 73 points back.
In the Wild Card Race Martin Truex, Jr. Vickers' teammate is 11th with one win followed by Stewart who stands 13th with one win.
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| Brian Vickers. (Photo: NASCAR) |
Vickers had been sidelined, earlier in his career by blood clots, aimed at a comeback with Red Bull Racing, but then the team shut its' doors and Vickers had no job.
Little-by-little he's returned, racing part time for MWR last year and this year while running for the Nationwide Championship with Turner Scott Racing.
It was only Vickers' eighth Sprint Cup start this year and 16th in the last two years.
 |
| Photo: NASCAR |
“Man, just thank God for the chance and the opportunity to come back and this team and Rodney (Childers his crew chief) and just everyone believing me and giving me a second chance.”
“When you have a car that good in practice and first pit stop of the race we made big mistakes got a penalty and lap down Brian drove his butt off and never gave up. This morning we knew if it came down to a fuel mileage race we'd have a good car,” Childers explained.
What's also remarkable is that Vickers' No. 55 is shared with Mark Martin and team owner, Michael Waltrip.
 |
| Photo: NASCAR |
Also in the vein of redemption Kurt Busch's resurgence also was palpable.
The 2004 Sprint Cup champ had led as late as lap 202, including a race high 102 laps; only to fall back after pit stops on a caution. Busch got caught trying to overtake Ryan Newman in turn two, and got tagged by Matt Kenseth on lap 226. He went to the garage for repairs. That ended his hopes of a breakout win for the single-car Furniture Row Racing.
Although led from lap 203 to 286 a miscalculation on fuel helped put Vickers in the catbird seat.
The three-time champion tried to stretch fuel, while dominating the last third. Even on most restarts he could hold off second place, Kyle Busch, who had won the Nationwide race here on Saturday. But it became obvious that Stewart couldn't continue his winning pace, and in fact he ran out of fuel on the final lap falling to 26th.
 |
| Kyle Busch. (Photo: René Fagnan) |
Busch said “I think we were the fastest car here today. Definitely on the short run. I guess I burned my front tires off.”
Third place Jeff Burton explained “I was pretty excited about that green white and checkered. That gave us a shot. Brian spun his tires and just couldn't get going then Tony and to check up to keep from passing him at the (start/finish) line and that was the end of it for us.
Polesitter, Brad Keselowski, finished fourth behind Burton and said “it is a solid day but not the win I want for sure.”
 |
| Brad Keselowski. (Photo: NASCAR) |
After the race Stewart said that he knew fuel was a concern. “Pretty nervous, I mean it's hard to calculate how much we are saving on the cautions so thought we were about three-quarters of to the good before that last caution. Obviously didn't get saved as much as I thought we would,” said Stewart.
Jimmie Johnson continues to lead the standing by more than one entire race, 56 points. Clint Bowyer is second followed by Carl Edwards 73 points back.
In the Wild Card Race Martin Truex, Jr. Vickers' teammate is 11th with one win followed by Stewart who stands 13th with one win.