After a health scare forced Red Bull Racing driver Brian Vickers not only out of the car in 2010 some wondered if Vickers would be back in 2011?
After successful surgery and with his doctors’ approval, Vickers is back and more than ready to get back on the track.
Vickers spent time at the track on race weekends in 2010. He sat atop the pit box, watched his pit crew do their job.
He experienced aspects of this sport he might not ever would have had this health scare not occurred.
Now in 2011 Vickers is looking to get back into victory lane and also the Chase after making it in dramatic fashion in 2009.
Vickers was more than ready for the Daytona Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway in January. When he tested at Walt Disney World Speedway prior to the DIS test he tweeted; “Damn that felt good. Everything fits just like I left it.”
Vickers will team up with Kasey Kahne at RBR but there are still a lot of questions and they have nothing to do with his health.
This team struggled before the health issues arise. In 11 starts he had no top fives, no top 10 finishes. His average start was 21.6 and average finish was not much better of 20th.
RBR as a whole was struggling. While then teammate Scott Speed was showing signs of what could be early on, Vickers was struggling.
The struggles dated back to 2009 season and the Chase. After the team made a late charge to make the Chase in the final laps of Richmond, Vickers was never a contender for the title.
They lacked speed and that lack of speed carried into 2010 and left some wondering if Vickers would even contend for the Chase?
The key for this team is they haven’t really lost that chemistry that has brought them success.
We watched RBR start off races very strong look like contenders but are unable to make the necessary changes as the race wears on.
While most teams were improving and getting stronger as the races wore on RBR and particularly the 83 team fell off the pace.
If this team can’t get their hands wrapped around the handling of this car and especially with the new front ends they will continue to struggle.
Is Vickers capable of making the Chase? Yes. In my opinion it won’t be because of Vickers if he doesn’t make the Chase.
The organization as a whole has a lot of work to do to become real contenders for the title. I am not saying that RBR is behind or that they are not a weekly contender.
I am saying is while Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing were answering questions about the title hunt; RBR was answering questions about the future of the organization.
All those unanswered questions can play with the minds of team. We saw that once the questions were answered on the track with Kahne moving over and Vickers assurance he was coming back the performance improved.
With Vickers back in the car and Kahne in the No.4; RBR is heading in the right direction.
Photo: www.speedtv.com
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