"If we can continue like this, we'll be golden"

In the NASCAR Nextel Cup Brian Vickers is not only making a beeline for the Chase. He’s soon going to be doing it in various directions. Before the Toyota 350 he took stock of the interim results.

Congratulations on your fourth place at LifeLock 400 in Michigan, just one week after your second place in Pocono. What was it that prevented the Team Red Bull from its first Sprint-Cup victory?

In Pocono, we took a chance with fuel strategy and it was really paying off until Kyle Busch spun out with a few laps to go. The caution allowed the guys with fresher tires to catch up to us. I was able to hold off everyone but Kasey Kahne. We had the faster car – he just had the tires.
In Michigan, a lot of the other cars were banking on fuel strategy, but this week we had the fresher tires to pass them – so it was a reverse situation to Pocono. When a caution came out at the end of the race, NASCAR put the No. 8 car ahead of us for no reason, when they were obviously behind us when the caution came out. That definitely cost us a win.

You’re currently 16th in the overall standings, 97 points behind 12th place, which would give you a place in the Chase. How do you see your chances of competing in New Hampshire with 5000 points?

Our chances of making the Chase are good. It is definitely possible. It’s going to take some good runs by the team, solid finishes, and staying out of trouble week in and week out. If we can continue like we have the past two weeks, we’ll be golden.

At the next race in Sonoma, the Toyota 350, the NASCAR cars will also have to rounding bends on the right side for a change. What is the particular challenge of driving on a street course like the one at Infineon Raceway with a NASCAR car?

A road course race is very different than an oval, mainly because you have to turn left and right, when we’re used to only turning left. I do enjoy it though. We only race on road courses twice a year, but I’m glad we do. They’re a lot of fun.

Your team-mate AJ Allmendinger is 37th on the Owners table, 110 points behind 35th, which would guarantee him a starting place. In your opinion, how has his performance in the 84 Crew been to date?

AJ and the whole No. 84 team have improved. They are consistently qualifying and running better each week. If they keep it up and continue getting good finishes to get out of the hole they’re in, they should hopefully be able to get into the top 35 soon.