+ FIRST TIMER
Now, all Team Red Bull must do is ‘do it again — and again and again’. The Nos. 83 and 84 Red Bulls raced together for the first time in a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race last Sunday on the high banks of Bristol, as AJ Allmendinger, in the Car of Tomorrow’s coming-out party, earned his way into the show for the first time. He grazed the wall on three separate occasions on his first qualifying lap, enough to slingshot him to a speed fast enough to replace five weeks of dejection with one moment of relief. He timed in 35th, started 43rd and finished 40th. AJ’s first “It’s just Bristol” moment came on lap 150 when he and Ken Schrader’s No. 21 collided, sending the Rookie into the wall and into the garage for 83 laps. He returned. After all, every lap counts, and there’s 500 more chances to learn at Martinsville. This weekend also is AJ’s first opportunity to graze on the famous Martinsville red hot chili dogs.
+ BURNIN’ FOR THE TOP 35
Just how crucial is a top 35 spot to Brian Vickers? Enough to bounce around Bristol with his feet and rear end (not the car’s) on fire? A broken tailpipe leaked 1,000-plus degree heat and carbon monoxide fumes into the cockpit of Brian’s No. 83. It got so bad his pit crew slid heat shields under Brian for protection and stuffed ice packs down his firesuit. They get an “A” for effort, but BV was still feeling the blistering effects at the shop earlier this week. He even went for a standing-only mountain bike ride Monday to sweat out carbon monoxide and other toxins. The pain, however, was well worth it. Brian led a lap, picked up five bonus points and finished on the lead lap in 15th. No. 83 climbed three spots in the owner standings to 38th — only 43 points shy of being guaranteed a starting spot.
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