2008 season review
In only its second year of existence, the Red Bull Racing team became one of the surprise stories of the Sprint Cup Series.
Led by Brian Vickers, Red Bull moved up the ladder in the standings and saw its two cars challenging for top 10 finishes throughout the season.
Vickers wound up 19th in the final standings on the strength of three top five and six top 10 finishes. The former Hendrick Motorsports pilot won the pole at Michigan in August and came close to winning several times in his No. 83 Toyota.
"We had some pretty bad luck a lot of the time last season, but overall you could just feel this team coming together," said Vickers. "It is always tough to start a new team in this business, but we have the people in place now that I think has us poised to make even bigger strides in the future."
One of those people is veteran management executive Jay Frye, who joined the team prior to the season as vice president and general manager. Frye, who oversaw the Ginn Racing team for several years, is credited with taking Red Bull Racing to the next level and was rewarded quickly with a multiyear contract extension.
"I'm extremely pleased and quite excited to continue my relationship with the Red Bull Racing team," Frye said. "It truly is amazing to see the levels of potential, desire and dedication this organization has for wanting to succeed and be a leading force each and every weekend we compete on the track. To be able to continue to see this team achieve its long-term goals is something I'm very committed to."
With Vickers leading the way, the team focused on its sister car, which started the year with A.J. Allmendinger as its driver. The former open-wheel star, who suffered through a dismal rookie season in 2007, began to show signs of great improvement as the season wore on.
But by late summer, management decided to let Allmendinger go in favor of another former open-wheeler in Scott Speed, who drove for Red Bull during his Formula One career.
Speed spent the early part of 2008 running well in the Truck Series as well as ARCA before getting the nod to take over Red Bull's second Cup car. The jump to NASCAR's top division proved to be a challenge with a 16th-place finish in the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway the best of five starts.
2009 season preview
Red Bull is optimistic about its chances in 2009 and the continued development of Vickers and Speed as teammates.
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| Known for his aggressive style, Scott Speed admits it will be a 'learning curve.' (Getty Images) |
"We're entering our third Sprint Cup season with driver and crew chief pairings that have what it takes to consistently compete at a high level," Frye said. "Brian and Ryan are each at a point in their respective careers where they can bring home wins and make a run for the championship."
"Scott earned his Sprint Cup ride by exceeding our expectations in ARCA and trucks. He has a great asset in Jimmy, who has experience working with both rookies and open-wheel drivers."
The colorful Speed, who ruffled some feathers with his aggressive driving style in both ARCA and the Truck Series, is determined to prove he can make the move to NASCAR's top level.
"I've learned that I don't need to bring my ego with me, regardless of the direction I choose to take," said Speed. "I'm quite comfortable with who I am and very satisfied with my ability to drive race cars, regardless of which division or league we are talking about. This will offer new challenges and a learning curve."
That curve will be steep for Speed, who needs to demonstrate some much-needed patience to be consistently successful. While both cars will start the season in the top 35 and are locked into the first five races of the season, Speed will have to prove he isn't the latest open-wheeler to flop in NASCAR.
Vickers should continue to ascend into the top tier of drivers. An increase of top 10 finishes and a Chase spot aren't out of the question.
