While his car ran practice laps around Charlotte Motor Speedway with replacement driver Casey Mears behind the wheel, Brian Vickers did his best to clear up the situation surrounding his ongoing health issues. Sitting down with Red Bull Racing General Manager and Vice President Jay Frye and Dr. Steven A. Limentani, Vickers told the gathered media, “I am here today to answer everything.”
Making one of the hardest announcements of his career, Vickers explained he would be out of the car for the rest of the 2010 season.
“Due to what has happened and due to the blood thinners I’m on, I will be out of the car for a minimum of six months, for the rest of the year,” Vickers said. “If something changes and I can get back in sooner, great, but right now it’s going to be the remainder of the season. As you can imagine, it is killing me – no pun intended.”
Remaining positive, Vickers said his time out of the car now presents the opportunity to learn more about the team by spending more time at the shop, learning new roles, sitting atop the pit box and watching from the spotters’ stand. He hopes his time off will allow him to be much stronger once he returns to competition, which he plans on doing in next year’s Daytona 500.
“I do expect to be back in the car next season and to win the Daytona 500,” Vickers said.
As of now, Mears will remain the driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota. Going forward, Frye said it is still yet to be determined whether or not Mears will be in the car for the remainder of the year, but he does not anticipate any changes except perhaps at the road courses.
What is it that Mike Neff doesn’t do? The writer, radio contributor and racetrack announcer coordinates the site’s local short track coverage, hitting up Saturday Night Specials across the country while tracking the sport’s future racing stars. The writer for our signature Cup post-race column, Thinkin’ Out Loud (Mondays) also sits down with Cup crew chiefs to talk shop every Friday with Tech Talk. Mike announces several shows each year for the Good Guys Rod and Custom Association. He also pops up everywhere from PRN Pit Reporters and the Press Box with Alan Smothers to SIRIUS XM Radio. He has announced at tracks all over the Southeast, starting at Millbridge Speedway. He's also announced at East Lincoln Speedway, Concord Speedway, Tri-County Speedway, Caraway Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway.