Despite not having a ride for the Daytona 500, Brian Vickers is optimistic about his future at the NASCAR Sprint Cup level. Vickers was set to be a free agent at the end of the 2011 season and with a slue of others on the market and his team, Red Bull Racing, closing it’s door the veteran driver found himself without a seat for Sunday’s race.
Vickers made more headlines last year for his aggressive and questionable driving style. The self proclaimed “Sheriff” of the sport took exception to numerous drivers last season but few were as highlighted as his end of season anger towards Matt Kenseth or his Sonoma dump of Tony Stewart of his Bristol slam job of Marcos Ambrose. Then there was the whole Martinsville race where even his friend Jimmie Johnson questioned if Vickers realized the common variable in each incident was himself.
Since beginning his Cup career in 2003 Vickers has made 255 starts and managed to find victory lane twice. In 2006 he won the fall race at Talladega after dumping teammate Jimmie Johnson on the back stretch and in 2009 a gamble on fuel gave him a win at Michigan.
Despite not having a ride the 28 year-old says he is not giving up the 2012 season and that some teams contacted him over the off season but none of the opportunities seemed to fit what he was looking for.
On his facebook page Vickers released a video where he talked about how he attempted to find a buyer for his former Red Bull team and how he was hopeful of a racecar in 2012.
“I can’t tell you how much your support over this weekend, and quite frankly the last several years, has meant to me,” he concluded in the video. “But I promise you I’ll be back in a car and I’m going to contend for wins, and I’m excited about it.”