When the smoke from simultaneous burnouts cleared, the future of Hendrick Motorsports and two bright new faces in NASCAR's changing of the guard emerged. Brian Vickers, 19, had held off his Hendrick teammate, Kyle Busch, 18, to win the Winn-Dixie 200 NASCAR Busch Series race, and both of the teenagers erupted in celebration.
That scene at Darlington Raceway on August 30 was Vickers' coming out party. Amid the thrill of conquering the treacherous old raceway at such a tender age and an explosive three-victory tear in a span of six races that vaulted him into the championship points lead, Vickers established himself as a legitimate young gun.
Busch, brother of big-league star Kurt Busch, had a can't miss billing, so to speak, before he turned heads by signing with Hendrick Motorsports, rather than follow his sibling to Roush Racing. But Rick Hendrick may have pulled off a Jeff Gordon-sized coup with the two blue-chip yearlings.
After a late-season baptism in Winston Cup, Vickers will advance to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series full time with Hendrick's No. 25 team next year, replacing veteran Joe Nemechek and joining corporate mates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Terry Labonte. Kyle Busch, who ran a limited Busch and ARCA slate in 2003, will take Vickers' seat for the full Busch Series schedule in 2004.
Rick Hendrick says Vickers is ready for Nextel Cup because he has demonstrated the tools necessary for success. At Hendrick Motorsports, being ready involves much more than on-track performance. Hendrick and GMAC Financial are convinced Vickers is mature beyond his years and able to handle the increased responsibilities and commitments in a positive manner at NASCAR's highest level. "Hendrick Motorsports is known for drivers who represent themselves, their organization, and sponsors well on and off the track," Vickers says.
Vickers is pleasant and mannerly, addressing this ancient scribe a half century his senior as "sir." I felt like I was interviewing my grandson. He is outgoing, uncommonly humble, and confident without an attitude-a clean-cut, all-American kid who wears his Hendrick Motorsports cap forward.
As you might imagine, Vickers is living a dream. First there was the unexpected and timely opportunity to drive for Hendrick Motorsports, a giant in the sport. For that, he is also indebted to Ricky Hendrick, Rick's 23-year-old son. In early 2002, young Hendrick, a first-year Busch driver, was injured and missed six races. Later in the year, he made the difficult decision to give up driving. Vickers, driving for his small family operation, had raced against Hendrick in Busch competition, and they became acquainted. "Ricky was good to race with," Vickers says. "He raced hard and clean. There was a mutual respect. I kind of hated to see him leave the circuit," adds Vickers, not knowing at the time Hendrick would choose him as his successor in the No. 5 GMAC Chevrolet.
"I was more excited than surprised," Vickers says. "I can't thank him enough for what he did and for GMAC Financial staying with us." Indeed, Vickers' family operation did not have a sponsor aligned for the '03 season. "I was looking for a ride," he says. "If not for this opportunity, I don't know what I would have done this year."
What he did in the first 27 races in Hendrick equipment was win races at Indianapolis, Darlington, and Dover and log 10 Top-5 and 17 Top-10 finishes. In 2002, driving family-backed Dodges, Vickers had one Top-10 and finished 30th in points in 21 Busch races. "There was never any lack of effort by our team," Vickers says, "but the difference in resources available to me at Hendrick is huge."