Chaos in NASCAR: Brian Vickers’ Forgotten Wreckfest Era

Brian Vickers might not be a household name, but in the world of Toyota, he’s unforgettable. He etched his name in the history books as the driver who nabbed Toyota’s first top-10 finish in the Cup Series. Sure, some might label him a wreck magnet for his eyebrow-raising antics on the track, including flipping his own teammate, but there’s no denying his skill behind the wheel.

His journey wasn’t all smooth sailing. In 2007, Vickers hit a rough patch, struggling to find his footing. But what a turnaround it was in 2008! He upped his game dramatically, and by 2009, he was in the thick of it, vying for wins in most races. However, his reputation for being part of some spectacular crashes isn’t something that can fade from memory easily.

Was Brian Vickers a master of intentional crashes on the track?

Vickers’ journey began in 1994, tearing up the track in go-karts. Over three years, he bagged eighty victories in the World Karting Association and clinched three championships, including a notable win against three-time champ Mike Schwartz in 1995. He made his Busch Series debut in 2001 at the GNC Live Well 250 in Milwaukee, driving the No. 29 car for his father Clyde Vickers’ team. His start was rocky, qualifying thirtieth and finishing thirty-seventh due to a crash. Vickers then stepped up to the Cup scene in 2003 at the UAW-GM Quality 500 in Charlotte, driving the No. 60 car, where he started 20th and finished 33rd.

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Despite his success, Vickers gained notoriety for his knack for wrecking rivals on purpose. In today’s racing world, such antics in 2023 would likely lead to disqualification or hefty penalties. In 2006, he ended up fifteenth in points with nine top tens and a victory at Talladega. However, his time was tinged with internal strife at Hendrick Motorsports. He then jumped ship to Team Red Bull in 2007.

In a dramatic turn at the UAW-Ford 500, Vickers, trailing Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jimmie Johnson on the final lap, accidentally hooked Johnson, sending both him and Earnhardt Jr spinning and handing Vickers his first win. 2007 saw him driving the No. 83 Toyota Camry for Team Red Bull, where he scored Toyota’s first top-10 in the Cup Series. He also led Toyota’s first lap in the series at Atlanta.

However, in 2009, at the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr took his revenge. When Vickers blocked Earnhardt Jr, it led to a clash that sent Vickers spinning into the field. Vickers’ season was cut short by blood clots, but he bounced back in 2011. He was often seen causing chaos on the track, including incidents with car #9 and McMurray. 

In 2013, with Michael Waltrip Racing, driving the No. 55 Toyota, he clinched his third race win at the Camping World RV Sales 301 in New Hampshire, overtaking Tony Stewart and leading to a green-white-checkered finish as Stewart ran out of fuel. Yet again, blood clots, similar to his 2010 health issues, sidelined him. But despite whatever happened at Daytona, Vickers never felt guilty. And echoing Brian Vickers’ sentiments, Dale Earnhardt Jr, in a recent confession, expressed no regrets over their notorious Daytona altercation from 14 years ago.

Dale Earnhardt Jr says he does not feel sorry for the 2011 incident

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On one of the episodes of the Dale Jr Download podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr opened up about a moment that left many of his fans shaking their heads.“This is often cited as probably the one moment in my racing career when fans of our car were most disappointed in me or most embarrassed by me. I got a run off the corner on Brian and we have talked about this before. Sorry I have to do this, but he comes down the race track and I’m like, ‘I’m not going below the line, buddy’.”

He continued, “And he forces me below the line and I’m like, ‘You took my spot, you pushed me away, you pushed me down the track. I’m coming back up the racetrack’. Turned him, he overcorrected back into the field, big crash.” Yet, wrapping up his thoughts, Earnhardt Jr. tossed in a cheeky, “Sorry, not sorry.”

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The 2009 Daytona 500 saw Matt Kenseth cross the finish line first, making him the lone driver to win in a car with the number 17 in two decades. After the race, Earnhardt Jr maintained that the crash wasn’t part of his game plan, insisting that it was an accident and he never meant to cause that kind of chaos on the track.