GMAC Racing to Tackle ‘Magic Mile’

LOUDON, N.H. (July 18, 2003) – Saturday’s NASCAR Busch Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway will mark the end of a process that has taken more than two years for Brian Vickers to complete. When the 19-year-old driver takes the green flag for this weekend’s New England 200, he will have finally competed at every race track on the Busch Series circuit. Running a limited schedule during the last two years slowed Vickers’ progress, but just after the halfway mark of his first full season of competition, and with 44 career starts under his belt, the goal is within reach. Sure, it’s no major milestone in Vickers’ career to date, but when you’re fourth in championship points, just 69 behind the leader with 14 races remaining in the season, every little bit helps. Vickers, driver of the No. 5 GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet, made his Busch Series debut at The Milwaukee Mile in 2001, running four races that season, followed by 21 events in 2002 before joining Hendrick Motorsports in December with the opportunity to compete every week. This season, he has visited seven tracks for the first time, earning three top-10 and two top-five finishes in those races. Last on the list is NHIS, the 1.058-mile oval located in Loudon, N.H. Despite having never been there, Vickers is optimistic heading into this weekend’s 200-lap event. “I think everyone in the garage is going to be on a level playing field this weekend,” said Vickers, the only driver to post six consecutive top-10 finishes this season. “They’ve recently done some work to the track and repaved it, so I think it’s going to take time for everyone to find the line and adjust their setup.” If past performance is any indication, GMAC Racing may be headed for Victory Lane in New Hampshire. There has never been a repeat winner at “The Magic Mile,” and in two previous starts on one-mile circuits this season, Vickers has posted two runner-up finishes -- Nazareth, Pa., and Milwaukee.