Team Red Bull

NASCAR Owner Infobox
Company Name = Team Red Bull


Owner(s) Name = flagicon|Austria Dietrich Mateschitz
Racing Series = NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Championships = None
Car Number(s) = #82
#83
#84
Driver(s) = flagicon|North Carolina Brian Vickers (#83)
flagicon|California Mike Skinner (#84)
flagicon|California Scott Speed (#82, #84)
Primary Sponsor(s) = Red Bull
Shop Location = 136 Knob Hill Road
Mooresville, North Carolina
United States
Homepage = [http://www.redbullracingusa.com/ Red Bull Racing Team]

Team Red Bull, (also known as TRB and Red Bull Racing Team), is an auto racing team races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as well as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The organization is owned by Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Jay Frye is the general manager of the operation based in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Team Red Bull made its full-time racing debut in the 2007 NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR's top level of competition. The team currently fields two full time Toyota Camrys for Brian Vickers (#83) and Mike Skinner (#84). They also field a part-time car for Scott Speed (#82).

print Cup History

Team Red Bull began their operations by purchasing Roger Penske's old shop location in Mooresville, North Carolina and by purchasing several Dodge Chargers from Bill Davis Racing for their 2006 season. The team attempted to qualify for three races in 2006 with Bill Elliott and A.J. Allmendinger, failing to qualify in all three attempts at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway (where qualifying was rained out), and Texas Motor Speedway.

Beginning 2007 anew after signing with NASCAR's newest manufacturer, Toyota, both TRB teams failed to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500, which was to be Toyota's first official points race in NASCAR. Both drivers failed to secure one of the top-2 transfer spots in each of their respective Gatorade Duels. Allmendinger, in the first duel race, crashed with fellow competitor Robby Gordon on lap 24, causing heavy damage to both their race cars. Brian Vickers blew a right rear tire on lap 51 in the second duel race, ending his chances of making the Daytona 500.

Brian Vickers made the team's first Cup start one week later on at the California Speedway in the #83 car in the Auto Club 500. Vickers qualified 15th and finished 10th. After four consecutive DNQ's for Allmendinger, both Team Red Bull entries qualified for the same race for the first time at the Food City 500 (Bristol Motor Speedway).

Car #82 History

After Scott Speed's controversial release from Formula One's Scuderia Toro Rosso, Red Bull invited Speed to come to America to start stock car racing. Speed started his development in 2007 in the ARCA RE/MAX Series for Eddie Sharp Racing, in the #21 Red Bull Toyota Camry at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5, 2007, where he got a seventh place finish. In 2008, Speed continued on in the ARCA RE/MAX Series as well as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, first for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports (now named Randy Moss Motorsports) and then for Bill Davis Racing. Speed won his first ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Kansas Speedway on April 25, 2008 in the #2 Red Bull Toyota Camry for Eddie Sharp Racing. His first Craftsman Truck Series at Dover International Speedway on May 30, 2008 in the #22 Red Bull Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing. Speed was set to make his Sprint Cup Series debut in the #82 Red Bull Toyota Camry at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 11, 2008, but rain cancelled qualifying. With the team having no owner points, they did not make the race.

Car #83 History

TRB hired Brian Vickers from Hendrick Motorsports to begin their foray into Sprint Cup racing with the Toyota Camry in 2007. Despite missing the season-opener Daytona 500, Vickers rebounded the next week by qualifying and giving Toyota and the team their first top-10 finish in NASCAR competition. Despite struggles qualifying for races in 2007, Vickers gave Toyota five top-10 finishes including Toyota's first top-5 finish at the Coca-Cola 600 in 2007, leading 76 of 400 laps despite losing power steering halfway through the race.cite web |url=http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/headlines/cup/05/28/bvickers.dcaraviello.charlotte/index.html |title=Vickers carries Toyota to season's best finish in 600 |accessdate=2007-05-28 |work=NASCAR.com |date=2007-05-28 ] Through the first third of the 2008 season, the #83 team has been shown to be the most improved in the series, qualifying for all the current races and secured a Top 35 exemption following the spring race at Bristol. In May, even though they had not won a race prior to Sprint All-Star Race XXIV, they won the All-Star Pit Crew Competition. On August 15th, 2008, Vickers gave Red Bull Racing Team their first pole at Michigan International Speedway.

Car #84 History

Ex-Champ Car driver A.J. Allmendinger began the #84 history for Team Red Bull by qualifying for his first Sprint Cup event at Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite some good qualifying results in 2007, the team had struggled with its new rookie driver so far throughout the season, with only a best finish of 32nd. However, more seat time in the Nationwide Series (formerly called the Busch Series) and Craftsman Truck Series has paid off for this team, resulting in their first ever top-20 finish at the Sharp AQUOS 500, starting and finishing 18th. In 2008, Allmendinger failed to make the first three races of 2008 and was replaced by Mike Skinner on a temporary basis starting with the spring Atlanta race. Allmendinger returned at the Aaron's 499 at Talladega with a new silver paint scheme, and went to victory in the Sprint Showdown two weeks later, making him eligible for the All-Star Race. A.J. Allmendinger also recorded a new career best finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, finishing 10th at the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. With A.J.'s boost in confidence, and a new crew chief in Jimmy Elledge, the 84 team finally gained a guaranteed starting spot for the next race after the Centurion Boats at the Glen on August 10th, 2008, where Allmendinger finished 11th. Allmendinger will not be returing to Red Bull Racing for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, or be finishing the 2008 season for RBRT. Scott Speed and Mike Skinner will finish the season in the #84.

See also

*2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
*2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
*Dietrich Mateschitz
*Red Bull Racing
*Scuderia Toro Rosso

External links

* [http://www.redbullracingusa.com/ Official Website]

References