CORNELIUS, N.C. — Martinsville Speedway is a special place to No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver Brian Vickers.
The half-mile, concrete track in southern Virginia is one of the places where a young Vickers fell in love with NASCAR. Just 60 miles from his Thomasville, N.C. boyhood home, the Vickers family often made the trip to Martinsville Speedway— the only track that’s been on the NASCAR circuit since it began in 1948. Martinsville is the site of important milestones in Vickers’ driving career. The 30-year-old, who now lives in Miami, said he still gets a special feeling each time he walks into the historic track.
VICKERS ON MARTINSVILLE: “I actually remember coming to Martinsville as a kid and watching races. We stood in the corners before pit road changed and watched the cars go by. As a kid I always thought it was pretty cool the train went by the race track. Martinsville has always been a special place for me whether it was coming as a fan, running my first stock car race there, running Late Models or now running in the Cup Series here.”
HIS 2014 SEASON: “It’s the first year together as a team and it’s been great because I love this team and I genuinely mean that. The group of guys that Michael Waltrip Racing has put together for me to drive this Aaron’s Dream Machine is one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with and I’ve been fortunate to work with some great teams over the years. I’ve been through a lot and I’ve learned the hard way how much you have to appreciate the days you have and the opportunities you get. We came into this year wanting to win the championship — that’s our goal, that’s what we do and that’s why we all show up. When that opportunity slipped away from us it was frustrating, but I still just enjoyed showing up to work every day. It has been a roller coaster, but definitely the highs have been higher and I’ve had a lot of fun this year.”
DANCING WITH THE STARS
Michael Waltrip and his dancing partner, Emma Slater, scored a 30 out of 40 from the Dancing with the Stars’ judges on Monday night. The pair danced the Argentina Tango to Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything”. Fans can vote for Waltrip and Slater by calling 1-800-868-3409, voting on Dancing with the Stars Facebook page or going to abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars. Phone voting begins Monday at 8 p.m. ET and ends one hour after the show. Online voting ends Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. One couple will be eliminated on a live show, Monday, Oct. 27 at 8 pm ET on ABC. Follow the couple’s progress on social media: Twitter: @mw55 @emmaslaterdance Instagram: @emmaslaterdance @mwr55
NOTES:
· CHASSIS: Primary: 807 finished 16th at Martinsville on March 30. Backup: 785 has not raced
· TESTING: Vickers and the No. 55 team will participate in a Goodyear tire test on Tuesday and Wednesday at California Speedway.
No. 55 CREW:
Billy Scott Crew Chief
Ryan Langley Front Tire Changer
Chris Hall Front Tire Carrier
Shannon Myers Rear Tire Changer
Blake Haugland Rear Tire Carrier
Wes Evans Jack Man
Jeff Kerr Gas Man
Steve Channing Car Chief
David Cropps Interior Mechanic
Roman Pemberton Spotter
Brandon Pope Race Engineer
Joe Bisson 2nd Engineer
Jeremy Sharpley Shock Specialist
Jacen Johns Front Mechanic
Joe Zanolini Rear Mechanic
Kevin White Tire Specialist
Denny Chandler Engine Tuner
Tim Bruce Engine Engineer
Glenn Shano Truck Driver
Al Nelson 2nd Truck Driver
· CREW CHIEF BILLY SCOTT: No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Crew Chief Billy Scott began racing motorcycles as a 5-year-old and stock cars when he turned 15. He worked in the truck series as a mechanic before he returned to college to obtain an engineering degree. After graduating in 2005 Scott worked at Robert Yates Racing and began as an engineer at MWR in 2008. The 36-year-old served exclusively as the No. 55 team’s lead engineer the last two seasons.
· AARON’S INC: Aaron’s joined MWR in 2000 serving as a primary sponsor in Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races. The Atlanta-based company, with more than 2,130 stores across the country, helps customers own the life they want. Aaron’s carries only the best brand names in furniture, electronics, and appliances with a variety of flexible payment options. It’s really easy to “Own It” at Aaron’s with customers who are now pre-approved for up to $2,500 in merchandise without needing credit. Visit Aarons.com to find a store near you.
· AARON’S RACING REWARDS: Join Aaron’s Racing Rewards and take advantage of exclusive member benefits such as at-track discounts from Michael Waltrip Racing and FanVision. Become a member by Oct. 31 and you’ll be automatically entered in our Racing Rewards Sweepstakes where the grand prize is a $5,000 shopping spree at Aaron’s! Visit www.aarons.com/racingrewards for more information. If Brian Vickers finishes 1-10 in Texas, fans can win:
§ 6th–10th Finish – 20 members randomly chosen to win an Aaron’s/MWR t-Shirt
§ 2nd–5th Finish – 5 members randomly chosen to win a 32” Magnavox LED
§ 1st-Place Finish – 1 member randomly chosen to win a $5,000 Aaron’s shopping spree
· MWR ONLINE FAN STORE: The new Michael Waltrip Racing online team store is now open. Sign up now at to get discounts and merchandise specials emailed to you. With over 100 items in stock, this is the place to get all your MWR gear.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER:
@brianlvickers
@mw55
@mwrteam
@aaronssports
@aaronsinc
@toyotaracing
