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Red Bull Racing Team - Martinsville March advance

Wednesday March 26, 2008

 

MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY ENTRIES: Red Bull No. 83 Brian Vickers and Red Bull No. 84 Mike Skinner RACE: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series “GoodyÂ's Cool Orange 500” TRACK: Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, VA DATES: March 28-30, 2008 + THE STATE OF BOTH RED BULLS ItÂ's Martinsville weekend, which carries loads of significance for the teams seeking peace of mind on qualifying day. Rain or shine, Red Bull Racing TeamÂ's No. 83 is locked into the GoodyÂ's 500. Brian Vickers sits 17th in the owner standings — well ahead of the go-or-go-home line thatÂ's drawn at 35. For the first time, well, ever, the No. 83 bunch has the luxury of throwing a few race runs into FridayÂ's opening practice. The No. 84, with Mike Skinner at the wheel, has a steep climb ahead. It sits 43rd in owner points — but only 138 points from spot No. 35. As for the last Sprint Cup race at Bristol, it wasnÂ't a productive day for Red Bull Racing Team. Vickers smacked the wall in the closing laps and finished 39th. The No. 84Â's rear end caught fire and ended up 40th. + A SKINNER THREE-PEAT? Mike Skinner, Red Bull Racing TeamÂ's “mentor” in the No. 84, is chasing another championship in the Craftsman Truck Series. And heÂ's chasing his third consecutive truck victory at Martinsville. Skinner, the inaugural series champion in 1995 who sits seventh in points, swept both truck races last season at the .526-mile southern Virginia short track, and heÂ's the seriesÂ' only three-time winner at Martinsville. His first victory came in the fall 1996. + SLOW DOWN A LITTLE Scott Speed has an itchy trigger foot. HeÂ's desperate to finally press the pedal in the middle because oval-track racing requires little or no braking. But thatÂ's not the case at Martinsville, where the red-hot glow of burning brakes partially defines racing at NASCARÂ's shortest track. Driving Morgan Dollar MotorsportsÂ' No. 46, Speed will make his second Craftsman Truck start in SaturdayÂ's Kroger 250. ItÂ's an ideal situation for Speed — racing at a track where tight turns are separated by long straightaways. At Martinsville, itÂ's all about entry and exit. Speed, who finished 27th in truck start No. 1 at Atlanta, tested at Martinsville not long ago. “Actually used the brakes quite a lot. ItÂ's been a while since I used those,” Speed said. “For an oval, (Martinsville) felt the most natural. The corners are pretty low banked. Driving those corners felt like driving on corners I have my whole life

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This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.

 

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