Vickers confirms No. 14 seat for Martinsville – Nascar

RELATED: Stewart offers health update post-Phoenix

FONTANA, Calif. – Brian Vickers will be the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to make two consecutive starts in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Chevrolet for 2016.
 
Vickers, filling in for SHR owner/driver Tony Stewart here at Auto Club Speedway this weekend, said Friday that he will also be behind the wheel in two weeks when the series heads to Martinsville Speedway.
 
Vickers will make his third start for the team this weekend at ACS after finishing 26th at Daytona International Speedway and 36th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 
NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Ty Dillon has driven in relief for the team on two occasions this season as well, finishing 17th at Atlanta Motor Speedway and 15th last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.
 
“As of right now, I’m going to be (in the car) at Martinsville. … Then we’re figuring out everything from there,” Vickers said during a media appearance at the track. “As you know nothing has really changed. I think everyone is really just kind of waiting to see how Tony shakes out.”
 
Stewart, scheduled to retire from Sprint Cup competition at the end of the ’16 season, was injured during an off-season off-road accident and has yet to compete this year.
 
Following last week’s race Stewart said no date has been set for his return to competition, although doctors had cleared him to begin driving his personal car – something he said he had been doing for three weeks without medical approval.
 
Vickers’ own racing career has been interrupted by medical issues (blood clots), and sponsorship on the No. 14 entry this weekend as well as for the Martinsville race has a tie-in to his condition. For the next two races, the car will carry branding featuring the drug company Janssen and Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation, the charitable organization founded by legendary golfer Arnold Palmer.
 
“I can honestly say this: As much as I want to race this car as long as I can … I really want to see Tony back in it,” Vickers said. “I’ve been in his shoes. I know exactly what it’s like. It’s his last season (and) he deserves to be in this car as much as he can be.
 
“I’m honored to race it as long as I need to and as long as I can, but I’m happy to turn the keys back over as soon as he is ready.”