Joe Gibbs Racing Announces Brian Vickers Will Drive No. 11 FedEx Camry in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Beginning in Texas
Mark Martin Remains Behind the Wheel of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota in Martinsville
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (March 29, 2013) – Joe Gibbs Racing announces today that Brian Vickers will take over behind the wheel of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the injured Denny Hamlin starting on April 13 at Texas Motor Speedway.
It was previously released that Mark Martin would handle the duties behind the wheel for the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team while Denny Hamlin recovered from injury. Martin will drive the car in Martinsville, but Vickers will now take over the duties beginning in Texas.
“Obviously having to find someone to fill in for Denny is not an ideal situation to have to be in and when you start a process like this you obviously begin to look at the drivers that are not only available but also able to drive for your race team and manufacturer. We were a bit premature in determining Mark’s status past Martinsville however,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. “We're real happy to have the opportunity to get Brian in our Cup cars and with him driving Nationwide for us we think we have some continuity there that is beneficial.
“We really appreciate everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota for working with us through this process,” added Gibbs. “The good thing for us is that we have drivers the caliber of Mark and Brian to help fill in until Denny comes back.”
Vickers is currently driving JGR’s No. 20 Dollar General Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He has recorded two top ten finishes through the first five races of the season.
Vickers has 264 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts over his 11-year career on the sports’ top level. He has two wins, 24 top-five and 63 top-ten finishes. He has one start thus far this season having finished eighth in at Bristol Motor Speedway for MWR. Last season, Vickers made eight starts for MWR with three top-five and five top-ten finishes.
