TAKING OVER Vickers' jump to Hendrick's team results in big dividends

He was driving for his family in the Busch Series at the time.
HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) -- The benefits of driving for an elite NASCAR team became clear to Brian Vickers the moment he climbed into a Hendrick Motorsports car.
"The resources, the personnel and their commitment are what makes such a difference," said Vickers, about to become the youngest full-time driver in Winston Cup history.
Vickers, who turns 20 today, was driving a part-time Busch Series schedule a year ago for BLV Motorsports, his family's team. Vickers had one top 10 finish (seventh) in 21 starts, led one race and finished 37th in the points.
This season -- driving for Ricky Hendrick, son of team owner Rick Hendrick -- Vickers has won three times and goes into Saturday's race leading the closest five-way points battle in Busch Series history. Vickers is 23 points ahead of 1994 series champion David Green, with Jason Keller, Ron Hornaday and Scott Riggs all within 44 points of the lead with four races to go.
"My father and his partner gave me everything in the world they could to race with," Vickers said. "But, it's real easy to see why they [Hendrick Motorsports] win championships and races."
And the Busch ride is only the beginning.
Trying for second
On his birthday, Vickers will also try to qualify at Atlanta Motor Speedway for his second Winston Cup start and first in the car he will drive in NASCAR's top stock car series for the rest of this season and through all of 2004.
Vickers takes over the No. 25 Chevrolet, previously driven by veteran Joe Nemechek, who is moving on to a ride at MB2 Motorsports.
Vickers will race as teammate to former champions Jeff Gordon and Terry Labonte and second-year star Jimmie Johnson.
"The teamwork in this organization is unreal," Vickers said. "With a lot of organizations, the drivers hate each other and the crew chiefs don't get along.
"We help out the Cup guys whenever we can, and if Jeff Gordon finds out something in a test session, he gives it to everyone across the board."
Vickers laughingly added that if he had run into Gordon two years ago, he would have asked for his autograph.
"Now I can call him up and ask him for advice and he'll help me out any way he can," he said.
As exciting as it is to be getting started with his Winston Cup career, Vickers says the first order of business is winning the Busch title.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about the points championship," Vickers said. "I still go to the track every week with the goal of winning, but you have to choose your battles carefully, knowing one wrong move or bad finish at this point could make it very tough to overcome at the end of the year."
Maturity gains attention
That kind of maturity, paired with natural talent that brought Vickers three national karting championships before he moved to stock cars, is what attracted the younger Hendrick.
"I've always been impressed with his attitude, personality and ability on the race track," his Busch boss said. "Brian has the potential to be a great race car driver. He brings the kind of energy and desire it takes to be successful in this sport."
Vickers said he is just enjoying the opportunities he's getting and trying not to let it go to his head.
"My life has changed pretty quickly this year," Vickers said. "But I really haven't changed. I don't feel like I'm the next 'big thing.' I am still the guy who wants to go out and drive fast and win races and championships."