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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Vickers Joins AF Waltrip For Spa, LM24
NASCAR star to make sports car racing debut in next weekend’s FIA WEC Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps...
NASCAR driver Brian Vickers will make his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut in June with AF Waltrip. (Photo: LAT)
Following in his team co-owner’s footsteps, Brian Vickers will become the next NASCAR star to take on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 2003 Nationwide Series Champion was confirmed late Saturday by AF Waltrip as the third and final driver for its Ferrari F458 Italia in the twice-around-the-clock marathon.
Vickers fills in for two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip, whose NASCAR on FOX television commitments will keep him out of the driver lineup for next weekend’s Six Hours of Spa FIA World Endurance Championship round as well as the French endurance classic in June.
The two-time Sprint Cup Series race winner, who drives for MWR on a partial-season basis, will join co-owner Rob Kauffman and Portuguese road racing ace Rui Aguas in the GTE-Am class Ferrari in what will mark the 28-year old North Carolina native’s sports car racing debut.
“Le Mans will be one of the highlights of my career,” Vickers said. “This is an opportunity I never thought I would have. I can’t wait to get there and soak up the atmosphere. I’ve raced a lot of places but Le Mans will be special.”
Vickers got his first taste of the 4.532-mile Belgian circuit during a test in the team’s GRAND-AM-spec Ferrari F458 Italia two weeks ago and is looking forward to returning next weekend as part of the 42-car FIA WEC field.
“Running at Spa is pretty cool,” he said. “It’s such a historic place, and the high speed Eau Rouge corner sure gets your attention. It will be a challenge in the race.”
AF Waltrip, a collaborative effort between MWR and multiple-time GT champions AF Corse, kicked off in the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona, with extreme sporting legend Travis Pastrana joining Waltrip, Kauffman and Aguas in the team's GRAND-AM-spec Ferrari.
The organization has since focused efforts on the eight-round FIA WEC, which began at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March and includes six-hour races in Belgium, UK, Brazil, Bahrain, Japan and China, in addition to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
"We have more experience and data by racing at Sebring, the Rolex 24 in Daytona, Petit Le Mans and Le Mans itself,” Kauffman said. “But we have very realistic goals. We want to run the full 24 hours and continue on our learning curve. We’re still fairly new and just want to keep developing our program. Amato (Ferrari) and the guys at AF Corse are fantastic to work with. ”
While Vickers has been signed for the next two FIA WEC rounds, Waltrip told SPEED.com last month that he'd like to race in the Six Hours of Silverstone, the series' fourth stop of the season in August.
The addition of Vickers gives a further boost to the American presence in the series, with ALMS stars Gunnar Jeannette and Frankie Montecalvo joining Luxury Racing's efforts in GTE-Am. as well as the existing U.S.-based efforts from Starworks Motorsport and Krohn Racing in the global sports car championship.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Vickers fills in for two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip, whose NASCAR on FOX television commitments will keep him out of the driver lineup for next weekend’s Six Hours of Spa FIA World Endurance Championship round as well as the French endurance classic in June.
The two-time Sprint Cup Series race winner, who drives for MWR on a partial-season basis, will join co-owner Rob Kauffman and Portuguese road racing ace Rui Aguas in the GTE-Am class Ferrari in what will mark the 28-year old North Carolina native’s sports car racing debut.
“Le Mans will be one of the highlights of my career,” Vickers said. “This is an opportunity I never thought I would have. I can’t wait to get there and soak up the atmosphere. I’ve raced a lot of places but Le Mans will be special.”
Vickers got his first taste of the 4.532-mile Belgian circuit during a test in the team’s GRAND-AM-spec Ferrari F458 Italia two weeks ago and is looking forward to returning next weekend as part of the 42-car FIA WEC field.
“Running at Spa is pretty cool,” he said. “It’s such a historic place, and the high speed Eau Rouge corner sure gets your attention. It will be a challenge in the race.”
AF Waltrip, a collaborative effort between MWR and multiple-time GT champions AF Corse, kicked off in the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona, with extreme sporting legend Travis Pastrana joining Waltrip, Kauffman and Aguas in the team's GRAND-AM-spec Ferrari.
The organization has since focused efforts on the eight-round FIA WEC, which began at the Twelve Hours of Sebring in March and includes six-hour races in Belgium, UK, Brazil, Bahrain, Japan and China, in addition to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
"We have more experience and data by racing at Sebring, the Rolex 24 in Daytona, Petit Le Mans and Le Mans itself,” Kauffman said. “But we have very realistic goals. We want to run the full 24 hours and continue on our learning curve. We’re still fairly new and just want to keep developing our program. Amato (Ferrari) and the guys at AF Corse are fantastic to work with. ”
While Vickers has been signed for the next two FIA WEC rounds, Waltrip told SPEED.com last month that he'd like to race in the Six Hours of Silverstone, the series' fourth stop of the season in August.
The addition of Vickers gives a further boost to the American presence in the series, with ALMS stars Gunnar Jeannette and Frankie Montecalvo joining Luxury Racing's efforts in GTE-Am. as well as the existing U.S.-based efforts from Starworks Motorsport and Krohn Racing in the global sports car championship.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
FIA WEC Six Hours of Spa
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