Team Red Bull

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**Team Red Bull**

Owner(s) Name(s)	Dietrich Mateschitz
Racing Series	NASCAR Sprint Cup Series]
Number of Championships	None
Car Number(s)	#83 #84
Driver(s)	Brian Vickers (#83 NSCS) A. J. Allmendinger (#84 NSCS) Scott Speed (Development)
Primary Sponsor(s)	Red Bull Energy Drink
Shop Location	136 Knob Hill Road Mooresville, North Carolina United States
Homepage	Team Red Bull

For the Formula One team, see Red Bull Racing.

Team Red Bull, (also known as TRB and Red Bull Racing Team), is an auto racing team races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as well as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The organization is owned by Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Guenther Steiner is the manager of the operation based in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Team Red Bull made its full-time racing debut in the 2007 NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR's top level of competition. The team currently fields two full time Toyota Camrys for Brian Vickers (#83) and A.J. Allmendinger (#84).

1 Sprint Cup History
- 1.1 Car #83 History
- 1.2 Car #84 History
2 See also
3 External links
4 References

[edit] Sprint Cup History

Team Red Bull began their operations by purchasing Roger Penske's old shop location in Mooresville, North Carolina and by purchasing several Dodge Chargers from Bill Davis Racing for their 2006 season. The team attempted to qualify for three races in 2006 with Bill Elliott and A.J. Allmendinger, failing to qualify in all three attempts at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway (where qualifying was rained out), and Texas Motor Speedway.

Beginning 2007 anew after signing with NASCAR's newest manufacturer, Toyota, both TRB teams failed to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500, which was to be Toyota's first official points race in NASCAR. Both drivers failed to secure one of the top-2 transfer spots in each of their respective Gatorade Duels. Allmendinger, in the first duel race, crashed with fellow competitor Robby Gordon on lap 24, causing heavy damage to both their race cars. Brian Vickers blew a right rear tire on lap 51 in the second duel race, ending his chances of making the Daytona 500.

Brian Vickers made the team's first Cup start one week later on at the California Speedway in the #83 car in the Auto Club 500. Vickers qualified 15th and finished 10th. After four consecutive DNQ's for Allmendinger, both Team Red Bull entries qualified for the same race for the first time at the Food City 500 (Bristol Motor Speedway).

[edit] Car #83 History

Brian Vickers in 2008 at Daytona

TRB hired Brian Vickers from Hendrick Motorsports to begin their foray into Sprint Cup racing with the Toyota Camry in 2007. Despite missing the season-opener Daytona 500, Vickers rebounded the next week by qualifying and giving Toyota and the team their first top-10 finish in NASCAR competition. Despite struggles qualifying for races in 2007, Vickers gave Toyota five top-10 finishes including Toyota's first top-5 finish at the Coca-Cola 600 in 2007, leading 76 of 400 laps despite losing power steering halfway through the race.^[1] Through the first third of the 2008 season, the #83 team has been shown to be the most improved in the series, qualifying for all the current races and secured a Top 35 exemption following the spring race at Bristol. In May, even though they had not won a race prior to Sprint All-Star Race XXIV, they won the All-Star Pit Crew Competition.

[edit] Car #84 History

Ex-Champ Car driver A.J. Allmendinger began the #84 history for Team Red Bull by qualifying for his first Sprint Cup event at Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite some good qualifying results in 2007, the team had struggled with its new rookie driver so far throughout the season, with only a best finish of 32nd. However, more seat time in the Nationwide Series (formerly called the Busch Series) and Craftsman Truck Series has paid off for this team, resulting in their first ever top-20 finish at the Sharp AQUOS 500, starting and finishing 18th. In 2008, Allmendinger failed to make the first three races of 2008 and was replaced by Mike Skinner on a temporary basis starting with the spring Atlanta race. Allmendinger returned during the All-Star Race, and took the silver #84 to victory in the Sprint Showdown, making him eligible for the All-Star itself.