Red Bull to Run Elliott in 3 Cup Races this Fall

While former Nextel Cup champion Bill Elliott hasn’t agreed to drive a Toyota - at least not yet - he is becoming a big part of the manufacturer’s teams’ preparations to enter the Cup Series in 2007.

Team Red Bull, which will field two full-time Cup teams next season with drivers yet to be determined, announced Monday that it will enter Elliott in three races late this season to help that team get ready.

Elliott will drive what the team called “non Toyota-equipped cars” at Charlotte and Atlanta in October and Texas in November.

Earlier this year, Elliott agreed to run five races in Chevrolets for Michael Waltrip Racing this season. He’ll drive No. 00 cars sponsored by Burger King at Chicago and New Hampshire in July, Indianapolis in August, California in September and Homestead in November. Waltrip will have two Toyota teams next year as well, with Waltrip and Dale Jarrett driving for that team.

“My job is simple,” Elliott said of his Team Red Bull deal. “Put the car in the show, drive it toward the front, and provide valuable input so that Team Red Bull is fully prepared by the Daytona 500. It’s really a great role at this stage of my racing career.”

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Vickers will prolly be one of them...

The driver dominos started falling Thursday in the Nextel Cup series.

First, Hendrick Motorsports spokesman Jesse Essex confirmed that Brian Vickers, driver of Hendrick's No. 25 Chevrolets, had received permission to explore other driving opportunities for next season.

Then the Observer learned that driver Casey Mears will not return to team owner Chip Ganassi's organization next season. Ganassi told members of Mears' No. 42 Dodge team Thursday of the driver's decision, multiple sources confirmed.

Vickers, 22, remains under contract with Hendrick. As a result of his request, Essex said, Hendrick Motorsports has started looking for another driver in case one is needed.

That leads back to Mears, who at one time was a candidate for a Hendrick Busch Series ride that went to Vickers. Mears, 28, is one of the few Cup drivers whose contract expires this year. Hendrick's No. 25 Chevrolets and Robert Yates Racing's No. 88 Fords, which veteran Dale Jarrett will vacate at the end of the season, are considered likely destinations for Mears.

Vickers could land with Team Red Bull, which will field two full-time Cup teams driving Toyotas next season.

"If a guy of Brian Vickers' stature is looking at us, I would feel honored," Marty Gaunt, general manager for Team Red Bull, said Thursday. "... It's going to be the domino effect, as it is from year to year: As soon as one person makes a move, then it will trigger everything and it will be on."

Mears has 121 Cup starts, Vickers 90. Neither has won a Cup race.

 

I understand that Red bull has all 3 makes (Ford/Dodge/Chevy) of cars built ready for Awsome Bill. Hard to see him drive anything but a Ford.

 

he drove Dodge the last 2 or 3 years

 

Yea, but, it's hard to see him in anything in a Coors Ford with Ernie around. I know time marches on.

 

Is this

whining Bill from Dawsonville?