When Brian Vickers arrived at Michigan International Speedway in August 2009 he was in a heated battle for one of the final Chase spots. Leaving the experience of Hendrick Motorsports two seasons earlier to join upstart Red Bull Racing, Vickers drove the team to its first Sprint Cup victory that Sunday afternoon in Michigan, catapulting him into the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Vickers got his Michigan weekend off to a great start by qualifying on the pole, his 6th pole of 2009. Mark Martin started outside of Vickers with Juan Montoya third followed by Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex, Jr.

Martin took control at the drop of the green to lead lap one. Kurt Busch moved by Vickers for second just prior to the red flag being displayed on lap seven for rain.

When the race went green Jimmie Johnson took the lead from his Hendrick teammate Mark Martin on lap 24 and led for most of the day. Johnson was dominant as he sought redemption after running out of fuel on the final lap of the June race in Michigan, costing him the win.

Famous for long green flag runs, Michigan rewards those who put a premium on fuel mileage. Vickers’ Red Bull crew chief Ryan Pemberton had a pit strategy that sent Vickers all the way to the finish line.

With twenty laps remaining Jimmie Johnson led Vickers, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. With the top-five in conservation mode Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the only driver who felt he had enough in the tank to make it to the end.

Johnson ran out of gas with two to go handing the lead to Vickers, who made it the final two laps to win by 1.5 seconds over Jeff Gordon.

“We’ve gone through so many pains and so many down times together,” Vickers said. “You couldn’t ask for a better day than that.”

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