RED BULL RACING LAS VEGAS ADVANCE

+ BV: EVER THE EXTREMIST Red Bull Racing Team's Brian Vickers, the No. 83 driver who sits 11th in the Sprint Cup standings, completed his first solo skydive earlier this month with the Red Bull Air Force. Now he's taking on air racing.

On Thursday over the drag strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Vickers will ride in the "Red Bull Edge" - an aerobatic aircraft piloted by 2006 Red Bull Air Race World Series champion Kirby Chambliss, whose flying style is described as aggressive yet smooth. It's a good thing the 48-year-old Chambliss has won five U.S. National Aerobatic championships, because the Edge can climb 3,700 feet per minute and reach speeds up to 265 miles per hour.

The Edge is a two-seater where Vickers will ride in the front seat. At times, Chambliss will give Vickers the chance to control the plane because BV's seat has passenger controls.

2008 RED BULL AIR RACE WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 10-11 - San Diego, May 3-4 - Detroit, May 31-June 1 - Stockholm, Sweden, July 5-6 - Rotterdam, The Netherlands, July 19-20 - London, Great Britain, Aug. 2-3 - Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 19-20 - Porto, Portugal, Sept. 6-7 - TBA, Spain, Sept. 27-28 - Perth, Australia, Nov. 1-2

+ SECOND ON THE CHARTS AJ Allmendinger and the No. 84 team have reason for optimism heading into race No. 3. In January, the No. 84 was second fastest overall during the two-day test at 1.5-mile Las Vegas. In Friday's qualifying, Allmendinger will try to back up his 185.752-mph lap.

+ ALAS, THE ENERGY STATION The Red Bull Energy Station, which offers a premium hospitality experience, makes its first appearance of 2008 at Las Vegas. At select Sprint Cup events, the Energy Station caters to distinguished guests with its clean and contemporary style, superior food and drink and up- close view of on-track action.

The Energy Station will rest along the backstretch outside turn three, and in attendance will be Red Bull athletes Brian Grubb (wakeboarding), Steve Barlow (off-road racing), Ricky Johnson (motocross) and Kirby Chambliss (air racing).

ENERGY STATION STOPS IN 2008:

DATE TRACK Feb 29 - March 2 Las Vegas April 4-6 Texas May 16-18 Charlotte May 23-25 Charlotte June 20-22 Infineon July 11-13 Chicago July 25-27 Indianapolis Sept 12-14 New Hampshire Sept 26-28 Kansas Oct 10-12 Charlotte Oct 24-26 Atlanta Oct 31 - Nov 2 Texas

+ AND THE OSCAR GOES TO … Red Bull is hosting "movie night" on Friday at Red Bull Hill, next to the Energy Station outside turn three. At 6 p.m., fans can watch videos that include NASCAR, Red Bull X-Fighters and the Red Bull Air Race World Series.