SPECIAL EVENT (DAYTONA, FLA.) - RED BULL TEAM READY FOR SHOOTOUT...

NEW KIND OF ‘AERO PUSH’ A tandem skydive jump just isn’t Brian Vickers’ style. He wants to free fall on his own. On Tuesday morning, Vickers will take a required “Accelerated Free Fall” class so later that day he can jump out of a perfectly safe airplane all by himself. He’ll spend time in a specialized wind tunnel in Orlando, Fla., to learn the art of skydiving from the Red Bull Air Force. After the class, Vickers will make his first solo skydive above DeLand, Fla., with the Air Force doing its thing around him. ESPN pit reporter and action sports addict Jamie Little will partake in the day’s events, and the jump will be part of ESPN’s coverage of the Feb. 16 Nationwide Series race.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT Sunday’s agonizingly long qualifying session locks in the front row for the 50th Daytona 500. The 150-mile qualifying races Feb. 14 determine starting positions three through 43. Kevin Hamlin, new crew chief on the No. 83, had the luxury of being locked into the Daytona 500 once before. In 1997, Hamlin guided Mike Skinner to the Daytona 500 pole. “Everybody wants to be on the front row,” Hamlin said. “You get that publicity all week long. It’s not like a regular race weekend where they just talk about you for a day. They talk about you for a whole week. It’s really cool to be on the pole down there. It puts a little extra bounce in your step if you can pull that off.” For the record, the No. 83 was fourth overall during single-car runs at January’s Daytona testing. The No. 84 was 14th.

SPEED GETS SIRIUS Sure, there’s the whole ARCA-race-at-Daytona thing, but Scott Speed made his first weekly guest appearance on SIRIUS Satellite Radio’s “Tradin’ Paint” with co-hosts Steve Post and Chocolate Myers. They don’t just talk racing each Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET (channel 128). They’re talking the dish, the scoop, the drama on Speed, who’s he hanging out with, who his newest NASCAR buddies are, where he’s traveling and what Red Bull events he’s popping up at. As for driving, Speed will strap into Eddie Sharp Racing’s No. 2 Red Bull Toyota for Saturday’s ARCA 200. His lone ARCA start last October saw him finish seventh at Talladega.

DON’T BOTHER ASKING For now, the Nos. 83 and 84 are on the outside in owner points, and below is Red Bull Racing Team’s stance on getting in. Our position will not change in the first five races, so refer to this document for any future questions regarding Red Bull Racing Team and the top 35.

Brian Vickers, driver, No. 83: “The first five races will define the season. We missed it last year, mostly at the beginning the year. We were a new team and made several big mistakes at the beginning of the season that got us behind, and we never could overcome that. I know in 2008, we’ve put a huge emphasis on the first five races.”

Kevin Hamlin, crew chief, No. 83: “I’m sure some people say that they’re giving teams in the top 35 situation an advantage going into qualifying by going at the end. But it’s like, ‘OK, who cares?’ If one of the teams that aren’t in the top 35 happens to be on the pole, well good for them. Obviously, their season isn’t going great to start with or they wouldn’t be outside the top 35. They could use a little highlight.”

AJ Allmendinger, driver, No. 84: “We know the first five races can make or break the season. It’s our second year. It’s not a question of will we be better. We will be better. Those first five races … if we can get in them, run well and be in the top 35 in points, I really do think we can have a great year. Great meaning top 25, top 20 in points. Five races out of 36 could be our season.”

Rick Viers, crew chief, No. 84: “I expect to make the first five races, run competitively and be far enough in the top 35 and not every worry about that sixth race. I don’t have any other thoughts than those first five races. Our Chase for the championship is the first five races. We don’t even consider anything else.”

Jay Frye, general manager and vice president: “We talk about blocking and tackling and things that we need to do as company, which is doing the basic things right. Once you do the basics right, you advance to the next step. If we do the basic things, qualify for races, the top 35 will take care of itself.”

Guenther Steiner, technical director: “We must get into the top 35, and for sure we’ll be better than last year. We learned a lot over the year. We’re just more experienced, more methodical. We know more about what we do.”