Team Red Bull Preview - Las Vegas

SEASON STARTED IN FONTANA The record books will show that it's just another top-10 finish, but Brian Vickers knows the No. 83's back-to-front effort in Sunday's Auto Club 500 means much more.

"It was a tremendous accomplishment to finish where we did, coming from the back. The whole team worked hard. They deserve it," Vickers said.

Vickers finished 10th at the 2-mile track, this after an engine change forced him to the rear after his sixth career pole and second with Red Bull Racing Team. But the team persevered after falling a lap down and worked to give Vickers his fourth top 10 at Auto Club Speedway.

"You can throw Daytona away, so this is a strong start to the season," said Vickers, who climbed 14 spots in points to 26th. "A top 10 can really give this team some momentum and confidence heading into the intermediate tracks, which make up most of the schedule."

Indeed, the so-called intermediate tracks dot about half of the Sprint Cup Series schedule, including 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Vickers owns two top-10 starts in Sin City, with a best finish of 22nd in March 2006.

Teammate Scott Speed's experience at Las Vegas is limited to one Camping World Truck start (21st in September 2008). He finished 41st in the Auto Club 500, and the No. 82 sits 42nd in the car owner standings.

ON THE NATIONWIDE SIDE Scott Speed, in the No. 99 Red Bull Toyota, will make his Nationwide Series debut with Michael Waltrip Racing in Saturday's Sam's Town 300. Speed's schedule calls for 13 Nationwide races this season, with the next coming March 21 at Bristol.

Brian Vickers, who claimed the Nationwide pole last season at Las Vegas, will return to Braun Racing's No. 32 Toyota for the third consecutive week. He finished sixth in the season-opening race at Daytona and eighth last week at California.

CHEF SPEED Never afraid to try new things, Scott Speed, along with fellow Raybestos rookie NASCAR drivers, will participate in a cooking challenge at 2 p.m. Thursday at the ESPN Zone.

The ESPN Zone culinary team, headed by executive chef Chris Gagen, will provide the rookies with an overview of cooking basics before each driver individually prepares their dishes. Kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas will be on hand to watch and judge the Iron Chef-style competition.

Other rookies include Max Papis, Justin Allgaier, Michael Annett, Scott Lagasse Jr. and John Wes Townley.