Vickers aiming to end New Hampshire streak, land Chase spot

It’s not a record. But it’s close. And it’s unbelievable.

Over the course of the last 12 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 12 different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have won. That just doesn’t happen, and conceivably it could extend to a record-tying 13 considering the list of drivers not part of the 12-in-12 (Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, among others). Texas Motor Speedway boasts the record, with 13 winners in 13 races from 1998 through 2007.

Brian Vickers hopes Texas retains that record come Sunday’s race at New Hampshire (1 p.m. ET on TNT).

Vickers’ win at NHMS last July was a surprise, to say the least. At the time of his victory, Vickers was running a full-time schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and filling in here-and-there in the No. 55 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing.

He’s now running fulltime in that ride, and with top 10s in each of the past three NHMS races, a repeat there would be a lot less surprising this time around.

It would also mean a likely spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, something that has admittedly crossed Vickers’ mind.

“I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about it, but I really just try to live in the moment and focus on the moment,” Vickers said. “And every single time I get in that race car, every single time I work with a crew I just try to put my very best foot forward and do it with honesty, integrity and passion. That’s all I can do. If that’s not enough on a given weekend, that’s just not enough. We’re focusing on winning and doing the best we can in practice, doing the best we can in qualifying and doing the best we can in the race.”

Here are the 12, 11 of which are running fulltime: Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Vickers and Matt Kenseth. Seven of those drivers are looking for their first win of 2014.