NASCAR’s Brian Vickers will sport a paint scheme honoring Louisville’s national title team
Having captured a national title in men's basketball, reached the Final Four in women's hoops, won a BCS bowl game and qualified for the College World Series, Louisville can make a strong case it has enjoyed the best athletic year of any school in the nation.
NASCAR driver Brian Vickers is probably hoping some of that good fortune rubs off.
Louisville announced Wednesday that Vickers will sport Louisville colors and a paint scheme honoring the 2013 men's basketball national champs when he drives in the Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway on June 29.
The red and white No. 55 Toyota that Vickers drives will feature a Louisville logo on the hood with the words "national champions" above it. Vickers' fire suit will have a Louisville logo on the front, "national champions" on the back and the words "Louisville" and "Cardinals" going down the side of his legs in classic college sweatpants style.
"This will certainly help my popularity with local fans that weekend," Vickers said in a statement. "I'm a big fan of sports in general so to have the national champions on board is a huge honor. They are winners and it's always cool to surround yourself with success. Our goal is to make them proud."
If Vickers expects his paint scheme to inspire nothing but cheers at Kentucky Speedway, perhaps the North Carolina native is unaware of the demographics of the state. Kentucky Speedway is only 20 minutes closer to Louisville than it is Lexington, which means plenty of blue in the crowd that day and plenty of boos for Vickers as his car passes the grandstands.
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