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5 NASCAR drivers who have driven Red Bull-sponsored cars – Sportskeeda

January 24, 2025Autos
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Red Bull recently announced their decision to sponsor Trackhouse Racing in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. However, this won’t be the first time that the energy drink company will sponsor a driver in the stock car racing world.

In fact, Red Bull once ran a NASCAR team in the late 2000s before leaving in 2011, assumably due to underwhelming on-track performances. The company had about a five-year run in NASCAR with the then-young OEM, Toyota.

Who were the drivers that piloted Red Bull-sponsored cars in the stock car league? Read on to find out.

A.J. Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger, one of the veteran drivers in the NASCAR field, started his Cup Series career with Team Red Bull. Driving the No. 84 Toyota, the Californian had an underwhelming first year with the team with multiple DNQs.

In Picture: A.J. Allmendinger (left) and Guenther Steiner (right) - Source: ImagnIn Picture: A.J. Allmendinger (left) and Guenther Steiner (right) - Source: Imagn
In Picture: A.J. Allmendinger (left) and Guenther Steiner (right) – Source: Imagn

His best finish in a Red Bull-sponsored NASCAR car came at Kansas Speedway in 2008, finishing ninth after starting in P14. The driver then switched to multiple teams until he made his way to his current one, Kaulig Racing.

Brian Vickers

Driving alongside A.J. Allmendinger was Brian Vickers, who ran with Team Red Bull for five years. He gave the team its first of two victories in the premier series in the 2009 Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

In Picture: Brian Vicker's No. 83 Red Bull car in 2008 - Source: ImagnIn Picture: Brian Vicker's No. 83 Red Bull car in 2008 - Source: Imagn
In Picture: Brian Vicker’s No. 83 Red Bull car in 2008 – Source: Imagn

Vickers took the lead from Jimmie Johnson who ran out of fuel with three laps to go. He comfortably held the lead against Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., respectively, to win the race in the No. 83 Toyota.

Kasey Kahne

The other Red Bull NASCAR driver to win a race was Kasey Kahne in the No. 4 Toyota. Kahne won the penultimate race of the 2011 Cup Series season at Phoenix, impacting the historic championship fight between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards.

Kasey Khane won the 2011 Kobalt Tools 500 - Source: ImagnKasey Khane won the 2011 Kobalt Tools 500 - Source: Imagn
Kasey Khane won the 2011 Kobalt Tools 500 – Source: Imagn

The Washington native only ran one full year with Red Bull as the team left after the 2011 season. He then moved to Hendrick Motorsports to team up with NASCAR legends Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Scott Speed

Scott Speed drove in a Red Bull-sponsored NASCAR car after racing in Formula 1 with Scuderia Toro Rosso, the former junior team of Red Bull. He became the first American driver to race in F1 since Michael Andretti in 1993.

In Picture: Scott Speed driving a Red Bull F1 car in 2005 - Source: ImagnIn Picture: Scott Speed driving a Red Bull F1 car in 2005 - Source: Imagn
In Picture: Scott Speed driving a Red Bull F1 car in 2005 – Source: Imagn

As for his NASCAR stint with Team Red Bull, Speed ran two years in the No. 82 Toyota. His best finish came at Talladega Superspeedway in 2009 where he crossed the line fifth after Carl Edwards had a horrific crash after his car flipped in the air on the final lap.

Bill Elliott

Bill Elliott was Team Red Bull’s driver for its first appearance in NASCAR, driving the No. 83 Victory Junction Gang Dodge in 2006. However, Elliott failed to qualify for the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Bill Elliott only had one race with Team Red Bull - Source: ImagnBill Elliott only had one race with Team Red Bull - Source: Imagn
Bill Elliott only had one race with Team Red Bull – Source: Imagn

The 1988 NASCAR champion didn’t return to Team Red Bull, instead driving for multiple teams on a part-time basis until his last Cup race at Daytona (Coke Zero 400) in 2012.