NASCAR Driver Profile 2010: Scott Speed

Scott Speed's first year in NASCAR was a learning experience, now class is out and Speed will need to produce. When Team Red Bull signed Scott Speed to race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, it was a culmination of a whirlwind process to prepare him for the 2009 NASCAR season.

Speed raced five NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2008 and was bouncing around between ARCA, the NASCAR truck series, and NASCAR Nationwide winning in the ARCA and NASCAR truck series.

Speed is signed by Team Red Bull through a driver search.
Speed has been racing for Team Red Bull since 2003, when he won a driver search for the next American to race in Formula One. Speed had his first experience in whirlwind racing education, preparing to make the move into Formula One.

Speed becomes first American to race Formula One since 1993.
Speed was quickly moved through the European racing series, Formula Renault and GP2 racing series, winning races and learning along the way. In 2005 Scott Speed began driving tests for the (Team Red Bull) Scudera Toro Rosso Formula One team and in 2006 became the first American to race Formula One, since Michael Andretti's departure from the series in 1993. In 2007 the Formula One deal fell apart and Team Red Bull signed Speed to his NASCAR development contract.

Speed struggles learning on the job with NASCAR elite.
Speed's first full season in NASCAR Sprint Cup was frustrating for Speed since he still lacked enough seat time in stock cars. Compounded by the lack of seat time, Speed also had to deal with different handling cars in the various series he was driving. The new NASCAR "Car of Tomorrow" was a tough adjustment for the new team Speed was driving with.

2010 is a critical season for Speed.
Speed's teammate Brian Vickers had a break out season in 2009, making the NASCAR Race to the Chase and winning a race in the process. Speed's 2010 Daytona 500 will be a key to how is season progresses. The Team Red Bull Toyota cars look like they have the horsepower to compete at Daytona and the aerodynamics, now the pressure will be squarely on Scott Speed.

The one thing going for Scott Speed is his quirky personality. NASCAR fans love when drivers differ from the normal stock answers and when Speed in interviewed the reporters never know what to expect. Personality will only get Speed so far in 2010, although Team Red Bull appears to be supportive as the season begins.

source:
www.nascar.com
www.scottspeed.com
www.espn.go.com
www.speedtv.com