Tuesday, 2nd December 2008

Former F1 pilot Scott Speed will join fellow refugee Juan Montoya in tackling a full NASCAR Sprint Cup campaign in 2009, having been inked at Red Bull Racing.

As has been expected since he swapped Formula One for NASCAR, Scott Speed has been fast-tracked into Red Bull's Sprint Cup squad for the forthcoming 2009 campaign.

Although he has already dipped his toe into the waters following AJ Allmendinger's departure from the line-up, Speed has had to wait for confirmation of his full-time graduation to the Cup Series, where he will partner Red Bull stalwart Brian Vickers in pursuit of places in the annual Chase for the Championship.

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The former Scuderia Toro Rosso driver, and long-time Red Bull protégé, was revealed as the pilot of the #82 Toyota Camry amid a flurry of announcements regarding RBRT's 2009 programme, with other personnel changes on the cards. Having rubbed fenders in both the ARCA and Craftsman Truck series, Speed drove the #84 Cup car in four races and the #83 sister machine in one other to close the 2008 season.

He now switches to the new silver-liveried #82 to contend for rookie of the year honours, having seen the team lock up a vital top 35 position in owner points, guaranteeing him a starting spot in the first five races, including the season-opening Daytona 500. After a two-year stint in the NASCAR garage, the dark blue #84 car will retire to the RBRT 'museum' also known as the race shop in Mooresville.

Speed will race under the watchful eye of returning crew chief Jimmy Elledge, while team-mate Vickers has a new man at the helm for his third season with Red Bull Racing, as Ryan Pemberton takes up the reins.

The 39-year old inherits a #83 team that earned a pole, three top five and six top ten finishes to help Vickers finish 19th in the 2008 point standings, having moved over from a similar crew chief role with David Reutimann's #44 Toyota in 2008.

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