Brian Vickers gets pole for Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedwa

It seemed just about everyone was conceding the pole for Sunday’s Auto Club 500 to Jimmie Johnson, three-time reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. However, Brian Vickers didn’t get that memo.

Brian Vickers earned Red Bull Racing Team their second pole in the past 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races today, turning a lap for 183.439 mph. It was the sixth career pole and second at the 2-mile track for the 25 year old driver; who also earned Red Bull Racing Team their first pole last August 15th at Michigan International Raceway.

The difference between Vickers and Johnson’s lap was just 0.059 seconds.

After Vickers got the pole, Jimmie Johnson joked with the media by saying “The only thing I can think is Vickers and I went to In-N-Out Burger last night and I had a double and he had a single, I guess that extra patty killed me.”

Winning the pole for Vickers takes the heat off him after last weekend’s incident with Dale Jr at the Daytona 500. If you have been living under a rock, here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UOsGzxVoVI

Brian’s teammate, Scott Speed, qualified his number 82 in the ninth spot at a speed of 181.965 mph. Jamie McMurray was 3rd,followed by Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, David Reutimann, AJ Allmendinger, and rounding on the Top 10 was Kyle Busch, who got the pole for the Saturday’s Camping World Series race. Dale Earnhardt, Jr will start the race 35th after going out early.

Well, things went from good to bad for Vickers and the 83 team. I was just reading on Jayski.com that he will have to go to the back after an engine change. After winning the pole and meeting with the media, Vickers went back to the transporter and was told by crew chief Ryan Pemberton that they would have to change an engine.