NASCAR driver Brian Vickers skydives into Daytona International Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Brian VickersCourtesy photo / NASCAR Sprint Cup driver parachuted to Daytona International Speedway to help promote July's Coke Zero 400 race.

DAYTONA BEACH -- NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Brian Vickers is known to fly around the high banks of Daytona International Speedway in a race car so when he skydived onto the track from a plane he gave new meaning to flying.

Vickers skydived solo into the legendary infield of the "World Center of Racing" from a jumping height of 5,000 feet.

"It was incredible," Vickers told reporters after landing in the tri-oval. "It was absolutely beautiful. This race track is an impressive and amazing facility when you're standing here on the ground but at 5,000 feet, it's gorgeous."

"It was incredible," Vickers told reporters after landing in the tri-oval. "It was absolutely beautiful. This race track is an impressive and amazing facility when you're standing here on the ground but at 5,000 feet, it's gorgeous."

The skydiving jump was part of a media event to promote the upcoming Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race scheduled for Saturday, July 2.

Vickers, a skydiving enthusiast, has been skydiving since 2007 and estimates he has about 75 solo jumps under his belt but Wednesday's jump was his first into a race track.

"Jumping into the Daytona International Speedway was almost like doing your first jump again ... almost like starting a race here," Vickers said.

Vickers, who drives the No. 83 Toyota for Red Bull Racing, was scheduled to skydive into Daytona International Speedway last year, but the jump was scrubbed after health issues sidelined him from racing. Now a year later, Vickers returned to Daytona to complete the memorable jump.

"To be able to come back here and do this and finish the job was very special," Vickers said.

NSBNews.net, also known as VolusiaNews.net, provides Volusia County 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage, 100% free with breaking news, news of record and investigative reports from New Smyrna Beach, FL, for a 21st-century digital world.