Villeneuve to make NASCAR Nextel Cup debut at Talladega-UPDATE 2
Quote selected text Published September 29th, 2007 in NASCAR News
UPDATE 2:
Kyle Busch was shocked to learn that former Formula 1 and CART champion Jacques Villeneuve will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next weekend at Talladega. “He’s doing what? Holy cow, that’s not good,” Busch said when asked for his reaction to Villeneuve racing at Talladega. “You’ve got to start somewhere but the Cup Series and Talladega definitely isn’t the place to start.”
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UPDATE:
Jeff Gordon thinks it’s a big mistake for former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve to attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next week in the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
“I love Jacques, but that’s not the right decision to make,” Gordon said Friday. “I didn’t think it was the right decision last year for David Gilliland, either.
“Nothing against their talent or anything else, but that race in the Chase? Why? If you want to run a race, go to Atlanta or another 1.5-mile oval.”
Gordon said he was surprised NASCAR gave it approval for Villeneuve to debut on the giant 2.6-mile oval. The Oct. 7 event is the first restrictor-plate race in the Car of Tomorrow.
Villeneuve made his NASCAR debut last weekend in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He finished 21st, the first driver one lap down.
“I watched him in truck race and yeah, he did a nice job,” Gordon said. “But he wasn’t really in the thick of things. He just didn’t bounce off anything. And he did OK in the test at Talladega, but that’s not anything like racing there.”
“I don’t agree with it, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.”
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Jacques Villeneuve will make his NASCAR Nextel Cup race debut next weekend, five weeks earlier than originally planned, in the ‘UAW-Ford 500’, at the famous Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Villeneuve, who sat in a ‘Cup’ car for the first time just 24 days ago, was initially scheduled to race the ARCA and NASCAR Craftsman Truck races at Talladega – steps one and two on the NASCAR ladder – whilst watching the main ‘Cup’ event on Sunday, along with over 143,000 trackside spectators.
Villeneuve’s fast-track to ‘Cup’, the top step of the NASCAR ladder, has been made possible only with the approval of NASCAR. His recent performance in his debut ‘Car of Tomorrow’ test, also at Talladega, where he ran more laps than any other driver, and successfully ‘bump-drafted’ his way through the pack, without making enemies of the more experienced drivers, is seen to have eased that same process of approval.
Having made his NASCAR race debut in the Craftsman Truck event at Las Vegas just last weekend, Villeneuve now faces a new challenge, where he will again be focused initially on qualifying his number 27 car (43 cars will start the race, of which 36 are guaranteed a place based on pre-earned team points – Villeneuve does not have the benefit of such team points, either earned or inherited).
In addition to Sunday’s 500-miler, Villeneuve will contest Saturday afternoon’s Craftsman Truck event, the 94-lap ‘Mountain Dew 250’, which is exactly half the length of Sunday’s flagship ‘Cup’ race. Earlier this week, the 36-year-old Canadian tested an ARCA car at Talladega, for the first time, and found cockpit temperatures soaring to over 150˚F/65˚C. If everything goes to plan for Villeneuve, by the time Sunday night’s ‘Cup’ race ends, he’ll have spent more than 10 hours in the cockpit over four days, but he’s certainly not complaining.
Speaking from his home in Montreal late on Thursday night, the former Formula One World Champion’s enthusiasm was clear, “it’s perfect. I’m really happy that NASCAR has given me its approval so quickly, and having run Talladega with the Cup drivers, I’m really looking forward to it. its a huge step in my learning process and I’m realistic in my expectations; every one of those guys s quick and the teams are a good too. NASCAR, and in particular ‘CoT’ has been fun so far, and I hope that doesn’t change in front of that big Talladega crowd!”
One man echoing Villeneuve’s enthusiasm was his Bill Davis Racing crew chief, Richard ‘Slugger’ Labbe, “It’s really neat that he’s been approved so quick. Jacques ran a lot of laps in the CoT test at Talladega he ran we in the draft he earned a lot of respect and he didn’t make anybody mad Im really excited to see new blood coming into the sport, and am glad to be part of it. Everybody at the shop is so fired up…we can’t wait to get to Talladega next week.”
- Villeneuve to test at Gateway
- Villeneuve to make CTS debut at Vegas
- Villeneuve, BDR consider COT race at Phoenix
- Villeneuve to race in Montreal event
- Cup regulars will give no help to Villeneuve at Talladega
What the H@!! is this all about?!! This is so aggravating, this is the reason I’m not a fan of NASCAR anymore (a fan of the drivers, but not the organization). Too many people coing in way before they should be coming in. He should have to work up through the ranks just as anyone else. I understand that he has been racing in other series, other styles for some time now, but he hasn’t been in stock cars, not in NASCAR. I don’t know, it’s just my opinion, but I don’t think he deserves a Cup ride just yet, he needs time in the truck or Busch series first.
If he qualifies which is possible he is a very good driver, he will be the first in the wall or one lap down
at the drop of the green!
Or he and Montoya will get in to it reminiscent of days when open wheel was fun to watch!
THIS TRACK WILL EAT HIM ALIVE!
JV will be differnt than Montoya, still extreemly talented, but he will show more respect. I love the fact that NASCAR is seeing this level of talent enter the sport.
Dustin said it right. He has to WORK his way through Cup. Just
because he has F1 experience doesn’t qualify him to get a jump start.
This is scary. Especially during the chase, I agree with Jeff Gordon.
Dustin and Andy have it right! I just can’t believe Nascar is allowing this. The track is difficult enough to get around
without a rookie in the mix. And in the middle of the chase, unbelieveable!! Let’s just hope
he goes out in the first few laps far away from the chasers! I’m so tired of these guys coming
into Nascar and just waltzing right in, I guess you don’t have to prove yourself
anymore. If you have enough money and know the right people….I pray the he stays away from
the top 12.
prove…hes proved he is a compitent driver. two championships in two different series. maybe hes not completely ready for a big leagues yet, but he has the “street cred” to get him in the show. how could nascar deny someone with his talent level? if they are letting 18yr drivers in that do one tour of duty in arca or something similar then they can let a man with plenty of oval experience in an open wheel car no less in the show. he’s done plenty of drafting in open wheels, and he knows the consequences of banging wheels. again. he has the oval track experience, and nascar just cant say no to to the level of experience had
i agree with gordan its defently not a track for some indy driver not this track or any restricter plate track
MR. Villeneuve has won the Indianiapolis 500, He has won a Formula 1 Championship, I personally think he was robbed in Japan of his second (F1 championship) I think he’ll get around Talledaga fairly well, Jeff Gordon certainly knows far more about Stock Car Racing than I do. But Jasques Villeneive certainly knows how to race.
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I agree! This is a one of a kind track and not the track to start your cup carreer. He will be in the wall before it is over.
Hopefully he will not get hurt or hurt someone else.
I agree he has talent but nobody will want to be around him at dega. testing there is nothing like bill elliott said 1 time dega is simple to drive alone but with 42 other cars around you thats different story.
This is becoming a dangerous trend that should be avoided by the teams whom know better but are being influenced by their sponsors and it’s the sponsors whom are killing nascar
The thing is, whether he has “street cred” or not, he still isn’t ready
to hit the Cup series just FOUR WEEKS after his first race. Unbelievable.
Especially Talladega. Complete opposite of an F1 style of racing.
He’s NOT going to know how to use the draft to his advantage, if anything,
he’s going to make the wrong moves and hold people up. Not to mention that
half the field can be taken out in one move, and he has a much
higher chance of causing it. I hope he stays towards the back.
Plus I don’t think anyone will work with him, I think he’ll be left out
to dry and go to the back of the field. He doesn’t have the experience.
I was hoping he would have some sense and decline to start Cup right away
and wait for another debut date. But guess not.
Correction for myself, not four weeks ago, but ONE week ago.
Four weeks ago was testing.
i guess we shall have to wait and see right?!
do not forget he is not only a former F1 champ but also a Indy 500 winner! that has to count for something…as for new things he showed up at LeMans this year and if i remember right he placed second?!!
for example if Jeff Gordon(or any other great Nascar driver)wanted to run the Indy 500 would such a stink be raised???? i am not saying he will do all that well as the plate races are much more about teamwork and who you are friends with…but i feel more confident of his skill than many of the lower level drivers that are going to be in the back of the pack at the race…give the man a break and accept that the Nascar of yesterday is no more and was turned into(yeah sold out:) by none other than the grand dictators of Nascar….the France family!!! i guess you call that progress???
does anybody even remember Jaques when he ran in indy cars?!?!?!?!
he won the friggin indy 500!!! last time i checked that race is as tough as any Dega race!!! do your homework before you let your predjudices fly!!! all that said with how buddy buddy plate racing is he may just not have any friends out there but i doubt he will pull any bonehead moves…he is an excellent racer and i can’t wait to see how he does when he makes some friends in the world of nascar….plus you gotta start somewhere right????
OK TO THE LAST GUEST THAT POSTED::::::::::
I dont beleive anybody is arguing (the guys name who i cant even pronounce) his ability but these F1 guys are acting like they are so superior and can come over here and dominate so far that hasnt happened. Nobody is arguing there accomplishemnts in other series but cup is a different animal just ask JUAN PABLO he won ! race and that was on fuel strateg and not skill and other then that hasnt been a factor, i have heard people its because he is driving a dodge WOOPS somebody better tell Kurt Bush he is in a dodge and time to start sucking. As for him at DEGA this is a huge horrible mistake when has a F1 car ever been in a similar situation for lap after lap after lap, i am not arguing the ability of a F1 driver but these are 2 different animals, hopefully if he makes the race he will not disrupt the chase.
Wee Wee Bay Bee!
everyone thinks he will hurt the chase? what about jr’s antics at kansas. he almost took out riggs in the third lap i front of all the other drivers. then he takes out busch? hes the biggest threat to the chase drivers so far! i dont see anyone getting on his case