Blog: So Why is Villeneuve Running Around Ovals in A Truck
Sep 23, 2007
JV
There was a time not too long ago that it might have been laughable to think of Jacques Villeneuve racing a Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
After all, he was an Indianapolis 500 winner, a CART champion and a Formula One world champion with 11 wins on his resume.
And let’s not forget that $100 million US he was paid to drive the lamentable Honda at BAR.
When drivers with his resume finish off in F-1 they go to the leisurely route—sports car racing in Europe maybe or even a team owner somewhere.
So why is Villeneuve running around ovals in a truck? AUTONET
Jacques Villeneuve finished 21st in his NASCAR debut in the Craftsman Truck Series race in Las Vegas Saturday night.
The former F1 and Indianapolis 500 champion started seventh in the Bill Davis Racing Toyota and was racing as high as 16th before getting involved in an incident on lap 46. Villeneuve hit rookie Brian Scott from behind, forcing him to pit for repairs. He finished a lap behind the leaders. TSN.ca
Villeneuve qualified seventh on Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile tri-oval, and was running 16th after 30 laps. But the Canadian star got into the rear of Brian Scott’s car on turn two of lap 46 and dropped back to 25th after pitting on lap 48 so his crew could repair the damage. Villeneuve finished a lap down and never cracked the top 20 after the accident.
“I was running high and I ended up getting sideways,” Villeneuve said. “You can actually slide those trucks a lot without crashing (into the wall), so that’s quite good. I’m surprised because it wasn’t a big hit at all, but it did significant damage. I didn’t expect so much damage, so that’s something to learn.” USAToday
Just 47 laps into his NASCAR debut, Jacques Villeneuve discovered his new front fender.
The former Formula One and CART champion got into the back of fellow rookie Brian Scott early in the Smith’s Las Vegas 350, an incident that sent Scott spinning off the track and Villeneuve to the pits for repairs to his Bill Davis Racing Toyota.
Jacques Villeneuve started seventh but finished 21st in his Craftsman Truck Series debut.
Had this happened in his previous motorsports life in often delicate open-wheel cars, Villeneuve’s night would have been over. But in the Craftsman Truck Series, the newbie learned that you pit, patch up and try to move on. John Schwarb, Special to ESPN.com
