A touch of international flair will accompany the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ first trip to scenic Elkhart Lake, Wis., this weekend.
Four countries and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico will be represented by the 43 drivers entered in Saturday’s first-ever series race at Road America.
Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 champion and winner of the 1995 Indianapolis 500; Ron Fellows, who has won four times on NASCAR Nationwide Series road courses, most recently in 2008 in Montreal and his JR Motorsports teammate J.R. Fitzpatrick (No. 7 Schick Chevrolet), represent Canada. Villeneuve and Fellows each have won at Road America in other series (see note above). All three drivers have entered only road-course events in their NASCAR Nationwide careers.
Mexico’s Carlos Contreras (No. 56 McNelly Motorsports Toyota) returns to the NASCAR Nationwide Series for the first time since 2007. Fellow countryman Antonio Perez (No. 87 NEMCO Chevrolet) also is entered. Five
of Contreras’ 16 series starts have come on road courses, while each of Perez’ five career NASCAR Nationwide starts have been “roadies.”
Owen Kelly (No. 27 Baker Curb Racing Ford), by way of Australia, makes his NASCAR national series debut at Road America.
Like fellow Tasmanian Marcos Ambrose, Kelly, 33, has a similar background in karting, Formula Ford and V8 Supercars. He’s the third on the all-time wins list (13) in the Fujitsu Series, the second-tier series for V8 Supercars, just as the NASCAR Nationwide Series is to NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Victor Gonzalez Jr., the first Puerto Rican to run in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (Montreal, 2009), made his racing debut in the United States at Road America.
He’ll have some additional support this weekend as his father, Victor Sr., will travel to Wisconsin to watch his son compete.
“I’m so happy that my father will be there,” Gonzalez said. “He hasn’t seen me race since 1999, and I’m really excited to have him there.
“He’s my best friend and I’d love to give him a Father’s Day present he’ll never forget.”
Click Here to Read More:
NASCAR Nationwide Series: News & Notes - Road America
CAR DRIVER MAKE OWNER 1 Mike Wallace Chevrolet Lori Davis 5 Victor Gonzalez Jr. Chevrolet Wayne Day 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.* Ford Jack Roush 7 J.R. Fitzpatrick Chevrolet Bryan Mullet 9 Robb Brent Ford Robby Benton 10 Tayler Malsam Toyota Todd Braun 11 Brian Scott* Toyota Harry Scott Jr. 12 Justin Allgaier Dodge Roger Penske 15 Michael Annett Toyota Bob Germain 16 Colin Braun* Ford Jack Roush 18 Brad Coleman Toyota Joe Gibbs 20 Matt DiBenedetto Toyota Joe Gibbs 21 Tim George Jr. Chevrolet Richard Childress 22 Brad Keselowski Dodge Jodi Geschickter 23 Alex Kennedy Chevrolet Robert Richardson 24 Eric McClure Ford Ed Rensi 26 Brian Keselowski Dodge Bob Keselowski 27 Owen Kelly Ford Mike Curb 28 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Jay Robinson 31 Stanton Barrett Chevrolet Rick Ware 32 Jacques Villeneuve Toyota Todd Braun 33 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet DeLana Harvick 34 Tony Raines Chevrolet Bob Jenkins 35 Tony Ave Chevrolet Mark Smith 38 Jason Leffler Toyota Ralph Braun 40 Mike Bliss Chevrolet Curtis Key, Sr 43 Kevin O'Connell Ford Mike Curb 60 Carl Edwards Ford Jack Roush 61 Josh Wise Ford Doug Taylor 62 Brendan Gaughan Toyota Rusty Wallace 66 Steve Wallace Toyota Rusty Wallace 70 Mark Green Chevrolet Mary Louise Miller 81 Michael McDowell Dodge Pat MacDonald 87 Antonio Perez Chevrolet Andrea Nemechek 88 Ron Fellows Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt, Jr 89 Morgan Shepherd Chevrolet Cindy Shepherd 90 Patrick Long Toyota Eddie D'Hondt 92 Dennis Setzer Dodge Brian Keselowski 98 Paul Menard Ford Jack Roush 99 Trevor Bayne Toyota Michael Waltrip 104 Kevin Lepage Chevrolet Gene Vess 156 Joey Scarallo Toyota John McNelly 159 Kyle Kelley Chevrolet Bob Kelley
| 
|