Jacques Villeneuve is expected to make his NASCAR Nextel Cup debut at Talladega Superspeedway next weekend in the No. 27 Bill Davis Racing Toyota Camry.
The former Formula 1 and CART champ, will be one of three BDR entries in the UAW-Ford 500 on October 7. Slugger Labbe, who received his release from Ginn Racing last month, will serve as Villeneuve’s crew chief. The race marks two milestones — the coming-out party for Villeneuve in the Cup, and the first Car of Tomorrow race on the 2.66-mile speedway (the biggest track to date for a COT race). FoxSports
Villeneuve will still take part in the Truck race but has dropped the ARCA event in order to take part in Nextel Cup qualifying.
“I’m really happy that NASCAR has given me ts approval so quickly, and having run Talladega with the Cup drivers, I’m really looking forward to it,” said Villeneuve.
Villeneuve got his first taste of superspeedway action during a Car of Tomorrow test earlier this month and acquitted himself well, setting the third fastest time overall in one session and finishing as the second fastest among the Toyota drivers when racing in the draft. Last weekend, he made his Craftsman Truck Series debut in Las Vegas, finishing 21st. TSN
The 36-year-old Canadian’s debut, which will be at the famous Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, is five weeks earlier than expected.
Villeneuve’s F1 career ended when he was dropped by the BMW Sauber team after last year’s German Grand Prix.
He won the F1 title in 1997 with Williams before moving to BAR in 1999 for four years. BBC
Recently approved by NASCAR for superspeedway competition, former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve will attempt to make his first Nextel Cup Series race Oct. 7 at Talladega, Ala.
Villeneuve recently completed a car of tomorrow test at Talladega without incident and made his NASCAR debut last weekend in the Craftsman Truck race at Las Vegas, where he started seventh and finished 21st. He will also drive in the Truck race at Talladega next weekend. JIM UTTER - The Charlotte Observer
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