Official: Jacques Villeneuve to launch NASCAR career

[blue8]

Jacques Villeneuve is about to take his first step towards a new career in the world of NASCAR.

The 1997 world champion, who lost his BMW-Sauber seat last year, is scheduled to test a Toyota pick-up truck in Chicago on Monday for the team Bill Davis Racing, according to American media.

Featuring modified pickups, the Craftsman Truck Series is regarded as the lowest category of NASCAR racing, beneath the Busch and Nextel Cup divisions.

"Bill Davis Racing was aware of my interest in NASCAR and approached my management team with a view to allowing me to test within its truck program," French-Canadian Villeneuve, who is 36, said.

He began his premier motor racing career on American ovals, soaring to the Indy and Indy 500 titles in the mid-90s.

Villeneuve's manager Craig Pollock said Jacques wants to ease his way in to the NASCAR world through trucks. Last year Juan Pablo Montoya also switched from F1 to NASCAR but began at the higher Busch level.

The Colombian now drives in the premier Nextel Cup category.

I can't decide whether this is better than his career as a recording artist...

[Ghostbat]

Wow. Going from F1 to driving trucks..

[cooperluke]

This guy is really strange...

Wins Indy, Indy 500...

Then goes to F1, in his FIRST race, rolls most time at 1st place, and ends up at 2nd due to mechanical problems.

Next year, 1997, wins the WORLD Championship.

After that, I don't know what happened to him, but transformed into a "normal" driver... no more wins, nothing...

Now.. the former F1 champion of the world, driving trucks :?: :?:

What's next? Taxi driver in NY?

What the hell happened to this guy? Drugs? To much yellow hair? :D

[RC45]

He is following the money.

In Formula 1 only the few prima donnas get all the big winnings... in NASCAR everyone makes buckets of cash.

[cooperluke]

BTW... he also has a musical career...

http://www.myspace.com/jvofficial

Not very promising, though.. :(

[cooperluke]

He is following the money.

In Formula 1 only the few prima donnas get all the big winnings... in NASCAR everyone makes buckets of cash.

Then why he kept at F1 so many years, having poor results?

[dutchmasterflex]

Haha... he has to start off with the Truck series.

[RC45]

He is following the money.

In Formula 1 only the few prima donnas get all the big winnings... in NASCAR everyone makes buckets of cash.

Then why he kept at F1 so many years, having poor results?

Fuck if I know dude.. it's his life - the bottomline facts are that there is MORE cash in NASCAR than any other racing series and that no-one ever went broke racing in NASCAR - even if they never win.

[dutchmasterflex]

He lost his ride in F1. If you had the chance to race in F1, let alone a championship, I don't think you'd give that up even if you weren't winning anymore.

Now where else can a world champion F1 driver find a easy well paid ride? Best place to look would be NASCAR, and even better, Toyota's NASCAR team.

[cooperluke]

...there is MORE cash in NASCAR than any other racing series and that no-one ever went broke racing in NASCAR - even if they never win.

WHERE DO I SIGN??? :smilecolors: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[RC45]

...there is MORE cash in NASCAR than any other racing series and that no-one ever went broke racing in NASCAR - even if they never win.

WHERE DO I SIGN??? :smilecolors: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Exactly ;)

Guys who places 40th probably takes home $50,000 a weekend on the low side :) who knows... but the reality is that the NASCAR tracks are literally paved with gold...

[Schwalbe]

He's a joke here in Québec and everybody laughs of his musical career. :lol: :roll:

I don't understand his racing career choice, he should just focus on DTM and Le Mans and GP racing only like many former F1 drivers, because Nascar suck$$$$ and he has already plenty of $$$. :wink:

[Mattk]

Then why he kept at F1 so many years, having poor results?

Delusion probably.

I'm not surprised he is moving to NASCAR. There is so much money there, and I guess he needs it, because his singing is shit.