Jacques Villeneuve to race for Bill Davis Racing

[Nascarcamping]

This just in folks, Bill Davis Racing has announced that Jacques Villeneuve will race for Bill Davis Racing and will run the last 7 truck races, along with COT testing.

Great news for Canadians, it has been a great year for us Canucks, for you Americans out there, Jacques father was probably the most famous racer, and now his son has followed in his footsteps.

Jacques is a nice guy and very talented, I think he will be a very good fit with Bill Davis, personalities alone, I think this is a good fit.

[JimmieJohnson]

Villeneuve Makes NASCAR Debut With Truck Series Testing At Chicagoland
By Tom Bowles (Frontstretch.com)

After over a year of searching, Jacques Villeneuve's NASCAR dream is on the verge of becoming reality.

The Canadian turned laps in a Truck Series vehicle for the first time Monday at Chicagoland Speedway, making laps and testing setups in preparation for a September 22nd debut in Las Vegas. Driving what will be the No. 27 Toyota Tundra in honor of his late father, former champ Gilles Villeneuve, it was a day of quick learning after over a decade of being away from ovals. Running speeds that weren't all that far off that of his new teammate, Mike Skinner, the 1997 Formula One champion was unfazed by his initial transition from a state-of-the-art open wheel car to that of a much bulkier truck.

"It was better than I expected," said Villeneuve after the test. "I knew it was a heavier car than I was used to, and it would bounce around and stuff like that, but it was actually closer to what I am used to as a race car driver. I was happily surprised."

The Canadian's goals are high; the upcoming seven-race stint in Trucks will likely serve as preparation for a full-time Cup series ride in 2008. But after just one day of testing, Villeneuve is taking it one step at a time.

"Right now, I'm concentrating on getting laps," he said. "It's already been a lot of work. But right now, the chemistry is going well. The people are positive, and that really makes a big difference."

Perhaps the most critical influence so far has been Skinner. The current Truck Series point leader and longtime veteran of both Cup and Trucks could make Villeneuve's transition far easier, and Davis plans for the two to work extensively together throughout the next few months.

So far, so good.

"He scared me by saying it would be like driving a bus," joked NASCAR's newest rookie. "But it felt like a race car."

Testing for both Bill Davis Racing trucks will conclude tomorrow at Chicagoland.

[Nascarcamping]

Skinner would be good for him, Jacques will have a LONG career in Nascar, and that you can take to the bank eh? :D

[Nascar#3]

Ya darn tootin right bout dat, sti !!!

I can't wait to watch those last 7 truck races!!!!

[JimmieJohnson]

Former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve made his debut behind the wheel of a Bill Davis Racing Toyota Tundra machine Monday and Tuesday at Chicagoland Speedway. Villeneuve, who has not raced on an oval track since 1995, when he won both the Indianapolis 500 and the CART Indy Car Championship, spent Monday acclimating himself to the #27 truck. After watching teammate Mike Skinner run a few laps, Villeneuve hit the track in his Tundra. By his 12th lap, Villeneuve's lap time was 31.67 seconds [170.508mph] around the 1.5-mile tri-oval and within six tenths of a second of Skinner's times. Villeneuve finished the day only two tenths of a second slower than the Craftsman Truck Series Championship leader. The team made a number of changes to the truck throughout the two-day test session, but Villeneuve never slowed. His lap of 31.00 seconds [174.194mph] Tuesday proved to the other Craftsman Truck Series teams attending the test just how talented he really is. "It was a great test," Villeneuve said. "I missed racing on ovals, so it has been a lot of fun the last few days. I definitely learned a lot. The truck has a lot more grip then I thought it was going to have. It turns very well. It took a little getting used to at first, but I am very comfortable in it now."
"Jacques did very well," said BDR Truck Team Manager Mark Chambers. "He gives incredible feedback and adapted to the truck extremely well. Overall, I would have to say that he was very impressive on and off the track. He will be a great asset to BDR." Villeneuve will make his first career NASCAR start in the Craftsman Truck Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sept. 22. He will then compete in the remainder of the NCTS events for Bill Davis Racing. The 36-year old champion could possibly make his Nextel Cup Series debut before the end of the 2007 season.(Bill Davis Racing PR)

[Nascarcamping]

Just to let you know that for Canadians, the name " Villeneuve" is to Auto Racing like " Gretzky" is to Hockey.

Glad to hear testing went okay :D

[Nascar#3]

I'm reading the article and I'm getting chills man....I'm so proud of this guy that when he gets his but in Cup...I'm going to buy all the swag I can get my hands on!!!

Bye bye Mayfield here come Jacko !!!!! :lol:

[Nascarcamping]

Personally I think Mayfields career in Nascar is finished

[Nascar#3]

Too much octane 93 if you ask me!!!LOL! He won't be missed!!!

[JimmieJohnson]

Ryan Coniam has been hired as race engineer for Jacques Villeneuve in the 2008 Nextel Cup Series. Villeneuve, who was world driving champion in 1997, will start his NASCAR career at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sept. 22 when he will partner Bill Davis Racing teammate Mike Skinner in a Craftsman Truck Series race. Villeneuve is expected to drive as many as seven truck races and possibly one Nextel Cup race in ’07 before going into the Cup series full-time in 2008. The 27-year-old Coniam, former World of Outlaws sprint car star and son of Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame inductee Warren Coniam, has been living in Mooresville, N.C., where he was employed in research and development for Dale Earnhardt Inc. He was head-hunted by BDR and travelled to Bristol, Tenn., for an interview the weekend of Aug. 25. He was notified last Friday that he has the job. Villeneuve will drive truck #27, renumbered in recent days by BDR to honour Villeneuve’s late father, Gilles Villeneuve, who drove Ferrari #27. Jacques Villeneuve also drove with that number on his car when he raced in the CART series in the mid-1990s, winning both the Indianapolis 500 and the CART championship in 1995.(Toronto Star (Ryan Coniam has been hired as race engineer for Jacques Villeneuve in the 2008 Nextel Cup Series. Villeneuve, who was world driving champion in 1997, will start his NASCAR career at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sept. 22 when he will partner Bill Davis Racing teammate Mike Skinner in a Craftsman Truck Series race. Villeneuve is expected to drive as many as seven truck races and possibly one Nextel Cup race in ’07 before going into the Cup series full-time in 2008. The 27-year-old Coniam, former World of Outlaws sprint car star and son of Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame inductee Warren Coniam, has been living in Mooresville, N.C., where he was employed in research and development for Dale Earnhardt Inc. He was head-hunted by BDR and travelled to Bristol, Tenn., for an interview the weekend of Aug. 25. He was notified last Friday that he has the job. Villeneuve will drive truck #27, renumbered in recent days by BDR to honour Villeneuve’s late father, Gilles Villeneuve, who drove Ferrari #27. Jacques Villeneuve also drove with that number on his car when he raced in the CART series in the mid-1990s, winning both the Indianapolis 500 and the CART championship in 1995.([url=Ryan Coniam has been hired as race engineer for Jacques Villeneuve in the 2008 Nextel Cup Series. Villeneuve, who was world driving champion in 1997, will start his NASCAR career at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sept. 22 when he will partner Bill Davis Racing teammate Mike Skinner in a Craftsman Truck Series race. Villeneuve is expected to drive as many as seven truck races and possibly one Nextel Cup race in ’07 before going into the Cup series full-time in 2008. The 27-year-old Coniam, former World of Outlaws sprint car star and son of Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame inductee Warren Coniam, has been living in Mooresville, N.C., where he was employed in research and development for Dale Earnhardt Inc. He was head-hunted by BDR and travelled to Bristol, Tenn., for an interview the weekend of Aug. 25. He was notified last Friday that he has the job. Villeneuve will drive truck #27, renumbered in recent days by BDR to honour Villeneuve’s late father, Gilles Villeneuve, who drove Ferrari #27. Jacques Villeneuve also drove with that number on his car when he raced in the CART series in the mid-1990s, winning both the Indianapolis 500 and the CART championship in 1995. ([url=http://www.thestar.com/Sports/AutoRacing/article/252978))

[Fundytrail]

I'm surprised they did not start Giles in New Hampshire on Sept. 15, as his "native" province of Quebec borders on NH and there are always a large number of Quebec license plates in the parking lot at NHIS. :?

[JimmieJohnson]

Jacques Villeneuve continued his preparation for his NASCAR debut by testing Wednesday at Kentucky Speedway. He turned laps for Bill Davis Racing in the new Car of Tomorrow [#27 Toyota]. “Feels great! I’m just getting up to speed and getting used to driving the car,” said Villeneuve during a lunch break. “It is very different than anything I have driven before so I just want it to become natural and its fun.” Villeneuve will use the final seven races of the 2007 Craftsman Truck Series season to prep for Sprint Cup Series competition in 2008. Even though the race trucks and the COT have similar aerodynamics, both are very different from what he has driven in the past. “It is not as responsive. But, the tracks are very different as well. The driving style is different. If it was on a similar type than there would be a huge difference.” Testing continues through-out the fall at the 1.5 mile tri-oval. (kentuckyspeedway.com (http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com/newsline/news.asp?sid=646))