Villeneuve’s NASCAR career all but over?
"It will be extremely difficult for Jacques to return," Carpentier tells La Presse.
"There are several guys who have had a chance in NASCAR and have never been able to return. I think of Paul Tracy, Christian Fittipaldi, Michel Jourdain Jr. None have managed to get back behind the wheel."
Carpentier suggests Villeneuve should take whatever opportunities come his way to work his way back into NASCAR, much like he did when he raced in last summer's Nationwide event in Montreal with no guarantee of a future in the sport. He managed to parlay a top five result and a pole position in three starts into a fully sponsored ride with Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2008.
02/20/08 Jacques Villeneuve is hoping to race this summer in Montreal at the NASCAR NAPA Auto Parts 200 race to be held Aug. 2 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Villeneuve announced at a press conference Wednesday at his downtown Newtown club that he is not giving up on his racing career, after he was dropped by Bill Davis Racing after failing to qualify for last Sunday's Daytona 500. The Montreal race is part of the Nationwide NASCAR circuit, the second-tier level of the sport.
02/18/08 Jacques Villeneuve has invited media representatives to a news conference on Wednesday, February 20 to discuss his career plans. See Hot News article.
02/15/08 Jacques Villeneuve's career in the Sprint Cup Series is on hold. Villeneuve will be replaced next week at California, likely by Mike Skinner, unless a sponsor can be found for the Bill Davis Racing car over the next 24 hours. Mike Brown, the general manager at BDR, said there are no other plans to use Villeneuve until a sponsor is found. "It's a race-to-race thing," Brown said. "We thought we had one sponsor, down to having the uniform with the logo on it. We just never got the deal closed. It's unfortunate for everyone." Brown said the decision to go with a driver such as Skinner was based totally on experience. "By missing Daytona and putting ourselves in position of having to qualify to make the race we need somebody with Skinner's ability," he said. "Mike has run so well in the Truck Series out there." Brown said Villeneuve, whose attempt to make Sunday's Daytona 500 ended with a crash in Thursday's qualifying race, continues to work on finding a sponsor and rebuilding his marketing team, which was disrupted with a recent split with manager Craig Pollock. "Jacques is working hard to put all the right people in place with different Canadian companies," he said. "He just needs to regroup and get his management team in order." ESPN.com