Toyota NASCAR team Bill Davis Racing has announced that 1997
Formula 1 World champion Jacques Villeneuve will make his NASCAR debut behind the wheel of a Toyota Tundra truck on Monday, August 27 at Chicagoland Speedway.
The Canadian, who has won both the IndyCar series and the legendary Indy 500 event, is no stranger to oval racing, although he hasn't raced on an oval since 1995.
Despite his achievements though, he knows NASCAR will be a very different challenge to anything he has done in the past and he is fully accepting of his ‘rookie' status, and is focused on learning as much as he can, as quickly as he can.
“We have spent the last few months considering a number of NASCAR options and were in agreement that the truck offers the closest reference point to the Car of Tomorrow,” Villeneuve explained.
“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 programme.
“I'm glad we were able to work that out, and having spent the day with the team for my seat fitting, I am really looking forward to working with Bill and his staff.”
“There's been a lot of speculation about when Jacques would arrive in NASCAR," added JV's long-term manager, Craig Pollock.
"Bill Davis' kind invitation coincided with our decision to start within Craftsman Truck, so the fit was both timely and natural.”
Villeneuve's decision to move to NASCAR means he will follow in the foot-steps of fellow ex-Formula 1 star,
Juan Pablo Montoya, who switched last year, when he signed a deal with Chip Ganassi in the summer.
Montoya competes in the NASCAR Nextel Cup and took his first win in June at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.
