JACQUES VILLENEUVE – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
Career Starts: 5
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 2
Top 10s: 3
Poles: 0
Career Highlights:
VILLENEUVE AT ROAD AMERICA
. One of five drivers to lead a lap in last year’s race at the 4.048-mile track
. Highest starting position: Second – 2010
. Highest finishing position: 25th – 2010
. Average starting position: 2.0
. Average finishing position: 25.0
VILLENEUVE ON ROAD COURSE
. All five Nationwide starts have been on a road course: (Montreal (3) and one each at Road America and Watkins Glen
. Best Finish: 3rd – Montreal (2010)
. Has two consecutive top-five finishes at Montreal
. Best Start: 2nd – Montreal (2010), Road America (2010)
. Laps Led: 8
. Led laps in all three starts at Montreal
. Average Start: 4.2
. Average Finish 11:2
VILLENEUVE CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
. 1989 – began racing in Italian Formula Three
. 1993 – moved to Formula Atlantic in the United States
. 1995 – Indy 500 winner
. 1995 – IndyCar Series champion
. 1996 – joined F1’s Williams Renault
. 1997 – won Formula One Driver’s title
. 2007 – first NASCAR Sprint Cup start (two starts)
. 2008 – first Nationwide Series start (one start)
DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES . Dodge won its first Nationwide Series championship last year when Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski claimed the driver’s title.
. Dodge has 34 wins in the Nationwide Series, seven of which came in 2010.
DID YOU KNOW . Jacques Villeneuve will be making his first Nationwide Series start in a Dodge and with Penske Racing when he takes the controls of the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger at the 14-turn, 4.048-mile road course at Road America. It will be his sixth Nationwide Series start, all on road courses. He will also drive the No. 22 Dodge at Montreal.
. Penske Racing and Dodge are fielding two entries in many Nationwide Series races this season. Sam Hornish Jr. has made six starts in the No. 12 Dodge Challenger from the Penske stable. Indy 500 pole winner Alex Tagliani will take over the reins of the No. 12 at Montreal.
STAT OF THE WEEK . The No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger has six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 15 races this season.
THE NUMBERS . Dodge finished fourth (Brad Keselowski) and 35th (Justin Allgaier) in the inaugural Nationwide Series race at Road America last season.
FROM THE CREW CHIEF: “Road America is the longest track on our schedule with long straights and big breaking zones that give one of the best road racers, Jacque Villeneuve, lots of opportunities to get the Discount Tire Dodge out front. We have tested with Jacques a couple of times and had good speeds as a result of the testing. We feel we have a good package to unload with and build from for this circuit. The challenges of having to turn both ways and stop well are something this whole No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge team looks forward to.” Todd Gordon, crew chief, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
DODGE QUOTES: “Road America is one of my favorite tracks and I’m super excited to be returning there this weekend to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. I was fighting for the win in last year’s race so I have some unfinished business at this event, for sure. This will be my first event both in the No. 22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger, and with Penske Racing, so I’m really looking forward to getting in the car and seeing what we can achieve together.” Jacques Villeneuve – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge R/T
