Jacques Villeneuve
No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – NAPA Auto Parts 200
August 20, 2011
No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Team News and Notes
. Jacques Villeneuve, driver of the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger, will make his second start of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season Saturday afternoon in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. Race coverage will begin at 2:30 pm ET on ESPN and the event will also be heard on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Channel 90.
. From 2008 to present, Villeneuve has made a total of six NNS starts. He has scored three top-five finishes during that time and has also captured four top-five and two top-10 starting positions while competing in a limited NNS schedule over the last three plus seasons.
. This weekend will mark the second outing together for Villeneuve, the former Formula One champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, and crew chief, Todd Gordon. This is also the second race for Villeneuve with Penske Racing. He previously ran the Discount Tire Dodge Challenger at Road America back in June and earned a third-place finish.
. This will be Villeneuve’s fourth Nationwide Series race at Montreal. He last competed on the challenging road circuit in August of 2010 when he qualified second in the NNS race at the venue and went on to finish third.
. Villeneuve has experienced success at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in the past. He has recorded six top-15 and three top-10 finishes in the Formula One Series at Montreal.
. Villeneuve considers Circuit Gilles Villeneuve his home track and one of his personal favorites. The track is named after his father, Gilles Villeneuve, who died tragically during qualifying for the 1982 Formula One Series Belgian Grand Prix.
. The No. 22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge team is coming off a road course win last weekend in Watkins Glen. Kurt Busch filled in for the injured Brad Keselowski and guided the team to Victory Lane.
. On Thursday, August 18th, Villeneuve will participate in a press conference, with Francois Dumontier (President of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve) along with IndyCar’s Danica Patrick, to discuss his connection with the circuit and what it means for him to race in his hometown.
. Meeting up with old family members can be exciting; Villeneuve will participate in the “Villeneuve Family Reunion” on Saturday, August 20 from 12-12:20 pm ET. The Villeneuve’s will host an autograph session and take a family photo at the event.
. Villeneuve will appear on the popular morning show, Salut Bonjour on Friday, August 19th at 8:10 am ET. He will also be signing autographs from 2:00-2:30 pm ET Friday at the Dodge Display located in the “Center of the Island.”
. Before the start of the race on Saturday, August 20th, Villeneuve will give pace car rides to select members of the media along and will participate in the track’s autograph session, located in Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s Beer Garden, beginning at 10:00 am ET,.
Jacques Villeneuve’s comments on this weekend’s NAPA Auto Parts 200
“I’m looking forward to the NAPA Auto Parts 200 – it’s always an exciting race but in addition, it obviously has special meaning for me because the Circuit (Gilles Villeneuve) holds my father’s name and I’ll be racing in my hometown. After our good showing at Elkhart Lake, I know the No. 22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge will be competitive, and together with the Penske team we’ll definitely be turning up with the goal of winning.”
Crew Chief Todd Gordon’s comments on this weekend’s NAPA Auto Parts 200
“I’ve been looking forward to working with Jacques (Villeneuve) again since Road America earlier this year. He is a dedicated racer and it has been an enjoyable experience getting to work with him. Obviously, racing at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve means a lot to him and a win would bring huge peace to him; since it is questionable whether we will have another race there in the future. The No. 22 Discount Tire team has been working hard on the set up of the car so I feel as though we are fully prepared to bring home a victory for not only Penske Racing, but for Jacques as well.”
