[media-credit name=”nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″]
[/media-credit]Skimming through the entry list for this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Montreal one may find a few names that jump off the page. What do Ron Fellows, Jacques Villeneuve, Alex Tagliani, and Patrick Carpentier all have in common this weekend? They are all accomplished road course racers that venture into the NASCAR scene on rare occasion. When the Nationwide Series makes its annual stop in Montreal, the four aforementioned drivers come to make an attempt at winning in their home country.
Carpentier has returned from retirement for the NAPA Auto Parts 200 on August 18th, competing again in Michael Waltrip Racing’s #99 NAPA Toyota Camry entered by RAB Racing. The five time CART winner has seen varying success at his home track. In the inaugural running of the race in 2007, Carpentier grabbed the pole and finished 2nd. The following year, Carpentier earned another runner-up finish at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
The next three races in Canada saw the Quebec native encounter misfortunes. In 2009, Carpentier finished 38th due to engine troubles. In 2010 and 2011, the MWR driver came across the start finish line 32nd, both due to mechanical troubles.
Carpentier enters the weekend not only looking to turn his bad luck around, but to obtain an elusive victory in front of his home fans.
Jacques Villeneuve has competed around the circuit named after his late father ten times in Formula 1, none of which the 41 year-old Canadian was able to achieve victory. Though Villeneuve has been exceptional in qualifying for the Montreal race (three top-five starts in four attempts), he has an average finish in Montreal of 12.5 on the circuit that lays along the St. Lawrence river. Driving the #22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger owned by Roger Penske brings high expectations for Jacques.
“I feel, after winning the pole last year at Montreal, that we can have a lot of success. A NASCAR victory is something I want.” Villeneuve says of his potential with Penske Racing.
With the IZOD IndyCar Series being off this weekend, Alex Tagliani is taking the opportunity to race for a third time at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. In only having two NASCAR Nationwide Series starts in Montreal, Tagliani has experienced both good and bad performances. In 2009, the 39 year-old Montreal native finished 26th for MacDonald Motorsports. In last year’s event, Tagliani capitalized on his Penske Racing ride to finish 2nd.
This year “Tag” will be racing Turner Motorsport’s #30 Chevrolet.
“I’m always proud to come back to Montreal and to be able to race on this fantastic road course named after one of my all-time racing heroes, Gilles Villeneuve.” Tagliani says when speaking to nascar.com.
“Montreal has been good to me to date and I’m hoping to better my racing history here. Having a competitive car to challenge for the win is all I can wish for. ”
Back in June, the #30 Turner Motorsports team went to victory lane on the first road course race of the season at Road America. Nelson Piquet Jr. piloted the car to victory that day earning his first ever NASCAR Nationwide Series victory, Tagliani will look to mimic Piquet’s feat this weekend.
After claiming a victory on his home soil in the 2008 rain shortened iteration of the NAPA Auto Parts 200, Ron Fellows has seen a streak of bad luck come his way. The year after his victory Fellows failed to complete the race due to a crash in turns 8 and 9, yielding him a 35th place finish. In 2010, the Ontario Native experienced engine troubles and placed 30th in his home race.
With the highest of highs and lowest of lows making up the 52 year olds past in a Nationwide car at Montreal, Fellows is gunning for a new high in his Nationwide Career. Adding a second victory in his home country would provide the road course specialist with just that.
In the five year history of the NAPA Auto Parts 200, only Ron Fellows has earned the thunderous applause of his home country’s crowd by going to victory lane. Ironically, of the four Canadian stars heading into this weekend’s race, Ron Fellows is the only one born outside of the province of Quebec.
For the diehard Canadian race fans, a keen eye will be on all Canadian’s participating in Montreal this weekend, but only a victory from a Canadian road course star from inside the borders of Quebec will prove to be a moment of true greatness for them.
