Can someone please tell me how we let this guy go out of open wheel racing ?

He's incredibly talented and did a great job with a hack team (Cheever). He's personable, likable and marketable and I am saddened by his departure to stock cars more than any other open wheeler, even over Dario and Sam.

I was really hoping he would have landed a ride after escaping Cheever and the Toyota debacle.

Villeneuve is a big mouthed lunkhead whom I could care less about but Patrick Carpentier is a class act and talented driver who deserved better in open wheel.

Here's hoping he comes back home to us sometime in the near future.

It's doubtful though because as expected, Patrick is showing he will be very competetive in stock cars.
(Busch Series Montreal, qualified pole, finish P2)
(40th on grid, finished 20th at Watkins Glen after
leading seven laps midway through)

I can't wait to see how he does on ovals.

He would be the ONLY reason I follow ANYTHING in NASCAR.