Openwheel drivers to NASCAR

Stan, reading your rationale, It works for me for now. That said, as Jones points out, once they are signed, you will have to allow for individual threads.

BTW, I watched "Inside Nextel Cup" and they were promoting their new SPEED reality show about NASCAR and they had the footage of JV in the shop and in the cockpit being fitted. So he is serious and he is looking for a fit in NASCAR.

I like many JV fans hopes he will do well, but with JV, you often get a lot of noise to go with the results. Love him or hate him, he will speak his mind, both in the media and behind the wheel. Unlike most of the F1 guys, he is like Montoya, not afraid to mix it up and not afraid of ovals. It will help his learning curve, but man it is going to be steep, and I am not convinced Bill Davis has the pieces there to put the best car under him. JPM is at least with Ganassi, who has the bucks, the resources and the proven engine program from Dodge. BDR is no different than most of the Toyota teams.....struggling...

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Originally Posted by RaceFanStan

The split damaged both series & yet they both still STRUGGLE to survive.
The openwheel racing just doesn't speak to me the way it used to ......

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And thats really why several North American open wheeler drivers want to make the switch to NASCAR. F1 is probably out of the equation for them and theres more of a career in NASCAR than CCWS or IRL. Whether they will have the same passion for NASCAR than as for OW racing is up to the individual, but there is definitely more of a queue of people wanting to get into NASCAR, generally meaning tougher racing and more $$$.

Scott Dixon, Dario Franchetti the next lot? Remember Tony Stewart came from the IRL, with less of a winning streak to Scott. It was rumoured he would be trying a Busch car.

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Originally Posted by RaceFanStan

I'm doing the best I can.
I just took over a short while back.
BTW, I very recently just learned how to merge the threads/posts.

Number One is that this is the NASCAR forum.
While the openwheel drivers looking at NASCAR is news ...
the number of threads to be used for openwheel drivers has to be limited.
If that offends someone I guess you have the right to complain to someone up the ladder.

I will also be merging NASCAR driver threads when they occur.

Just so it is known, I used to love openwheel racing before the split.
I still have favorites in the openwheel series'.
My openwheel favorites are :
In ChampCar, Paul Tracy is a long-time favorite of mine.
I'm also liking a young driver named Will Power.
I got somewhat familar with Oriol Servia when he subbed for an injured Paul Tracy. (good driver !)
Many of my ChampCar favorites are gone/retired/went to IRL/now team owners :
Jimmy Vasser, Mario & Michael Andretti, Al Unser Sr, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Alex Zanardi, Rick Mears, Emerson Fittipaldi, AJ Foyt, & Scott Goodyear.

In IndyCar my favorites are : Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Sam Hornish Jr, Helio Castroneves, Scott Sharp, Buddy Rice, Buddy Lazier & Al Unser Jr.

So, people shouldn't say that I hate openwheel racing because I don't hate it.
In fact I find several of the Champ/Indy drivers quite capable & sometimes entertaining.
The split damaged both series & yet they both still STRUGGLE to survive.
The openwheel racing just doesn't speak to me the way it used to ......

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Sounds fare. :D

In Today's Toronto Sun, Dean McNulty's motorsports column has a good Dale Earnhardt story, but also, a great comment from Allan McNish, a former f1 driver with Toyota on JV's jump to NASCAR:

The last word on Villeneuve's move to NASCAR, however, will go to his old F-1 buddy Allan McNish, who upon hearing of his truck test told Sun Media: "He should do just fine. After all he drove one for five years when he was with Honda."


Cue the rimshot!!!



Oh ya...the link...with a wishful thinking rumour to get the Craftsman Trucks to Mosport:

http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/Oth...51771-sun.html

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Originally Posted by dwboogityfan

This is more great news for NASCAR in my opinion. Villeneuve will add further international credibility to the series and gain more press coverage. He was always interesting in F1 - and his no-nonsense style will likely make him someone NASCAR fans love to hate (kind of like JPM). My only worry is that #36 has been poor this season and of NASCAR continues the top 35 rule into 2008 he will struggle to make races.

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Somehow I get the feeling that having a NEXTEL Cup driver move to F1 would add more credibility.

And Stan, if you want this to be the only thread involving OW drivers, you could at least stickey it.

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/craftsman/nascar/39810/

JV has completed two days of testing and was immediately up to speed. His best lap was two-tenths off Mike Skinner in Toyota Tundra.

Can't wait to see him in Cup cars. He'll give the likes of Tony Stewart a good taste of their own medicine on and off the track! :D

I must admit, I eagerly await the day JV gets on the wrong side of Tony :laugh:

JV Rawks in Chicagoland


“Jacques did very well,” said BDR Truck Team Manager Mark Chambers. “He gives incredible feedback and adapted to the truck extremely well. Overall, I would have to say that he was very impressive on and off the track. He will be a great asset to BDR.”

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Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa

Oh ya...the link...with a wishful thinking rumour to get the Craftsman Trucks to Mosport:

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Yes please!!!

It'll be interesting seeing JVs nascar career unfold.