Villeneuve turned down for F1 team

CBC has the story that Canadian Jacques Villeneuve won't be getting an F1 team for 2011. Click here for the full story.

PHOTOS: NASCAR Nationwide Series - Montreal (August 29, 2010)

Photos from the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday, August 29, 2010. Boris Said edged Max Papis for the win, by a bumper. Canadian Jacques Villeneuve was third (top Canadian).

Photos by Greg MacPherson / www.InsideTrackNews.com

NASCAR Montreal post race presser

Boris Said, Max Papis and Jacques Villeneuve (1st through 3rd) at Montreal Nationwide.

PHOTOS: NASCAR Nationwide Qualifying in Montreal

Aussie Marcos Ambrose posted the fastest time during qualifying for Sunday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Ambrose edged out Jacques Villeneuve for the pole with a last-lap effort. Joey Logano will start third.

Photos by Greg MacPherson / Inside Track Motorsport News

NASCAR NATIONWIDE POLE PRESSER

Joey Logano (l) will start third in tomorrow's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Marcos Ambrose (middle) will start on the pole, alongside of hometown hero Jacques Villeneuve (r).

Jacques Villeneuve has an F1 deal for 2010?

From SPEED:

"Jacques Villeneuve is close to securing a contract to return to Formula One with the new USF1 team in 2010, Germany's Sport Bild reported Wednesday. The French-Canadian, now 38, last won a Grand Prix in his championship year in 1997 but subsequently drove for BAR, Renault and Sauber/BMW until 2006. Having failed to establish a career in NASCAR, he recently attended some Formula One races this year, buoyed by the reduction in downforce, the return of slick tires and the opportunities afforded by three new teams.Villeneuve did not refer specifically to USF1 but admitted to the magazine: "It is true, I will return..."

Click on the link above for the full story.

h/t j.r.

Bum rap

In today's Toronto Sun, there's a a piece about the Toronto Indy and a mention of Jacques Villeneuve's quick exit from the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race in Montreal.

The piece includes the line, "Driving the No. 7 Tide-sponsored Dave Jacombs Racing Ford, Villeneuve was spun into the wall by six-time national champion Don Thomson Jr. on the first lap of the Tide 250."

Don Thomson started second. Andrew Ranger started fourth (behind Thomson). Jacques Villeneuve was several rows back, in 10th.

By most accounts (I was there, but didn't see the initial contact), Ranger got into Thomson (I'm told Ranger later accepted blame via a radio transmission to his team) halfway through the first turn, leaving Thomson sideways in the outside lane. Most cars got by, but Villeneuve was unable to avoid Thomson and ploughed into him. There is no wall outside of turns 1 & 2 at St-Eustache.

This isn't to pin blame on Ranger (Villeneuve's teamate) as there was a frenzy of action into turn 1, but it's just to note that it would have been a physical impossibility for Thomson to have dropped eight spots in 100 yards before turning Villeneuve into a wall that wasn't there. Dave Stubbs in the Gazette saw it this way, too.

People (the fans and Villeneuve) were very disappointed that he was out of the race after 100 yards on Sunday but it's not right to hang the blame for it on Thomson.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: Jacques Villeneuve test and press conference at Autodrome St-Eustache

These photos are from Thursday's press conference and test session at Autodrome St-Eustache featuring Jacques Villeneuve, who will be racing in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at the Montreal-area oval on Saturday night (weather permitting).

Thank you to Jim Leggett of CanadianRacers.com for sharing his work.

Jacques Villeneuve opens racing school near Montreal

CTV has the full story about JV's new racing academy at Montreal's ICAR (Mirabel) here.

Jacques Villeneuve turns some laps in a NASCAR Canadian Tire Series car at Autodrome St-Eustache

Just weeks prior to the start of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, at Montreal's Autodrome St-Eustache, Jacques Villeneuve jumped behind the wheel of Dave Jacombs' #7 to turn a few laps in a stock car at the flat, 4/10-mile oval.

The outing was nothing serious, according to JV, who drove the car in running shoes while sitting on a pillow!

Those hoping to see Villeneuve in action at the May 23 NCATS opener will have to wait for another opportunity as he's planning to be in Europe on that date. 2007 NCATS champ Andrew Ranger appears with Jacques in some of the shots.

Thanks to JV for the use of the photos!

Jacques Villeneuve's Homestead Recap

Jacques Villeneuve – UNICEF Tundra Post Race Report

Race: Ford 200
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Date: Friday, Nov. 16, 2007
Started: Third
Finished: 36th
Laps Completed: 81
Total Laps: 138

For Jacques Villeneuve, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway was not only the final race of the 2007 season, but it was also his final NCTS start, as he will join the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series ranks in 2008.

Villeneuve and crew chief "Slugger" Labbe made some serious headway during each practice session Friday morning. The No. 27 UNICEF Tundra was near the top of the speed chart in all three practice sessions and finished as the third-fastest truck in the final practice session. Villeneuve and his team were ready for that afternoon's qualifying session.

Villeneuve ran as hard as he could during qualifying. A great lap of 31.368 seconds placed Villeneuve third on the starting grid for that evening's race and gave Villeneuve his best NCTS start.

As the race got underway, Villeneuve immediately experienced problems. He drifted toward the back of the field, but he tried to regain lost track position by lap 40. By lap 61, Villeneuve had worked his way into the lead.

Villeneuve maintained the lead throughout the next few laps before pitting under caution on lap 77. After the four tire stop, Villeneuve restarted fifth on lap 80. It seemed as if he was on his way to his highest finish ever.

However, on lap 81, Villeneuve's Tundra got loose and backed into the wall. The incident relegated him to the garage area for the remainder of the race. He and the No. 27 UNICEF team were credited with a 36th-place finish.

Villeneuve will now set his sights on 2008 and the upcoming NEXTEL Cup Series season.

From Amanda Smith Mathis / Bill Davis Racing