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MONTREAL - Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve said he plans to redouble his efforts to race regularly on the NASCAR circuit, despite being dropped by Bill Davis Racing.
"You have to go for the long term and not say: In any case I'll stop in two years," the 36-year-old told reporters during a news conference at his Montreal restaurant, Newtown.
The Canadian was flanked by Australian Barry Green, who helped guide him to win the CART Championship and the Indianapolis 500 in 1995.
Villeneuve, who was born in the mainly French-speaking province of Quebec, is looking for a title sponsor to bankroll him to a full-time stock car ride for the Sprint Cup or Nationwide series.
Looking relaxed and smiling, Villeneuve said he was motivated because he found the Sprint Cup series to be exciting, competitive and an enormous challenge.
"The thing that is really fun in NASCAR is that we can have a bad qualifying and start last, but still fight for the victory," he said.
Villeneuve hopes to race in Montreal in early August at the NASCAR NAPA Auto Parts 200 race on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, named after his late father who was a Formula One driver for Ferrari.
Green will work with Villeneuve on finding a title sponsor, along with help from Torchia Communications. Green said he thought Villeneuve could win a Sprint Cup race and there were backers in Canada who wanted to help the driver reach that goal.
Villeneuve crashed his No. 27 Toyota Camry at Daytona International Speedway last Thursday during qualifying for the Daytona 500. Bill Davis Racing dropped Villeneuve after he failed to qualify.
The driver is also scheduled to race for Peugeot in the Le Mans 24 Hours race in June.
- REUTERS
