[Unknown]

from Jayski:
Jacques Villeneuve will make his Nextel Cup race debut next weekend, five weeks earlier than originally planned, in the ‘UAW-Ford 500’, at the famous Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Villeneuve, who sat in a ‘Cup’ car for the first time just 24 days ago, was initially scheduled to race the ARCA and Craftsman Truck races at Talladega – steps one and two on the NASCAR ladder – whilst watching the main ‘Cup’ event on Sunday, along with over 143,000 trackside spectators. Villeneuve’s fast-track to ‘Cup’, the top step of the NASCAR ladder, has been made possible only with the approval of NASCAR. His recent performance in his debut ‘Car of Tomorrow’ test, also at Talladega, where he ran more laps than any other driver, and successfully ‘bump-drafted’ his way through the pack, without making enemies of the more experienced drivers, is seen to have eased that same process of approval. Having made his NASCAR race debut in the Craftsman Truck event at Las Vegas just last weekend, Villeneuve now faces a new challenge, where he will again be focused initially on qualifying his #27 car (43 cars will start the race, of which 36 are guaranteed a place based on pre-earned team points – Villeneuve does not have the benefit of such team points, either earned or inherited). In addition to Sunday’s 500-miler, Villeneuve will contest Saturday afternoon’s Craftsman Truck event, the 94-lap ‘Mountain Dew 250’, which is exactly half the length of Sunday’s flagship ‘Cup’ race. Earlier this week, the 36-year-old Canadian tested an ARCA car at Talladega.

 

[Unknown]

Drivers Don't Like Villeneuve Debuting at Talladega: #24-Jeff Gordon thinks it's a big mistake for former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve to attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next week at Talladega Superspeedway. "I love Jacques, but that's not the right decision to make," Gordon said Friday. "I didn't think it was the right decision last year for David Gilliland, either. Nothing against their talent or anything else, but that race in the Chase? Why? If you want to run a race, go to Atlanta or another 1.5-mile oval." Gordon said he was surprised NASCAR gave it approval for Villeneuve to debut on the giant 2.6-mile oval. The Oct. 7 event is the first restrictor-plate race in the Car of Tomorrow.(ESPN.com)
AND: #5-Kyle Busch was shocked to learn that former Formula 1 and CART champion Jacques Villeneuve will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next weekend at Talladega. "He's doing what? Holy cow, that's not good," Busch said when asked for his reaction to Villeneuve racing at Talladega. "You've got to start somewhere but the Cup Series at Talladega definitely isn't the place to start."(SPEEDtv.com)(9-29-2007)

 

[PAUL BARTLE]

everybody's favourite JPM made his superspeedway debut there in the arca race and he is doing the trucks too that weekend
but been entered and making the cup race is two different things all together just ask sam hornish

 

[Martin5]

I'm going for the Truck and Cup race his weekend. Hopefully the weather holds up.

 

[fishin4cars]

Drivers Don't Like Villeneuve Debuting at Talladega: #24-Jeff Gordon thinks it's a big mistake for former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve to attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next week at Talladega Superspeedway. "I love Jacques, but that's not the right decision to make," Gordon said Friday. "I didn't think it was the right decision last year for David Gilliland, either. Nothing against their talent or anything else, but that race in the Chase? Why? If you want to run a race, go to Atlanta or another 1.5-mile oval." Gordon said he was surprised NASCAR gave it approval for Villeneuve to debut on the giant 2.6-mile oval. The Oct. 7 event is the first restrictor-plate race in the Car of Tomorrow.(ESPN.com)
AND: #5-Kyle Busch was shocked to learn that former Formula 1 and CART champion Jacques Villeneuve will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next weekend at Talladega. "He's doing what? Holy cow, that's not good," Busch said when asked for his reaction to Villeneuve racing at Talladega. "You've got to start somewhere but the Cup Series at Talladega definitely isn't the place to start."(SPEEDtv.com)(9-29-2007)

I have to agree 100% on that. Just asking for a big one! First COT restrictor plate race, with a brand new rookie on the track, add to it it's the middle of the chase, and to top it off after last weeks Chase shuffle and you can bet he's not going to be welcomed at that track by most of the competitors exspecially the chase contenders!!

 

[20Buckeye]

He has to make the race first...Hopefully he won't cause too much trouble in practice and tear up too may racecars.

 

[PAUL BARTLE]

we have seen well established drivers cause wrecks at talladaga and will do again who can forgot last year with vickers johnson and dale jr yes only a small one but cost the #8 and #48 a chance of the win

but Jacques has a worthwhile sponsor i still say good luck to both him and hornish both open wheel champs trying to get into there first race

 

[fishin4cars]

we have seen well established drivers cause wrecks at talladaga and will do again who can forgot last year with vickers johnson and dale jr yes only a small one but cost the #8 and #48 a chance of the win

but Jacques has a worthwhile sponsor i still say good luck to both him and hornish both open wheel champs trying to get into there first race

The main difference between those two drivers is, At least Hornish has had some seat time with a lot of top NASCAR drivers. He's run in the IROC series and was competitive. Villeneuve has only been in 1 truck race. Never driven with the NASCAR guys at all, and as far as I know he's never been in a car that has drafting similarites. I think Hornish wouldn't be of nearly the concern as is with Villeneuve for this weekend. If it would be a debut on a track where the field isn't so concerned with drafting, say a 1 1/2 mile cookie cutter or short track, then I think he would probably not have a problem on the track. But here at Dega, He's going to have a hard time finding a drafting partner, and most of the field is going to be watching any new drivers due to the fact it's a COT race and the drafting factors. You can bet that the first few laps this weekend won't be taken aggresively. If so we can all look forward to a field of cars that will be greatly reduced by the end of the race.

 

[PAUL BARTLE]

if the #27 makes the field it will be because hes fast enough to keep up will he have drafting partners yes there's #22 and the #36 his team mates and to some extent the other Toyota driver's if you look at past races you ether go to the front after the green and maybe cause the big one or ride at the back like we often see the likes of dale Jarrett do to avoid it true hornish has driven with nascar drivers in the past in iroc where Jacques went on to race F1 instead but so did Montoya true had a few races in Busch and ARCA last year before daytona one of those was arca at Talladega
think he did well that day too but that was his choice
but at the end of day its just a race where the cots never been so everybody including the #06 and #27 will be learning there way around the track good luck to the lot