O Canada! Diverse field set for Nationwide race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers pose for a photo on the start-finish line before last year's race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. // Mark Sluder, NASCAR Scene
More than a quarter of the drivers on the entry list for Sunday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve aren’t from the United States.
Twelve of the drivers hail from outside the U.S., including nine from the race’s home country of Canada. With Sprint Cup stars Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch also entered, the race has taken on an international flair.
Phoenix Racing’s Max Papis is from Italy, JTG Daugherty Racing’s Marcos Ambrose is from Australia and Day Enterprises Racing’s Victor Gonzalez Jr. is from Puerto Rico.
But the majority of “foreign” drivers are from Canada:
JR Motorsports’ Ron Fellows, the race’s defending champion, is from Windsor, Ontario. He’s a road-racing ace who drives Corvettes for General Motors all over the world.
CJM Racing’s Andrew Ranger is from Roxton Pond, Quebec, and won last year’s NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race in Montreal. He’s a former Champ Car driver who has turned to stock cars.
R3 Motorsports’ Jean-Francois Dumoulin is from Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. He has raced in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series.
Rick Ware Racing’s Daryl Harr is from St. Albert, Alberta, and has a background driving stock cars north of the border.
Braun Racing’s Jacques Villeneuve is Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and is perhaps the most decorated driver in the field. He’s a former Formula One world champion and Indianapolis 500 winner.
Kevin Harvick Inc.’s J.R. Fitzpatrick is from Cambridge, Ontario. Fitzpatrick’s background is racing stock cars in Canada.
Specialty Racing’s D.J. Kennington is from St. Thomas, Ontario. Kennington is a Canadian stock-car driver who has been trying to make it in the U.S. for the past several years.
MacDonald Motorsports’ Alex Tagliani is from Montreal. Tagliani has turned to the Canadian Tire Series after racing Champ Cars.
Michael Waltrip Racing’s Patrick Carpentier is from Ville Lasalle, Quebec. The former open-wheel driver has finished second the last two Montreal races.
Why so many Canadians?
“It's a big opportunity to showcase their abilities in front of an international audience,” Fellows said. “… It's a tough place to race these cars. I think guys that have some experience on the track, it plays to their favor. It's an unusual road circuit. It's more like a temporary street circuit.
“It's one of the biggest racing events in Canada. I'm sure that's the reason for it, is to be able to showcase what they can do.”
And it’s a chance for them to prove their worth against many of the United States’ best drivers.
“I think it’s great they get the opportunity to race with us once a year,” Richard Childress Racing’s Stephen Leicht said. “They know how to get around this road course and enjoy helping series regulars learn the track better. They do have the home-track advantage on their side, especially with the fans in attendance, but I intend to give them a run for their money and have a solid finish.”
Besides being a big deal to Canadian drivers, it’s also important for race fans in Canada. NASCAR drivers took particular notice of the spectators in Montreal last year, when they sat through rain to watch the race.
“After being there last year and watching all the fans hang out in the rain for two hours to watch the race, you have to know that they are die-hard NASCAR fans,” RAB Racing’s Boris Said said.
And while they’ll support nearly every driver, the Canadian drivers will hear the biggest cheers.
“To race with Jacques Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier in front of my hometown crowd is something very special for me,” Ranger said. “I won at Montreal last year in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and almost won there the year before. Great track and great people. To have an opportunity to race in the Nationwide Series race is a great feeling. We’re going up against the best stock car drivers in the world.”
