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NASCAR banks on growth as foreign invasion continues
Q. Add Patrick Carpentier to the growing list of former open-wheel drivers who have signed to drive in the NASCAR Cup series next year. What is the racing world coming to?
A. That Carpentier has signed with Gillett Evernham Motorsports to drive the No. 10 Dodge next season comes as no surprise. George Gillett, owner of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and majority owner of the NASCAR team, likes Carpentier and likes what he did in his only NASCAR start this season -- second in the Busch race at Montreal.
Carpentier joins Jacques Villeneuve as the only Canadians in stock-car racing's upper echelon.
There is no doubt in my mind that Villeneuve will successfully make the transition to Cup racing. He is a talented driver and has an Indianapolis 500 win and a Formula One championship to show for it.
Carpentier does not have those lofty credentials, but he was the 1997 CART rookie of the year and he has five victories in the Champ Car series.
Can he make the grade? Absolutely. It will take time and patience. But Carpentier, like Villeneuve, has both.
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Q. Is this it for the exodus of open-wheel drivers to NASCAR?
A. Doubtful. Keep an eye on former Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon, who drives for Chip Ganassi in the IRL. Ganassi also owns the NASCAR Cup series team for which Montoya and Franchitti drive, and Wheldon has expressed to his boss an interest in stock cars.
Danica Patrick has been rumored to be considering a move to NASCAR as early as 2009.
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Q. Add Patrick Carpentier to the growing list of former open-wheel drivers who have signed to drive in the NASCAR Cup series next year. What is the racing world coming to?
A. That Carpentier has signed with Gillett Evernham Motorsports to drive the No. 10 Dodge next season comes as no surprise. George Gillett, owner of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and majority owner of the NASCAR team, likes Carpentier and likes what he did in his only NASCAR start this season -- second in the Busch race at Montreal.
Carpentier joins Jacques Villeneuve as the only Canadians in stock-car racing's upper echelon.
There is no doubt in my mind that Villeneuve will successfully make the transition to Cup racing. He is a talented driver and has an Indianapolis 500 win and a Formula One championship to show for it.
Carpentier does not have those lofty credentials, but he was the 1997 CART rookie of the year and he has five victories in the Champ Car series.
Can he make the grade? Absolutely. It will take time and patience. But Carpentier, like Villeneuve, has both.
>
Q. Is this it for the exodus of open-wheel drivers to NASCAR?
A. Doubtful. Keep an eye on former Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon, who drives for Chip Ganassi in the IRL. Ganassi also owns the NASCAR Cup series team for which Montoya and Franchitti drive, and Wheldon has expressed to his boss an interest in stock cars.
Danica Patrick has been rumored to be considering a move to NASCAR as early as 2009.
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