NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 - CIRCUIT GILLES VILLENEUVE
Nationwide Series Race #24 of 34 for the 2011 season
Last Race - Watkins Glen
Next Race - Bristol
Ambrose wins at Montreal: #9-Marcos Ambrose, running his only Nationwide race of the season, won the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It is the 4th Nationwide win of his career and his first at Montreal. #12-Alex Tagliani finished second, followed by #18-Michael McDowell, #66-Steve Wallace, #67-J.R. Fitzpatrick, #33-Scott Speed, #60-Carl Edwards, #31-Justin Allgaier, #38-Jason Leffler, and #2-Elliott Sadler. There were 6 cautions for 17 laps and 10 lead changes among 7 leaders. The estimated attendance was 70,000.(8-20-2011)
Montreal Race Fast Facts:
Marcos Ambrose(i) won the 5th Annual NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 presented by Dodge, his fourth victory in 75 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2011.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in five races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Alex Tagliani (second) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It is his first top-10 finish in 2011.
Michael McDowell(i) (third) posted his first top-10 finish in three races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Timmy Hill (22nd) was the highest finishing rookie.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leads the point standings by 8 points over Elliott Sadler.
(NASCAR Statistics)(8-20-2011)
Driver standings following Montreal:
1) #6-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 834
2) #2-Elliott Sadler 826 -8
3) #32-Reed Sorenson 825 -9
4) #31-Justin Allgaier 772 -62
5) #88-Aric Almirola 770 -64
6) #38-Jason Leffler 739 -95
7) #09-Kenny Wallace 714 -120
8) #66-Steve Wallace 676 -158
9) #11-Brian Scott 658 -176
10) #62-Michael Annett 649 -185
Complete standings are posted on the driver standings page.(8-20-2011)
Owner Standings following Montreal are posted. The top 30 in owners points who have attempted all races are locked in at Bristol. There were no changes, and won't likely be any the remainder of the year unless a locked in team skips a race.(8-20-2011)
Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Montreal and their finish
Caution 1: #39-Martinez, 19th
Caution 2: #87-Nemecheck, 21st
Caution 3: #67-J.R. Fitzpatrick, 5th
Caution 4: #39-Martinez (2), 19th
Caution 5: #75-Drissi, 34th
Caution 6: #15-Hill (2), 22nd
(NASCAR PR)(8-20-2011)
Villeneuve on pole at Montreal: #22-Jacques Villeneuve won the Coors Light Pole for the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with a speed of 95.835mph. #12-Alex Tagliani will start second. The rest of the top 10: #38-Jason Leffler, #33-Scott Speed, #18-Michael McDowell, #77-Robby Gordon, #66-Steve Wallace, #99-Patrick Carpentier, #9-Owen Kelly, and #31-Justin Allgaier. Did Not Qualify: #03-Jean Francois Dumoulin; #21-Tim George Jr.; #41-Tomy Drissi(i); #55-Brett Rowe; #42-Chase Miller. The starting lineup is posted on the Montreal starting lineup page.(8-19-2011)
Qualifying Fast Facts:
Jacques Villeneuve won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 5th Annual NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 presented by Dodge with a lap of 101.800 seconds, 95.800 mph.
This is his first pole in seven NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his first pole and second top-10 start in 2011.
This is his first pole in four races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Alex Tagliani (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2011 and his first in two races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Jason Leffler (third) posted his second top-10 start at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It is his ninth in 24 races this season.
Timmy Hill (32nd) was the fastest qualifying rookie.(NASCAR)(8-19-2011)
Villeneuve fastest in happy hour: #22-Jacques Villeneuve was quickest during happy hour for the NAPA Auto Parts 200 with a speed of 95.439mph. He was followed by: #77-Robby Gordon, #9-Owen Kelly, #38-Jason Leffler, #33-Scott Speed, #12-Alex Tagliani, #60-Billy Johnson, #30-Boris Said, #31-Justin Allgaier, and #5-Ron Fellows. Complete results are posted on the Montreal practice results page.(8-19-2011)
Fellows fastest in first practice: #5-Ron Fellows was fastest during opening practice at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with a speed of 95.526mph. #9-Own Kelly (subbing for Marcos Ambrose) was second, followed by: #12-Alex Tagliani, #30-Borsi Said, #22-Jacques Villeneuve, #33-Scott Speed,#99-Patrick Carpentier, #66-Steve Wallace, #60-Billy Johnson (filling in for Carl Edwards, and #77-Robby Gordon. Complete results are posted on the Montreal practice results page.(8-19-2011)
Entry List:There are 49 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Some note:
Jean Francois Dumoulin will be in the R3 Motorsports #03;
The Go Green Racing #04 is entered with driver TBA;
Marcos Ambrose will be in the RPM #9;
Alex Tagliani will drive the Penske #12 and Jacques Villeneueve will be in the #22;
Michael McDowell will be in the JGR #18; the #20 team is not entered;
Boris Said will drive the Turner #30;
Scott Speed will drive the KHI #33;
The Jimmy Means #52 is TBA;
Blake Koch will be in the ML Racing #70 while Maryeve Default is in the MacDonald Motorsports #81;
Robby Gordon will drive his #77;
Kyle Kelley returns to the NEMCO #97;
Patrick Carpentier will drive the Pastrana-Waltrip #99.(8-15-2011)
UPDATE: Jennifer Jo Cobb's #13 team has been added. Dan Brode is currently listed as the driver.(8-15-2011)
UPDATE 2: The #49 team and Mark Green have withdrawn. Louis-Philippe Dumoulin will be in the #52. Joe Nemechek will drive the #87 (Kevin Conway was originally entered and will still practice and qualify the car).(8-17-2011)
UPDATE 3: DJ Kennington will drive the #13 for Jennifer Jo Cobb.(8-18-2011)
UPDATE 4: The Go Green #04 team has withdrawn. There are 48 cars at the track.(8-19-2011)
See the complete list on the Montreal entry list page.
Nationwide Series Goes North of the Border to Montreal: The NASCAR Nationwide Series races on the famed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal on Saturday, Aug. 20, and ESPN will have live coverage. NASCAR Countdown presented by OneMain Financial airs at 2 p.m. ET and the race's green flag flies at 2:48 p.m. Marty Reid will anchor with analysis by Rusty Wallace and Ricky Craven. Pit reporters will be Rick DeBruhl, Jim Noble and Shannon Spake.(ESPN)(8-15-2011)
Times listed are local to the track (Eastern Time).
Wednesday, August 17th
6:00 PM NNS HAULERS ENTER(PARKING ONLY)
Thursday, August 18th
12:30 PM NNS REGISTRATION OPENS
1:00 PM NNS GARAGE OPENS
6:00 PM NNS GARAGE & REGISTRATION CLOSES
Friday, August 19th
7:00 AM NNS GARAGE & REGISTRATION OPENS
7:30 AM NNS ROOKIE & SPOTTER MEETINGS & RANDOM DRAWING
8:30 AM-10:00 AM NNS PRACTICENS
10:30 AM-12:00 PM NNS FINAL PRACTICE
5:05 PM NNS QUALIFYING (NASCAR, ROAD RACE QUALIFYING)
7:00 PM NNS GARAGE & REGISTRATION CLOSES
Saturday, August 20th
7:00 AM TRACK SERVICES MEETING
9:00 AM NNS GARAGE & REGISTRATION OPENS
12:30 PM NNS DRIVER/CREW CHIEF MEETING (GARAGE AREA)
2:00 PM NNS DRIVERS INTRODUCTION
2:30 PM NNS RACE (74 LAPS, 200.46 MILES)
3:00 PM NNS REGISTRATION CLOSES
Expect The Unexpected Across The Border At Montreal
In the four previous races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the 2.710-mile, 14-turn course set on the man-made Isle de Notre Dame just outside Montreal, bizarre and exciting finishes have become the norm.
Last year, Boris Said edged Max Papis in a photo finish for his first series victory. The .012 margin of victory is the sixth-closest in series history and was the third among four races there to have an MOV of under a half second. Said – who created some drama with his post-race scuffle with Greg Biffle at Watkins Glen – returns to Montreal in the No. 30 Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports to defend his win.
Carl Edwards’ win in 2009 came after a race started in dry conditions, then a switch to rain equipment before a finish on a dry track that featured Edwards clearing Marcos Ambrose on the final turn of the last lap. Edwards returns, as does Ambrose, who leads all drivers with two poles and 149 laps led at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Ambrose, driving the No. 9 for Richard Petty Motorsports, has vowed to compete at Montreal until he wins this race.
Canadian Ron Fellows won on his home soil in the rain-shortened event in 2008. History was made when teams bolted on rain tires, donned a windshield wiper or Rain-X and a brake light strip – the first NASCAR national series points race run in the rain – but deep puddles due to the driving rain forced the finish to end under caution.
Two-time series champion Kevin Harvick won the inaugural event in 2007, but Robby Gordon thought otherwise. Gordon had bumped, then passed Ambrose under caution late in the event and failed to blend back in, bringing out a black flag from NASCAR. Gordon kept pushing through the end of the race and joined Harvick – and Quebec’s Patrick Carpentier – in a donut-fest on the frontstretch. Harvick and Gordon celebrating, thinking each had won the race and Carpentier elated over what he assumed was a second-place finish from the pole. Harvick was declared the winner, Carpentier – who will retire from racing after Saturday’s event – was indeed second and Gordon, still steaming over the result to this day, was relegated to 18th. Gordon will be back this year, too.
Competition Stout With Star-Studded Field In Montreal
Big names will be making the trek north this weekend to Montreal, Canada for one of the most unique events of the season.
Danica Patrick returns to the series this weekend, making her stock-car debut on a road course. This will be her first series race since July at Daytona, where she finished 10th. Another former open-wheel racer, Scott Speed, will make his first series start since 2009, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc.
Double-duty drivers include Marcos Ambrose, Monday’s winner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen, 2007 series champion Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon and 2011 Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leads the series regulars in the driver standings having posted three Coors Light poles, two wins, 10 top fives and 17 top 10s this season. He’s the lone driver among the top three in the standings – second-place Reed Sorenson (-10) and third-place Elliott Sadler (-24) – who has run at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, finishing 24th last year.
Canadian Drivers Hold Large Presence This Weekend
As the NASCAR Nationwide Series pulls into Montreal this week it will set the stage for nine Canadian drivers to prove their muster amongst the best the series has to offer. Stepping up to the challenge this weekend is Jean Francois Dumoulin, Louis-Phillipe Dumoulin, Ron Fellows, Alex Tagliani, Andrew Ranger, J.R. Fitzpatrick, Maryeve Dufault, Patrick Carpentier and last but not least Jacques Villeneuve. The track bears the name of his late father.
Two of Villeneuve’s three career top-five finishes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series have come at this track. He is stepping into a ride with a lot of momentum this season, the No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge team, which is coming off a victory at Watkins Glen last weekend.
Under the guidance of crew chief Todd Gordon, the former F1 champion Villeneuve will be the fourth different motorsports champion to drive the No. 22 this season, joining 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski, IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kurt Busch.
NASCAR Nationwide Series Etc.
There are 49 entries for Montreal, the most in the five-year history of the event. This also is the first time the series’ new car will race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. … Subs for double-duty drivers, who won’t arrive from Michigan until Saturday, include Michel Jourdain Jr. for Trevor Bayne; Billy Johnson, a Roush-Fenway Racing Grand-Am driver, for Carl Edwards and Owen Kelly, a fellow Tasmanian for Marcos Ambrose. … Owner Steve Meehan has turned his No. 67 Go Canada Racing Ford into an opportunity to drive awareness and raise funds for charitable causes. At Montreal, the hometown No. 67 Go Canada Racing Ford will carry logos for two charities in support of the SickKids Foundation. Meehan is one of two series owners from Canada, joining former driver-turned-owner Randy MacDonald, who has a Canadian driver, Maryeve Dufault, in his No. 81 Dodge this weekend. Dufault will make her series debut. The regular driver of the No. 81, Blake Koch, will be in the No. 70 ML Motorsports Chevrolet. Koch trails Timmy Hill by three points in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.
Tire: Goodyear Eagle Road Course Radials
Number of Tires: 1,050
Set limits: 6 sets for the weekend
Tire Code: D-4438 (same tire code on all four tire positions)
Tire Circumference: 88.5 in.
Technical Inspection Inflation:
Left Front -- 23 psi; Right Front -- 23 psi;
Left Rear -- 20 psi; Right Rear -- 20 psi
Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 22 psi; Right Front -- 20 psi;
Left Rear – 17 psi; Right Rear -- 17 psi
Notes: Like on other NASCAR road courses, Nationwide teams will run the same Goodyear tire code (D-4438) on all four tire positions at Montreal this weekend . . . this is the first time teams in this series have run this tire code . . . Sprint Cup teams and drivers did run this code at Infineon Raceway earlier this season . . . compared to what was run at Montreal last season, this tire features both a softer compound and a slight construction change to give the cars more grip . . . as on all NASCAR road courses, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Montreal.
Wet Weather Tires: Goodyear will also bring 700 wet weather radials (D-4215) to Montreal for use by Nationwide Series teams, should NASCAR decide that conditions warrant.
