Patrick Carpentier — the former Champ Car World Series star — told the Toronto Sun that the next time his home fans see him in a race car it will be in the NASCAR Busch Series. “I have had discussions with (sponsor) Mechachrome about my future and we agree it is to go stock car racing,” the 1997 Champ Car rookie of the year said. The 34-year-old native of Joliette, Que., said that he also is in negotiations to race in the ARCA series next season as a prelude to moving up to the Craftsman Truck Series and then to Busch. His immediate goal, he said, is to be on the grid when the NASCAR Busch Series comes to Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve next season. “I don’t want it to be just a one-off deal, though,” Carpentier said. “I would like to have a program in place that would take me beyond just running in Montreal.”(Toronto Sun)(6-27-2006)
UPDATE: Two NASCAR teams have contacted Montreal’s Patrick Carpentier about a future in the stock car series. A refugee of the Champ Car and Indy Racing League, Carpentier has had offers to join a NASCAR Busch Series team and a Craftsman Truck series team this season as a prelude to a full season deal in 2007. It is believed Carpentier will race a couple of ARCA events this season to show NASCAR teams his prowess on ovals in the big sedans.(Toronto Sun)(7-4-2006)
UPDATE 2: One week after Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya announced he was abandoning his F1 career for NASCAR; open wheel driver Patrick Carpentier visited New Hampshire hocking his wares for a ride. While nothing is inked yet, Carpentier hinted that before the end of this weekend he may have a deal worked out to run the Busch Series next season. It wouldn’t be much of a jump to think that Carpentier might be headed to one of Toyota’s fledging Red Bull teams; who are planning on having one Busch ride next season. While he is unsure of some of the details, Carpentier hopes that he has something to announce within the next few days as to what his 2007 plans are in NASCAR racing.(Motorsport.com)(7-14-2006)
