Jacques Villeneuve Sr., the uncle of 1997 Formula One world champion and NASCAR newcomer #27-Jacques Villeneuve, was released from the hospital Tuesday after breaking his pelvis and suffering a spine injury at the 45th World Championship Snowmobile Derby. Villeneuve is a three-time winner at the event in Eagle River, Wis. During a heat Friday in the 440 class championship, Villeneuve was knocked off his snowmobile and hit by another racer. The 54-year-old was airlifted to a hospital in central Wisconsin, about 120 miles away. Track general manager Todd Achterberg said Villeneuve’s Ski-Doo sled appeared to blow its engine before it was hit from behind on a straightaway, leaving Villeneuve vulnerable. Villeneuve, a member of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame, previously raced open-wheeled vehicles in Formula Atlantic, CART, Can-Am and Formula One. He is most well-known for being the first Canadian to win a CART IndyCar race when he captured a title at Elkhart Lake, Wis., in 1985. Villeneuve, who had a wide open and sometimes wild driving style, also raced in the Indianapolis 500 in 1986 after a bad wreck in practice in 1985 forced him to skip the event.(Associated Press)(1-23-2008)
