Looks like former Indy 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve's venture into the world of Sprint Cup Racing might be over before it really begins. Bill Davis Racing announced today that unless they can find a sponsor in the next 24 hours they would be forced to replace Villeneuve in their No. 27 Toyota next week at California with NASCAR veteran Mike Skinner. They still plan to keep Villeneuve in the fold and if a sponsor becomes available Villeneuve will be returned to the car ASAP. However at this time it's not looking very likely.
This is a big blow for Villeneuve, who at one point thought he had a sponsor lined up for the entire 2008 season. Now however, after missing Sunday's Daytona 500 after crashing out in the second Gatorade Duel, Villeneuve has been relegated to watching and waiting for something to develop.
In other news.....
Tony Stewart captured the pole for Saturday's season opening Nationwide (formally Busch) Series race at Daytona while Erik Darnell is on the pole for the Craftsman Truck Series race tonight. If you aren't planning on watching the Craftsman Truck race, I suggest you rethink that decision. Last year's finish to the truck race at Daytona may have been better then the 2007 finish to the Daytona 500, depending on who you ask of course.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s start to the 2008 season has been perfect, with one minor exception. NASCAR confiscated the trunk lid and spoiler from his No. 5 Nationwide Series entry after discovering the team altered the spoiler to give the car an aerodynamic advantage. Expect a fine for both the team and its crew chief, Chad Walker, who I also expect to be suspended.
Bill Elliott finally appears ready to retire for good. He announced today that after his 2008 schedule he will hang up his helmet. As a long time Bill Elliott fan i'm glad he made this announcement. It's been hard for me to watch him struggling day in and day out after watching him return to victory lane in his last few fulltime years on the circuit.
Speaking of Bill, when he missed the Daytona 500 it was the first time in the history of the Daytona 500 that a Wood Brothers car FAILED to make the race. The last time Daytona was without a Wood Brothers car in the Daytona 500 was 1962 when the team didn't enter the race. Of the previous 49 Daytona 500's, the Wood Brothers entered and succesfully got a car in 47 of them. They also didn't attempt to make the 1960 edition of the race. So on the 50th anniversary of NASCAR's biggest race the Daytona 500 is going to be without one of its most legendary teams. Disapointing doesn't quite cover it.
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