Villeneuve: Montreal win is possible

Jacques Villeneuve hopes to finally claim his maiden NASCAR victory this weekend, when he competes for the third time in Montreal in the Nationwide Series.

The Quebecois has led laps in all his previous outings at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where he claimed a fourth place finish last year, his best result to date in NASCAR.

Having competed in two Nationwide series races this season already at Elkhart Lake and Watkins Glen, Villeneuve arrives better prepared than ever and expects that to place him closer to his aim of winning for the first time in NASCAR.

"We are coming in aggressively," said Villeneuve. "It's the third year I raced with the Braun team, and with the [sponsor] Dollar [General] car, it's been five races. So we are starting to work well together and we have really worked hard on the road course programme car-wise, and we also are bringing different brakes for Montreal.

"It's a very demanding track, and I'm a late braker. I'm a heavy braker and which is where I make most of my time at Elkhart Lake, and even at the Glen, actually.

"So we are pulling out all the stops for Montreal so we can compete. The first year when it was the heavy rain, we led the lap and then I crashed under a caution. That was a little bit annoying. And we were quite competitive last year. So I think we are coming this year to try and win it."

Last month Villeneuve said at Indianapolis, where he competed in the Sprint Cup Series' Brickyard 400, that he still sees a future for him in NASCAR. Although his few outings in oval races have not yielded much success, he still believes that he can consolidate his career if given the right opportunity.

Although a number of drivers have struggled in making the transition from open-wheel to stock cars in the last few years, he reckons Juan Pablo Montoya has proved that the switch can be successfully achieved.

The Colombian, who left Formula 1 to race full-time in NASCAR since 2007, was part of the championship play-off in the Sprint Cup series last year, and this season has been a regular frontrunner on all kinds of tracks.

"There's always been this perception that oval racers can't drive a road course and a road course driver can't race on ovals," said Villeneuve. "Now if you look at Montoya, he's doing amazingly well on ovals, and he has won the Indy 500, as well, and typical NASCAR drivers that don't come from a road racing background learn very quickly what they need to do on a road course and actually do them very well.

"If you're talented and if you've got the brains to go with it to actually learn your craft, then you'll be good at any form of driving."

To date only Mario Andretti has been able to win the F1 world championship, the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's premier event, the Daytona 500. Although Villeneuve is not aiming as high in NASCAR yet, he hopes to join Andretti in winning a race in one of NASCAR's national series.

He also came close to add a 24 Hours of Le Mans victory to his tally of major wins, finishing second with Peugeot in 2008.

"I've won at two of the three major events I've been in, which was the Indy 500 and the F1 championship," said Villeneuve. "Sadly at the Le Mans 24 Hours, we finished second, when we led most of the race and that was a little bit frustrating. So the other thing that would be amazing is to win NASCAR, that would be incredible."

Following Sunday's race Villeneuve plans to compete in the Australian Supercar V8 event in Surfers Paradise in October, although a further oval race in NASCAR could be in the cards before that if he is able to win next weekend in Montreal.

Villeneuve eighth at Watkins GlenVillarreal swoop for Marchena

Vickers confident of 2011 return

Brian Vickers believes he will be ready to return to racing in 2011 after undergoing successful heart surgery, and expects to finish his blood clot treatment in early January.

The Red Bull driver spoke to reporters on Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway to give an update on his medical condition and was optimistic about his return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season. The 26-year-old said doctors have already given him full clearance to compete again in '11, although he is still on blood thinners and will remain using the medication until next year.

Vickers was diagnosed with blood clots in May and his treatment forced him to stop racing immediately. He revealed that since then he underwent surgery last month as another blood clot was found on a finger in his left hand. The clot went through his heart and Vickers said he was lucky that it did not go to his brain, although he would need to undergo heart surgery, which took place on July 12, in any case.

Additionally he said he was diagnosed with the May-Thurner syndrome, a rare condition that leads to the formation of blood clots due to compression of the vessels in the leg. He also revealed that he had a stent inserted on a vein on his left leg a day after his heart surgery. He said that both procedures were successful, although the decision to go through them was not a straightforward one.

"[The doctors] gave me full clearance for next year," Vickers said. "I will be back next season, racing in January. I'm really excited about that. They feel that I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in my life. I've got two issues that I never knew about, fixed.

"Both surgeries went extremely well and it's been a bit of fresh air for me to know what caused this, or part of what caused this. It wasn't one thing. But to get this behind me, it was a big question mark that was still out there."

Despite initially trying to keep close to his outfit and attending races, Vickers recently has distanced himself from the track. He has taken time to attend events where Red Bull is involved such as the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Red Bull Air Race in New York.

Vickers said he has been training hard physically following his heart surgery, including doing some cycling at altitude and swimming. He claims he is currently in great shape and expects to see the benefits of his hard work when he returns to racing next year.

"I was in Aspen, biking with some friends, doing 40, 50, 60-mile rides through the mountains at 10,000 feet," said Vickers. "I feel good. I'm probably going to be in the best shape of my life when I get back to racing. I'm training every day and love it."

"What I love to do is race. It's not only my job, but it's my passion. I definitely have been missing that need for speed, the competition. But at the same time, it's nice to take a break. I just miss being in the car. I miss doing 200mph, banging fenders with the guys I love and hate. I've missed it all."

Two weeks ago Red Bull Racing Team announced Kasey Kahne will be driving one of its cars in 2011, but the full driver line-up of the squad has yet to be revealed as Vickers and Scott Speed are both candidates to drive alongside Kahne next year.

Henrique returns to RacingKahne to drive for Red Bull in 2011

Johnson: Harvick favourite for Chase

Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson believes points leader Kevin Harvick is the favourite heading into this year's championship play-off.

Harvick currently holds a 293-point lead in the drivers' standings, only three races before the Chase kicks off, following his third win of the season last weekend at Michigan, which was his first victory in a non-restrictor plate event since 2006.

The Richard Childress Racing driver has also claimed victories at Talladega and Daytona earlier this year, but despite those wins he will probably start the Chase behind Johnson and Denny Hamlin, given that both of his rivals have claimed five victories and thus 50 bonus points, relative to the 30 that Harvick currently holds, with another 30 up for grabs in the next three races before points totals get reset.

Even under the current situation heading into the play-off, Johnson believes his rival has shown enough speed and consistency through the regular season that he should be tagged as the favourite to take over the series' crown this year.

"I do think that those guys should be considered the favourites," said Johnson. "If you look at their success on all types of track, the #29 is doing a great job collecting a lot of points everywhere we go. I know for a lot of people the win at Michigan solidified things for them, but to us in the garage area and watching the points total it's all about collecting points, you don't have to win a race in the Chase to be the champion.

"They're on fire right now; they're doing a great job. In racing with Kevin over the years and being around him, I've always known that this is the most important thing to him. I think a lot of us were shocked to see the last few years, the way things have been for them.

"You don't win a Busch/Nationwide championship by accident; you don't win the big races that he's won by accident. He has the talent, the team does and they have it all on the line right now and they're doing a great job. We're definitely working hard to catch those guys."

Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports team-mate Jeff Gordon also believes Harvick to be the man to beat entering this year's Chase. He says his victory last week at Michigan really shows what Harvick and his team are capable of on the fast intermediate tracks that prevail during the final ten weeks of the season.

"As far as who has momentum and seems to be the strongest in my opinion right now, I would definitely say the #29 [Kevin Harvick]," said Gordon. "I think especially that win last week - restrictor plate wins are one thing but to go and win at Michigan when those big fast tracks like that are tracks that you're going to have to be competitive at in the Chase, plus the bonus points they have and the fact that they've been consistent.

"I think that Childress has really stepped it up, especially with Kevin and that #29 team. I think that last weekend they kind of solidified themselves as the favourite in my opinion."

Despite the comments from both four-time champions, Harvick still considers Johnson as the man to beat and refuses to get carried away with the expectations placed upon him. He believes the current situation for the reigning champion resembles that of previous seasons where he has gone on to up the ante in the final 10 races to claim four consecutive titles.

"I still think the #48 [Johnson] team is the team to beat," said Harvick. "No matter how good somebody runs, I still think that those guys are the ones to beat just for the fact that they have won it the last four years being in a somewhat similar situation. I'd like to just leave it all over there and let us keep doing what we are doing.

"Obviously, we've run well and we feel like we can contend for a championship. But contending and winning are two different things and I think we've shown we can win races and have shown that we can run good. But, I still think until somebody completes the deal and knocks them off, they have to be the ones you have to beat just because they have done it four times."

Only once during the last four years has Johnson won more races than this season before the Chase, although he still has three races to match the six victories he claimed during the first 26 races in 2007. In 2006 Harvick won twice before the Chase and then took three wins in the final 10 races, but an engine failure at Dover hampered his chances of seriously contending for the title in the season finale.

Bud to sponsor Harvick from 2011Iniesta - Cesc will stay

Ambrose joins RPM for 2011

Marcos Ambrose will join Richard Petty Motorsports from 2011, the Sprint Cup series outfit announced on Tuesday.

Following his decision to leave JTG Daugherty at the end of the season and despite speculation that he may return to his native Australia to rejoin the V8 Supercar series, Ambrose is to stay in NASCAR and further pursue his goal of winning at NASCAR's top level on American soil.

The Tasmanian has signed a multi-year deal to drive the #9 Ford Fusion with sponsorship from Stanley Black and Decker, following the departure of Budweiser as the main sponsor of the car in order to join the Richard Childress Racing's #29 Chevy of Kevin Harvick from 2011.

"I'm very excited to join Richard Petty Motorsports," said Ambrose. "It's an incredible honor to be able to race for a legend like The King and be a part of this organization. I'm also happy to be back with Ford Racing.

"The #9 team has been a very successful team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. With the support of Ford and everyone at RPM, I believe we can continue that tradition of success."

Ambrose is currently in his second full season in the Sprint Cup series but his results have proved below par relative to 2009, when he scored four top-five finishes and seven top-ten results, which placed him 18th in the final drivers' standing.

This year he targeted a place in the Chase but he currently ranks 26th in the points with just one top-five to his name, achieved two weeks ago at Watkins Glen, where he was beaten to victory by Juan Pablo Montoya following a race-long battle.

"We are very happy to have Marcos Ambrose join our team" said Richard Petty. "He's a very talented and passionate driver and will be a great addition to our team."

Ambrose came close to a maiden Cup win at Sonoma also, but stalled his car while trying to save fuel in the closing stages of the race being the leader.

However, he has won three times in the NASCAR Nationwide series with consecutive victories at Watkins Glen in the last three years.

Spartak pounce for ParejaAllmendinger set to stay at RPM

Bud to sponsor Harvick from 2011

Budweiser will sponsor Kevin Harvick's #29 Chevrolet from 2011, the Sprint Cup series squad announced Tuesday.

Following his third win of the season last Sunday at Michigan, his team unveiled a three-year sponsorship deal, which will see him sport the colours of the American beer brand from 2011, Budweiser featuring as the main sponsor in 20 of the 36 points' races.

Harvick, the current Sprint Cup series points' leader, has won the non points season-opening Budweiser Shootout for the past two years and he will run the the red and white logos of his new sponsor for the first time in that very event in 2011, as well as in next year's NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.

"The legacy Budweiser has in this sport is unmatched," said Harvick during the announcement. "Everybody knows the Bud brand. To have it on my car is an honour."

Earlier this year Harvick's current sponsors Shell and Pennzoil announced they were leaving RCR in favour of a move to Penske Racing, where they will sponsor former Sprint Cup series champion Kurt Busch.

The deal, however, was on a larger scale as it involved not only Penske's NASCAR operation but also their IndyCar team.

Budweiser currently sponsors Kasey Kahne's #9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford, but Kahne is now set to move on to Red Bull Racing Team in 2011 before entering a multi-year deal to driver Hendrick Motorsports' #5 Chevy.

Before Budweiser backed Kahne they had been Dale Earnhardt Jr's main sponsor since his Cup debut in 1999 and until he left Dale Earnhardt Inc to move to Hendrick Motorsports.

Cigarini move held upKahne to drive for Red Bull in 2011

Patrick keeping expectations low

Danica Patrick continues to keep her expectations low heading into this weekend's Nationwide Series race at Michigan but says she is glad to quickly move on from last weekend's disappointing IndyCar race at Mid Ohio.

On Saturday Patrick will make her sixth start in NASCAR's second-tier series, where she last competed six weeks ago at Chicagoland Speedway claiming a 24th place-finish, which is her best result in the series to date.

Despite having raced at Michigan in an IndyCar before, she admitted to struggling during her first few laps on the track in the Nationwide car on Thursday during practice, although she was able to build up her speed though two three-hour sessions to finish the day 26th fastest.

"It was nice to be able to slowly get up to speed," said Patrick. "You go out for first practice and everybody knows what they're doing and then there's me who doesn't even know how to go out of the garage area.

"I get out there and everybody is more comfortable getting up to speed, so those first ten laps seem like I'm looking in the mirror than anything but I was able just to build up."

Patrick is driving the new Nationwide car for the first time this weekend, although given her lack of experience, she admitted to being unable to mark any clear differences on its handling relative to the old one.

She said her realistic target for this weekend remains a top-20 finish, which given her speed in the final practice session on Friday where she was 17th looks to be a reachable aim.

"I think that my expectation levels for this race are going to be similar [to Chicago]," said Patrick. "I'm hoping for a sort of top-15, 20 finish and I didn't quite get into the top-20 last time so I think that expectation level is going to stay the same this weekend and we'll see what we can do.

"Hopefully we can get up there with the full test day that we had and me kind of having the time to run down low, run in the middle and run up high [on the track's banking]. I didn't see anybody else running high but the team told me just go up there and get a feel for it. Hopefully that pays off in the race."

The IndyCar race winner was glad to be back behind the wheel this week following a disappointing race at Mid-Ohio last Sunday, where he finished down in 22nd place.

She admits her IZOD IndyCar series season has been a struggle despite also putting on some of her strongest performances of her career. She believes her Andretti Autosport team is lacking performance relative to Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing.

"The IndyCar season has been a disappointing one," said Patrick. "I've had probably my best road course and oval races of my career but it comes against a bunch of very mediocre races. Mid Ohio was one of them.

"I think as a team we have really struggled on the road courses this year - granted, the competition is extremely close. In the old days one second covering 25 cars would seem unlikely but it's the case these days."

"The fact that we're lacking something is really obvious now so, it's good to get out here and forget about last weekend. But it is important to think about that and learn for next weekend at Sonoma. It'll be the last road course of our season."

Patrick currently ranks 11th in the IZOD IndyCar Series standings, behind her three Andretti Autosport teammates.

City seal Valencia victoryPatrick finishes 27th at Michigan

Martin glad 2011 speculation is over

Mark Martin is glad that speculation about his future at Hendrick Motorsports has ended following Kasey Kahne's Red Bull announcement this week.

The NASCAR veteran had been the subject of rumours about whether he would continue in the #5 car in 2011 after Hendrick Motorsports announced in April the signing of Kasey Kahne to take over from him in 2012.

Kahne had already committed to leaving Richard Petty Motorsports at the end of the year and Martin was questioned several times about the possibility of being asked to step aside for Kahne a year before the end of his current contract.

The 51-year-old admits some pressure is off from his team now that Kahne's immediate future has been set outside of Hendrick Motorsports.

"As much as we would like it not to be, now that it's behind us, it does a feel a little lighter," Martin said. "So, I would say that we did the best that we could under the circumstances at managing all of that, and the air does feel a little lighter.

"We all really enjoy working together, and we've been doing a lot of that together, not just at the NASCAR events, but we're putting a lot of effort away from the events as well, and picking things up. It feels fun again. We hope to keep this positive momentum going forward."

Martin says the mounting speculation had affected his team, which is currently trying to secure a place in the Chase after being runner-up last year to reigning Champion Jimmie Johnson.

He said a test this week following Kahne's news allowed the squad to regroup and focus on their current goal as Martin sits 12th in the standings, ten points ahead of Richard Childress Racing's Clint Bowyer with just four races left before the cut for the championship battle takes place.

"I think as hard as we tried to not let it have any effect on us, I think it did have an effect on how you feel," said Martin. I think it has an effect on how you feel - especially as it wore on.

"It was fine for a while, but it wore on a long, long time. It wore on [crew chief] Alan [Gustafson] as well and probably affected the guys on the car as well. It's really an awesome group."

The five-time Sprint Cup series runner-up believes his team needs to step up their performance if they are to make this year's Chase. Last season he won four races to rally back from a poor start to his season and be part of the season's playoff, while this year he is yet to win for the first time.

"I don't think we can make the Chase unless we go out and run strong," said Martin. "So what we do, we put our effort toward that. And then if we don't run really strong, it isn't because the effort wasn't in an offensive way. You know what I'm saying? So, if we don't go out and look really strong, it doesn't mean that we're playing defense; what we were really doing was our very best.

"And that's what we're going to do - put our best foot forward, put an enormous amount of effort into picking up our game, really more than last year, because last year we were on it so we were just refining what we were doing. This year we're really pushing hard to find a way to step it up."

Kahne to drive for Red Bull in 2011Wenger calls for Fab answers

Patrick finishes 27th at Michigan

Danica Patrick continued her learning process in the NASCAR Nationwide Series by finishing 27th in Saturday's race at Michigan International Speedway.

The IndyCar Series regular had yet another tough race that saw her struggle with a loose car for most of the first half of the distance. Having started 33rd after a compromised qualifying effort, she moved up slightly in the order but just after lap 20 she had already dropped a lap down on the leaders.

The lack of caution periods made it impossible for her to recover once she was a number of laps down and although her pace would improve significantly in the second half of the race a 27th place was all she would be able to get, missing her top-20 target on her sixth Nationwide series start.

"I just held on to it for the first half of the race, it was so hard to drive," said Patrick. "It was loose all the way around, getting in, in the middle, getting off [the corner]. I felt like I was tiptoeing around out there. It's a shame.

"The car was good all weekend, it really was and I really wanted to do well. We were in the top 20 the whole time in practice. In qualifying we had a little loose moment, otherwise we would've been up there in the top 20 again.

"I think by the end of the race we were kind of running those kinds of laps but we were just so loose to start, that we were unable to stay up there. It's kind of the way it's been for me this year. In the first half of the race I learn what I need for the last half of the race.

"I think needless to say we're going to tighten it up a whole bunch for the next ones so that we can at least just run. If it was tight I could've at least run around the top and use the wall to run around but it was really loose."

Patrick's next outing in the Nationwide Series will be on 26 September at the one-mile, highly banked, Dover International Speedway, a concrete track known as the 'Monster Mile'.

Penske Racing's Brad Keselowski took a dominant win from pole position in the Michigan event, further stretching his lead in the championship over Roush Fenway's Carl Edwards, who just edged Kyle Busch for second place.

Piquet to make Nationwide debutForlan eyes Prem return

Roush surprises with Michigan return

NASCAR team owner Jack Roush made a surprise appearance at Michigan International Speedway on Friday, less than three weeks after surviving an airplane crash.

Only 17 days ago Roush crashed the Hawker Beechcraft Premier jet he piloted while trying to land during an air show at Wittman Air Field in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He suffered serious injuries in the incident but was able to walk from his wrecked aircraft.

On Friday the man nicknamed 'The Cat in the Hat' attended the Sprint Cup series qualifying session at Michigan, where his Roush Fenway driver Greg Biffle was sixth-fastest behind the Roush-Yates powered Ford of Richard Petty's Kasey Kahne, who claimed pole.

Roush is still recovering from his injuries after being released from hospital this week, but seemed in great spirits while addressing reporters despite revealing that he has lost vision in his left eye.

"I feel very lucky," said Roush. "I've had several bites at the apple here. I'm really proud at the way the organisation has rallied. We were gaining in our performance moving from not where I wanted to be in an area of the top 10 into the top five.

"...Roush Fenway Racing will outlive me, and it will outlive anybody else that is with the company today. We've got the plans in place for that. This was a little test case. How can you do without Jack? Well it's bigger than me. It's bigger than anybody. The organisation has been very strong and we're peaking at the right time of our year.

"We're approaching the Chase here, with I think there's four races including this one left, and so if we don't have a mechanical error and miss a wreck, we have a good chance to put three cars in the Chase."

Speaking about his crash Roush explained that he was trying to avoid a conflict with the fight plan of another nearby aircraft, whilst making his final approach into Oshkosh.

He revealed that besides his facial injuries he suffered a compression fracture in his back but expects to recover from those over the coming weeks, even stating that he plans to continue to fly his own planes.

"I had a damaged left cheek, I had a broken jaw and I had a compression fracture in my back and I've got a back brace for the compression fracture," said Roush. "I have hardware in my cheek.

"I still have packing in my nose because they say its biodegradable and it will come out on its own. I'm still uncomfortable with the fact that I can't breathe clearly through my nose.

"Everything will come back and I was blessed to have great vision in two eyes and now I've got great vision in one."

Roush Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle claimed the team's first win of 2010 at Pocono two weeks ago, while Carl Edwards claimed pole position last week at Watkins Glen. Three of his four drivers are currently inside the top-12 in the standings, only four races before the championship playoff starts.

The team is hoping to claim a record 12th win at Michigan International Speedway this weekend, a track considered Roush's home as two of his companies are based nearby in Livonia, Michigan.

Barca linked with Mata swoopRoush recovering after surgery

Menard signs for Childress for 2011

Paul Menard will race a fourth car for Richard Childress Racing in 2011 and beyond, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series team announced on Wednesday.

Having downsized from four to three cars for this season after losing one of its main sponsors, RCR will get back to be a four-car outfit from next year, having signed a deal with Menards, the third largest home improvement retail company in the US, which is owned by Paul Menard's family.

The 29-year-old is currently in his fourth full season in the Sprint Cup and driving for Richard Petty Motorsports this year, he has achieved a top-five and three top-10 finishes, ranking 23rd in the drivers' standings at present.

"Richard Childress Racing has shown this year that they're headed on the right track," said Menard. "Having three cars competing for the Chase and, ultimately, the championship is no small feat and they're on top of their game. With that in mind and having known Richard for the past 10 years or so, when this opportunity to join RCR came about it was a no-brainer.

"I have always had the utmost respect for Richard and what his organisation has accomplished in the past and what they're capable of achieving in the future."

RCR currently leads the point standings with Kevin Harvick, while Jeff Burton is also among the top 12 in the ranking and Clint Bowyer is just outside the cut for the Chase with four races remaining, sitting in 13th place.

"Paul has developed into a very good race car driver, and we see his move to RCR next year as an opportunity for him to continue that progress," said team owner Richard Childress. "At the same time, we feel Paul will contribute to the continued progress and success of RCR. Paul will fit in perfectly with our team of drivers at RCR, and they are all looking forward to working with him."

Menard is also competing full-time in the Nationwide Series this year, ranking sixth in the points thus far.

Dos Santos signs Barca dealHarvick signs new Childress deal

Villeneuve struggles on Cup return

Jacques Villeneuve had a tough return to the Sprint Cup series at Indianapolis, finishing three laps down after struggling for most of the race.

The Canadian, who had not driven a Cup car in more than two years ahead of his return to the series, managed to make the field on speed during Saturday's qualifying, getting the final spot on the grid for what was only his third points' race ever at NASCAR's top level.

Villeneuve suffered with an overheating car, handling issues and contact with the wall, besides massive heat inside the #32 Braun Racing Toyota Camry due to faulty cooling. Besides being his maiden Brickyard 400, his team also had little experience to rely on, Sunday's being their first outing in the race.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner lamented all the issues that hampered him during the race, but said he enjoyed driving his car hard in the end, once some of the problems he had were sorted.

"It was tough," said Villeneuve. "The first time out with the car, we didn't have the cooling working, the helmet or back cooling. That didn't work in the car. And, my drink bottle wasn't working until the caution around lap 100 when we could replace it. That was rough. Then the engine overheated and that killed me.

"Then it was a question of staying out there. Halfway through the race, the car was really difficult to drive with a broken splitter. I hit the wall a couple of times, so I backed it down because there was no point in trashing it.

"Then we came in the pit and fixed it and the car was very strong. I could run two-wide even against the quick guys and hold my own. Too bad we lost too much time when the splitter came up. The car was loose after that, but it was fun. I could drive it hard."

The 1997 Formula 1 world champion admitted he was worried by his lack of pace ahead of the race but seemed relieved he was able to find more speed once the racing unfolded.

"It was very stressful because we came here without any practice and the team not knowing the car or the track, and me not being in the Cup car for over two years," he said. "It was a big question mark. But, that's how I like it, when it's tough.

"We managed to get going. After practice yesterday, I was worried for the race because we were very slow. But, we fixed it overnight and we kept fixing it during the race and by the end, the car was running really strong."

It is uncertain yet when Villeneuve will be back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup series car, his next NASCAR outing set already for next month in the Nationwide Series.


Ronaldo won’t returnVilleneuve struggles on Cup return

Kahne to drive for Red Bull in 2011

Kasey Kahne will drive for Red Bull Racing Team in the Sprint Cup series next year, before joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012.

Following months of speculation regarding his immediate future, Kahne has finally set his plans for 2011 before entering his multi-year deal to drive the #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

Back in April, Hendrick announced the signing of the 30-year-old, but question marks remained on where he would drive next year, as he had already committed to leave Richard Petty Motorsports at the end of this season.

Red Bull is currently in its fourth full season at NASCAR's top level, winning for the first time a year ago at Michigan with Brian Vickers, then going on to make the Chase for the first time.

This year the team has not enjoyed the same level of success and a number of drivers had taken the wheel of its #83 car after Vickers was diagnosed with blood clots last May.

"This opportunity places me with an established, competitive team that has proven they can win races and make the Chase," Kahne said about his new deal with Red Bull. "I have great respect for Red Bull, so to have the opportunity to drive for Red Bull Racing Team in 2011 is a great fit for me, both personally and professionally.

"It feels good to be able to finally put this to rest and focus my energy on finishing the season strong for the 9 team and our sponsors."

Despite Rick Hendrick initially saying that Kahne would drive for a Chevy team in 2011, he will end racing a Toyota Camry for Red Bull, where it is still uncertain which driver he will be replacing.

The team currently runs Scott Speed in their #82 car, while Brian Vickers is expected to return next year to the #83 Camry, if his treatment for blood clots proves successful.

The team has not announced any plans to run a third car for Kahne.

"We were fortunate to have the opportunity to hire a very talented driver for the 2011 season and we took it," said Red Bull's Jay Frye. "This is a unique situation that doesn't happen every day. Kasey is a perfect fit for our company, team and Red Bull."

Following Hendrick Motorsports' announcement of Kahne's deal for 2012 speculation mounted regarding Mark Martin, who was already signed to drive the #5 car in 2011.

Stewart-Haas Racing was believed to be the favorite choice for Kahne before joining Hendrick but the team is only in its second full year in the Sprint Cup series.

Veteran Mark Martin will race the #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick for the last time next year, before handing the drive to Kahne in 2012, as the team had initially announced last April.

"Kasey is going to a competitive organization that made the Chase last season and has great leadership and resources," said Rick Hendrick. "Of everything we looked at, he and I agree it's the best opportunity for him to be successful in 2011, which was always our number-one priority.

"The process went on longer than any of us anticipated, but I'm glad that we took our time to make sure it was right. And although I'm not looking forward to racing against him next year, I'm comfortable knowing this is the best situation for Kasey."

A decision regarding Scott Speed's future with Red Bull Racing is expected at the end of the month. The former Formula 1 racer currently ranks 27th in the driver standings and is in his second full season in the Sprint Cup series.

Allmendinger takes blame for wreckHenrique returns to Racing

Villeneuve struggles on Cup return

Jacques Villeneuve had a tough return to the Sprint Cup series at Indianapolis, finishing three laps down after struggling for most of the race.

The Canadian, who had not driven a Cup car in more than two years ahead of his return to the series, managed to make the field on speed during Saturday's qualifying, getting the final spot on the grid for what was only his third points' race ever at NASCAR's top level.

Villeneuve suffered with an overheating car, handling issues and contact with the wall, besides massive heat inside the #32 Braun Racing Toyota Camry due to faulty cooling. Besides being his maiden Brickyard 400, his team also had little experience to rely on, Sunday's being their first outing in the race.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner lamented all the issues that hampered him during the race, but said he enjoyed driving his car hard in the end, once some of the problems he had were sorted.

"It was tough," said Villeneuve. "The first time out with the car, we didn't have the cooling working, the helmet or back cooling. That didn't work in the car. And, my drink bottle wasn't working until the caution around lap 100 when we could replace it. That was rough. Then the engine overheated and that killed me.

"Then it was a question of staying out there. Halfway through the race, the car was really difficult to drive with a broken splitter. I hit the wall a couple of times, so I backed it down because there was no point in trashing it.

"Then we came in the pit and fixed it and the car was very strong. I could run two-wide even against the quick guys and hold my own. Too bad we lost too much time when the splitter came up. The car was loose after that, but it was fun. I could drive it hard."

The 1997 Formula 1 world champion admitted he was worried by his lack of pace ahead of the race but seemed relieved he was able to find more speed once the racing unfolded.

"It was very stressful because we came here without any practice and the team not knowing the car or the track, and me not being in the Cup car for over two years," he said. "It was a big question mark. But, that's how I like it, when it's tough.

"We managed to get going. After practice yesterday, I was worried for the race because we were very slow. But, we fixed it overnight and we kept fixing it during the race and by the end, the car was running really strong."

It is uncertain yet when Villeneuve will be back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup series car, his next NASCAR outing set already for next month in the Nationwide Series.


Villeneuve struggles on Cup returnRonaldo won’t return

Montoya relieved to win again

Juan Pablo Montoya said his second Sprint Cup series victory comes as a relief, following a tough year for the Colombian and his team despite their best performance since their debut season.

The Colombian became the first foreign driver to win more than once at NASCAR's top level, with a commanding performance to keep Australian Marcos Ambrose at bay in the closing laps of Sunday's race at Watkins Glen.

The victory arrived more than three years after his first one, which also came on a road course at Sears Point, which followed his first stock car win in the second-tier NASCAR Nationwide Series at Mexico's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, also in 2007.

Montoya has been close to victory on ovals a number of times over the past two years, most recently at Indianapolis, where for the second year in a row a strong chance of victory evaporated in the closing laps after leading throughout the race.

The former Formula 1 race winner said his victory at Watkins Glen took some pressure off, as the many near-misses had built a growing frustration inside his team.

"The last few weeks have been really frustrating for the whole team because we've been so close to victory and it seemed to keep slipping away." said Montoya. "To come out here today and get the job done the way we did today, it was big.

"I feel more relieved than happy right now. It's been a really hard road in a way. It's been a lot of fun; it's been frustrating. To finally get that first win for Brian, I think it's good. I think we can really focus now on just getting the job done."

The mounting tension following Indianapolis and a misunderstanding between Montoya and his crew chief Brian Pattie had led to a rough exchange between the pair over the radio last week at Pocono. Montoya said they moved on from the issue and a meeting with team boss Chip Ganassi at Watkins Glen helped them put the matter to rest.

"As competitive as I am, he's as competitive with the racecar," said Montoya about his crew chief. "I think we both come here every weekend with one goal: win. When the wins slip away, either my fault, his fault, I think the fault doesn't really matter. When you go home empty-handed, it's frustrating.

"We have to learn how to make better judgment, myself make better calls when I'm driving, help them make better calls. I think we're really working together and understanding what needs to be done to win those races.

Montoya believes that despite being in his fourth year in the Sprint Cup series, he still has to master many aspects of stock car racing and admits to being accountable for mistakes that have probably cost him in past races.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner admitted that his hopes of being in the Chase this year are all but gone and that poor finishes early in the season made him run more aggressively hoping to making up lost ground, an approach that eventually caused them to be prone to making mistakes.

"I think last year we were so focused on making the Chase, it was all about numbers, It wasn't about being fast or slow, it was about bringing the car home," said Montoya. "This year we thought we were going to do the same thing. We had a blown motor race two, race three taken out by a team-mate. I don't think it was on purpose, but we tangled.

"All of a sudden, you know, by race five we had three DNFs. When you have three out of five races, the DNFs keep happening, you have to be realistic about what's happening. You have to start being more aggressive.

"A lot of mistakes came, from my part and the team... I still got to learn. I still make a lot of mistakes personally. I'm still not sure a hundred per cent when we make calls what we need to do. It's experience. We just got to learn from it."

This year Montoya has led 13 of 22 races, including the last five before his Watkins Glen win. Two poles, five top-5 finishes and eight top-10s prove his speed has been at its best this season but seven non-finishes have dashed his hopes again of contending for the title. Despite that, he believes his team can build on this year towards a better 2011.

"I think we can learn a lot this season on how to execute a little better, prepare ourselves for next season," said Montoya.

"It's kind of funny. I think last year we didn't have the pace we have this year and we made the Chase pretty easy, I thought. This year [Earnhardt Ganassi Racing] had two cars capable of easily making the Chase, and both cars are out. That's what it is, I guess."

Hleb set for Barca returnMontoya: I can still make the Chase

Villeneuve struggles on Cup return

Jacques Villeneuve had a tough return to the Sprint Cup series at Indianapolis, finishing three laps down after struggling for most of the race.

The Canadian, who had not driven a Cup car in more than two years ahead of his return to the series, managed to make the field on speed during Saturday's qualifying, getting the final spot on the grid for what was only his third points' race ever at NASCAR's top level.

Villeneuve suffered with an overheating car, handling issues and contact with the wall, besides massive heat inside the #32 Braun Racing Toyota Camry due to faulty cooling. Besides being his maiden Brickyard 400, his team also had little experience to rely on, Sunday's being their first outing in the race.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner lamented all the issues that hampered him during the race, but said he enjoyed driving his car hard in the end, once some of the problems he had were sorted.

"It was tough," said Villeneuve. "The first time out with the car, we didn't have the cooling working, the helmet or back cooling. That didn't work in the car. And, my drink bottle wasn't working until the caution around lap 100 when we could replace it. That was rough. Then the engine overheated and that killed me.

"Then it was a question of staying out there. Halfway through the race, the car was really difficult to drive with a broken splitter. I hit the wall a couple of times, so I backed it down because there was no point in trashing it.

"Then we came in the pit and fixed it and the car was very strong. I could run two-wide even against the quick guys and hold my own. Too bad we lost too much time when the splitter came up. The car was loose after that, but it was fun. I could drive it hard."

The 1997 Formula 1 world champion admitted he was worried by his lack of pace ahead of the race but seemed relieved he was able to find more speed once the racing unfolded.

"It was very stressful because we came here without any practice and the team not knowing the car or the track, and me not being in the Cup car for over two years," he said. "It was a big question mark. But, that's how I like it, when it's tough.

"We managed to get going. After practice yesterday, I was worried for the race because we were very slow. But, we fixed it overnight and we kept fixing it during the race and by the end, the car was running really strong."

It is uncertain yet when Villeneuve will be back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup series car, his next NASCAR outing set already for next month in the Nationwide Series.


Villeneuve struggles on Cup returnRonaldo won’t return

Villeneuve eighth at Watkins Glen

Jacques Villeneuve scored a top 10 finish in his second race of the season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Saturday at Watkins Glen, coming home eighth.

The former Formula 1 champion qualified a solid sixth in the #32 Braun Racing Toyota and made a good start, moving up to fourth in the early going, although he would later loose a few spots while trying to defend his position among the top five.

Villeneuve eventually found himself in the lead for a while as he had yet to pit for the final time while most of the top runners had already completed their final stops.

However race leader and eventual winner Marcos Ambrose passed him before he was able to officially complete a lap in the lead, a caution coming out immediately after that. Its timing dashed his hopes of a better finish as he then had to pit, losing track position to all those who had already taken on fuel and tyres to go the distance.

Despite that and a long brake pedal, Villeneuve was still able to rally back to eighth as he finished in the top 10 for the third time in five NASCAR Nationwide Series outings, getting some good mileage under his belt before his home race in Montreal later this month.

"It's not where we wanted to be but had a good day. It was still acceptable," said Villeneuve.

"I think the fact that we had to pit under yellow at the end, that was the main factor because we had to start behind a lot of cars that were slower than us and then I had to use the brakes hard to overtake.

"I think that's what created the problems with the brakes and had we been running more in the front like was our position before, we would've just been running our pace and not pushing too hard on the brakes.

"However this is good preparation for Montreal, we know more about the car, about the brakes, and it's all good experience."

Villeneuve reiterated that he is still working hard on getting more NASCAR experience, is hoping to be able to run a full season, and expects that what he has shown in his few races this year will allow him to get another shot at the Sprint Cup series.

"I hope so," said Villeneuve. "At the end of the day what I want to do is the whole season, not just a few races here and there. I don't want to be perceived just as a road racer. That's not a very good career plan in NASCAR because you just do two or three races a year."

Next week Villeneuve is expected to fly to Europe as he is expecting news regarding his bid to field a new F1 team in 2011. He is unsure as to what the outcome will be and lamented that his involvement became public as he had intended to keep the matter a confidential one.

"I have no idea of what we're fighting up against," said Villeneuve. "Everything had been kept quiet and we managed to keep it quiet a long time until someone decided to talk, that's not even part of organisation. That was a little bit annoying...

"It's really hard to tell you what's going on because right now we don't have all the facts in front of us."

Villeneuve will next compete later this month in the Nationwide Series event in Montreal, where he finished fourth last year.

Hleb set for Barca returnVilleneuve adds Glen Nationwide race

Strong Nationwide debut for Piquet

Nelson Piquet Jr finished seventh on his NASCAR Nationwide series debut on Saturday at Watkins Glen.

The former Formula 1 racer, who has competed in the ARCA and Truck series this year, completed a successful debut in NASCAR's second-tier series, in what was also his first road course event driving a stock car.

The Brazilian qualified 10th at the wheel of the #27 Baker-Curb Ford, running a single two-hour practice session on Friday before getting his place on the grid on Saturday morning, ahead of the afternoon's 82-lap event.

From the start he was able to make some progress and then build on that with a clean race, which coupled with the right strategy, enabled him to remain among the top 10 for most of the distance.

"It was a complicated weekend with just one practice to learn the track, the car and a lot of people expect that just because I'm a road course driver and had open-wheel experience, I would arrive here and do well, but it's very different," Piquet told AUTOSPORT.

"But it was good. I love challenges like this. I was last weekend in Brazil competing in the karting Nationals just for fun, for more practice competition for me because I haven't been doing that for a long time.

"My goal in the future is to be doing this frequently and the plan wasn't to be doing Nationwide this soon but this came up, the team invited me and I came. In qualifying we did an okay job and in the race we did a little bit better."

Piquet fought for position against former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve, who was making his fourth Nationwide Series start, his first at Watkins Glen. At various stages during the race they battled among the top 10 and eventually a better strategy allowed Piquet to beat the Canadian to seventh place.

"I think I had a little bit of a better strategy and at some points I was a bit quicker than him," said Piquet about his battle with Villeneuve. "We were running close and it shows that we've got similar experience and we ran similar pace. I'm sure if we have another race we're going to be another step ahead."

Piquet is hoping to compete later this month in the Nationwide series at Montreal, while he also plans to enter at least two or three more events in the Truck series before attempting a full assault in 2011.

Piquet to make Nationwide debutSilva concentrating on World Cup

NASCAR schedule set for changes

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule will see a number of changes next year, including a new venue and modifications to the Chase races, NASCAR is set to announce later this month.

Kentucky Speedway, a track owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc, will join the Sprint Cup schedule next year after successfully running Nationwide and Truck Series events for the past ten years, drawing big crowds for second and third-tier series races.

The new addition however has come to the expense of another SMI-owned track, Atlanta Motor Speedway, which confirmed this week that it will have only one race next year. Decreasing crowds have contributed to the second race being axed. Atlanta has hosted two events since its debut on the schedule in 1960, even staging three events in 1961.

"You hate to see a race go, but you also have to understand the business of the sport," said four-time Atlanta winner Jeff Gordon. "When we go to Atlanta and they're having a hard time selling it out and there's an opportunity to go somewhere and grow our fan base and take the series somewhere they've never been before, which is potentially what's going to happen, then I think that's exciting and a good move."

Also, Chicagoland Speedway is set to announce next week that the track will to stage the first race of the championship playoff in 2011, taking the place of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which will host the opening Chase event this year for the last time.

Auto Club Speedway, a track that continues to struggle for crowds, is likely to lose its place in the Chase and open up space for Chicagoland. Last year the California track was included in the final ten races for the first time, replacing Atlanta.

The official 2011 Sprint Cup series schedule will be announced later this month.

Silva concentrating on World CupGanassi targets American triple crown

Gordon critical of Edwards' antics

Jeff Gordon believes Carl Edwards went too far in crashing into Brad Keselowski to take victory in the Nationwide Series at Gateway last weekend, and says such an action would have been penalised by NASCAR in the past.

Last Saturday Edwards and Keselowski, who compete full-time in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, were at the centre of controversy when an on-track exchange while fighting for victory on the last lap ended with a massive accident for the Penske driver.

Thus far NASCAR has yet to step in and take any action against either driver, having adopted a more relaxed approach towards on-track incidents for this year.

Earlier this season Edwards was placed on probation for three weeks after a similar incident with Keselowski in a Sprint Cup series race at Atlanta ended in the latter's car flipping over at high speed.

Gordon believes the Roush Fenway driver's antics were "out of line," and that a move such as Edwards' retaliatory contact with his rival out of the final corner of the race, would not have gone unpunished in the past.

"I think it's been well documented this year that NASCAR is allowing the racing to be more in the drivers' hands, to try to stay out of some of those incidents that are judgement calls," Gordon said.

"Probably it's hard to really say just because there is a little bit of a past history with those two. You don't really know what all has gone on over the years with them that has brought it to this point.

"But just looking at the incidents, looked to me like Brad got into him a little bit getting into [Turn] 1, but was just racing hard for the position, for the win. Then what Carl did I felt like was definitely out of line. I felt like it was over and above what needed to be done.

"Again, you don't know what kind of bad blood there is between the two. Whether or not NASCAR gets involved in it, I think two, three, four, five years ago, I would have thought absolutely they would have done something, maybe taken the win away or docked points or a fine or something like that. Today, it's letting the guys race."

The four-time Sprint Cup champion says NASCAR's judgement, or lack of it, on the incident, has left him wondering how far the sanctioning body will let the feud between Edwards and Keselowski escalate, as he believes it is not over yet.

He added that the current NASCAR cars are safe, but that such incidents could still have unwanted outcomes.

"I'm anxious to see how far it's going to be taken before [NASCAR] do step in or if they step in," said Gordon. "Those are some questions that I have for Robin [Pemberton, vice president of competition] and Mike [Helton, president] and [Sprint Cup series director, John] Darby and [Race Director David] Hoots.

"It's a question I think on a lot of people's minds that, This is great, but what's too much?

"The thing is, the drivers have always taken care of these things on track, whether you knew about them or not. They just weren't maybe as much out in the open because there would be a fine or there would be some kind of penalty handed down immediately.

"So you thought from an outsider's standpoint, that's over. But, trust me, as a driver, that was not over, that was not the end of it."

While both Keselowski and Edwards will meet again in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis this weekend, they are also set to compete in the short-track Nationwide series race on Saturday night at the nearby O'Reilly Raceway Park.

Gordon critical of Edwards’ anticsAgent expects Maicon stay

Villeneuve struggles on Cup return

Jacques Villeneuve had a tough return to the Sprint Cup series at Indianapolis, finishing three laps down after struggling for most of the race.

The Canadian, who had not driven a Cup car in more than two years ahead of his return to the series, managed to make the field on speed during Saturday's qualifying, getting the final spot on the grid for what was only his third points' race ever at NASCAR's top level.

Villeneuve suffered with an overheating car, handling issues and contact with the wall, besides massive heat inside the #32 Braun Racing Toyota Camry due to faulty cooling. Besides being his maiden Brickyard 400, his team also had little experience to rely on, Sunday's being their first outing in the race.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner lamented all the issues that hampered him during the race, but said he enjoyed driving his car hard in the end, once some of the problems he had were sorted.

"It was tough," said Villeneuve. "The first time out with the car, we didn't have the cooling working, the helmet or back cooling. That didn't work in the car. And, my drink bottle wasn't working until the caution around lap 100 when we could replace it. That was rough. Then the engine overheated and that killed me.

"Then it was a question of staying out there. Halfway through the race, the car was really difficult to drive with a broken splitter. I hit the wall a couple of times, so I backed it down because there was no point in trashing it.

"Then we came in the pit and fixed it and the car was very strong. I could run two-wide even against the quick guys and hold my own. Too bad we lost too much time when the splitter came up. The car was loose after that, but it was fun. I could drive it hard."

The 1997 Formula 1 world champion admitted he was worried by his lack of pace ahead of the race but seemed relieved he was able to find more speed once the racing unfolded.

"It was very stressful because we came here without any practice and the team not knowing the car or the track, and me not being in the Cup car for over two years," he said. "It was a big question mark. But, that's how I like it, when it's tough.

"We managed to get going. After practice yesterday, I was worried for the race because we were very slow. But, we fixed it overnight and we kept fixing it during the race and by the end, the car was running really strong."

It is uncertain yet when Villeneuve will be back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup series car, his next NASCAR outing set already for next month in the Nationwide Series.


Villeneuve struggles on Cup returnRonaldo won’t return

Biffle leads Watkins Glen practice

Roush Fenway's Greg Biffle topped Friday practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Watkins Glen ahead of Saturday's qualifying session.

Fresh from his win at Pocono last weekend, Biffle proved the benchmark for single-lap speed around the 2.5-mile track, leading both of the day's sessions, which served to prepare both qualifying and the race, as there will be no further practice before Sunday's 90-lap event.

"I feel like our simulation is better and we are showing up closer when we unload at the racetrack," said Biffle following practice. "I just have to keep it on the track. Keep the gearbox in it, keep the brakes on it and not make any mistakes on pit road.

"The cautions have to fall right for us too and we need fuel mileage. Everything is a factor when it comes to the race on Sunday, but we have a good car to start with."

Juan Pablo Montoya was second fastest in the final session, where most drivers ran qualifying simulations ahead of Saturday's fight for pole position. The Colombian ran solely in qualifying trim, completing only two flying laps during the hour and 20 minutes of practice.

However he was unmatched for consistency in race trim in the first practice session of the day, although others like Australian Marcos Ambrose would prove just as quick over five-lap runs in the cooler track conditions of the final session, which he finished third fastest ahead of Kurt Busch, points leader Kevin Harvick and five-time Watkins Glen winner Tony Stewart.

The Hendrick Motorsports drivers struggled with balance throughout the day, reigning champion Jimmie Johnson spinning early in the first session and finishing the day 13th fastest as the best from his outfit.

His team-mate Jeff Gordon also fought a loose car, an impression he confirmed by allowing standby driver Scott Pruett to complete a few laps in his #24 Chevrolet, as the four-time champion's wife is expecting the couple's second child soon.

Qualifying will take place on Saturday morning ahead of the Nationwide Series race.

Magnussen aims high in Cup debutDepor to land Desmarets

Villeneuve struggles on Cup return

Jacques Villeneuve had a tough return to the Sprint Cup series at Indianapolis, finishing three laps down after struggling for most of the race.

The Canadian, who had not driven a Cup car in more than two years ahead of his return to the series, managed to make the field on speed during Saturday's qualifying, getting the final spot on the grid for what was only his third points' race ever at NASCAR's top level.

Villeneuve suffered with an overheating car, handling issues and contact with the wall, besides massive heat inside the #32 Braun Racing Toyota Camry due to faulty cooling. Besides being his maiden Brickyard 400, his team also had little experience to rely on, Sunday's being their first outing in the race.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner lamented all the issues that hampered him during the race, but said he enjoyed driving his car hard in the end, once some of the problems he had were sorted.

"It was tough," said Villeneuve. "The first time out with the car, we didn't have the cooling working, the helmet or back cooling. That didn't work in the car. And, my drink bottle wasn't working until the caution around lap 100 when we could replace it. That was rough. Then the engine overheated and that killed me.

"Then it was a question of staying out there. Halfway through the race, the car was really difficult to drive with a broken splitter. I hit the wall a couple of times, so I backed it down because there was no point in trashing it.

"Then we came in the pit and fixed it and the car was very strong. I could run two-wide even against the quick guys and hold my own. Too bad we lost too much time when the splitter came up. The car was loose after that, but it was fun. I could drive it hard."

The 1997 Formula 1 world champion admitted he was worried by his lack of pace ahead of the race but seemed relieved he was able to find more speed once the racing unfolded.

"It was very stressful because we came here without any practice and the team not knowing the car or the track, and me not being in the Cup car for over two years," he said. "It was a big question mark. But, that's how I like it, when it's tough.

"We managed to get going. After practice yesterday, I was worried for the race because we were very slow. But, we fixed it overnight and we kept fixing it during the race and by the end, the car was running really strong."

It is uncertain yet when Villeneuve will be back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup series car, his next NASCAR outing set already for next month in the Nationwide Series.


Villeneuve struggles on Cup returnRonaldo won’t return

Gordon critical of Edwards' antics

Jeff Gordon believes Carl Edwards went too far in crashing into Brad Keselowski to take victory in the Nationwide Series at Gateway last weekend, and says such an action would have been penalised by NASCAR in the past.

Last Saturday Edwards and Keselowski, who compete full-time in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, were at the centre of controversy when an on-track exchange while fighting for victory on the last lap ended with a massive accident for the Penske driver.

Thus far NASCAR has yet to step in and take any action against either driver, having adopted a more relaxed approach towards on-track incidents for this year.

Earlier this season Edwards was placed on probation for three weeks after a similar incident with Keselowski in a Sprint Cup series race at Atlanta ended in the latter's car flipping over at high speed.

Gordon believes the Roush Fenway driver's antics were "out of line," and that a move such as Edwards' retaliatory contact with his rival out of the final corner of the race, would not have gone unpunished in the past.

"I think it's been well documented this year that NASCAR is allowing the racing to be more in the drivers' hands, to try to stay out of some of those incidents that are judgement calls," Gordon said.

"Probably it's hard to really say just because there is a little bit of a past history with those two. You don't really know what all has gone on over the years with them that has brought it to this point.

"But just looking at the incidents, looked to me like Brad got into him a little bit getting into [Turn] 1, but was just racing hard for the position, for the win. Then what Carl did I felt like was definitely out of line. I felt like it was over and above what needed to be done.

"Again, you don't know what kind of bad blood there is between the two. Whether or not NASCAR gets involved in it, I think two, three, four, five years ago, I would have thought absolutely they would have done something, maybe taken the win away or docked points or a fine or something like that. Today, it's letting the guys race."

The four-time Sprint Cup champion says NASCAR's judgement, or lack of it, on the incident, has left him wondering how far the sanctioning body will let the feud between Edwards and Keselowski escalate, as he believes it is not over yet.

He added that the current NASCAR cars are safe, but that such incidents could still have unwanted outcomes.

"I'm anxious to see how far it's going to be taken before [NASCAR] do step in or if they step in," said Gordon. "Those are some questions that I have for Robin [Pemberton, vice president of competition] and Mike [Helton, president] and [Sprint Cup series director, John] Darby and [Race Director David] Hoots.

"It's a question I think on a lot of people's minds that, This is great, but what's too much?

"The thing is, the drivers have always taken care of these things on track, whether you knew about them or not. They just weren't maybe as much out in the open because there would be a fine or there would be some kind of penalty handed down immediately.

"So you thought from an outsider's standpoint, that's over. But, trust me, as a driver, that was not over, that was not the end of it."

While both Keselowski and Edwards will meet again in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis this weekend, they are also set to compete in the short-track Nationwide series race on Saturday night at the nearby O'Reilly Raceway Park.

Gordon critical of Edwards’ anticsAgent expects Maicon stay

Allmendinger buoyed by new deal

AJ Allmendinger believes his new multi-year deal with Richard Petty Motorsports will allow him to get some continuity in his NASCAR career and build upon it.

On Friday at Watkins Glen, RPM officially announced Allmendinger's contract extension. The former Champ Car race winner is now in his second full season with the team, after his first two years in the Sprint Cup with fellow newcomer Red Bull Racing proved tough.

Since Allmendinger joined RPM at the end of 2008, the team has gone though a number of changes, mainly switching from Dodge to Ford power at the end of last year. He believes the team is on the verge of showing all its potential and hopes to continue to help build up the organisation into a winning outfit.

"To be able to drive the #43 is a huge honour that I'm really enjoying and I think with the partnership with Ford there are great things happening at Richard Petty Motorsports," said Allmendinger.

"I've looked at a lot of places and we went through a lot of things. Tara, my manager, she asked a lot of hard questions but in the end we got the answers that we wanted to and I really feel that this is a place that I can really keep building on.

"We're definitely not where we want to be but I see the potential and we just can keep building and have a team around me that just continues to get better and go out and contend for victories every weekend and hopefully eventually get a championship. That is the goal."

The 28-year-old said the close relationship RPM currently enjoys with Ford was key to him committing to a multi-year deal with the team. This season the outfit has been instrumental in helping Roush Fenway Racing as both organisations have worked together in trying to develop their package, beyond sharing the same power from Roush Yates engines.

Last week at Pocono Greg Biffle claimed the first win of the year for the blue oval brand in the Sprint Cup, which Allmendinger believes to be proof of Ford's progress.

"[Ford] give us all the tools that we could ask for to go out there and have a chance to win races every weekend," said Allmendinger. "Obviously the new motor is getting a lot better and it was great to see Ford finally back in Victory Lane last week with the new engine.

"For me it was tough to go out there and know everything that we've built up and maybe go to a different team and just completely start over. You look at all the great teams and they're not one or two-year teams, they've been around five, six, seven years and I look at that and it just made it easy to know that we had potential here. That's all I wanted to see."

Team boss Richard Petty said the team has a number of announcements coming in the next few weeks regarding its driver line-up and sponsors for 2011. Australian Marcos Ambrose has been linked with one of the seats for next year as Kasey Kahne is leaving the outfit at the end of the season and Elliott Sadler is believed to be on the move as well.

Allmendinger set to stay at RPMGenoa still keen on Boateng

Allmendinger set to stay at RPM

AJ Allmendinger is set to stay at Richard Petty Motorsports in 2011 and beyond, the Sprint Cup series team is set to announce next Friday.

The Californian, who is currently in his fourth year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has signed a multi-year contract extension with the squad, according to multiple sources, an official announcement already set for Friday morning at Watkins Glen.

Allmendinger first drove for Petty at Martinsville in October of 2008, when the team still raced under the Gillett Evernham Motorsports banner. He joined the outfit after losing his seat at Red Bull Racing close to the end of the season, giving way to Scott Speed.

Allmendinger had been signed along Brian Vickers to lead Red Bull's entry into NASCAR's top level in 2007, a year that proved a tough experience for both.

Last year he was signed by RPM for a limited number of races due to budget constraints, but a solid start to his year with a third place in the Daytona 500, plus other solid finishes, allowed him to keep his seat with the Ford squad for the whole season.

This year the former ChampCar race winner claimed his maiden Sprint Cup series pole position at Phoenix and to date he has three top-ten finishes, ranking 22nd in the driver standings.

Kasey Kahne, the leading RPM driver, is set to leave the team at the end of the season, having signed for Hendrick Motorsports, while Elliot Sadler's status for next year remains uncertain.

Australian Marcos Ambrose has been linked to the team for 2011, after he announced he would leave JTG Daugherty at the end of the season.

Allmendinger takes blame for wreckMata to stay at Valencia

Gordon critical of Edwards' antics

Jeff Gordon believes Carl Edwards went too far in crashing into Brad Keselowski to take victory in the Nationwide Series at Gateway last weekend, and says such an action would have been penalised by NASCAR in the past.

Last Saturday Edwards and Keselowski, who compete full-time in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, were at the centre of controversy when an on-track exchange while fighting for victory on the last lap ended with a massive accident for the Penske driver.

Thus far NASCAR has yet to step in and take any action against either driver, having adopted a more relaxed approach towards on-track incidents for this year.

Earlier this season Edwards was placed on probation for three weeks after a similar incident with Keselowski in a Sprint Cup series race at Atlanta ended in the latter's car flipping over at high speed.

Gordon believes the Roush Fenway driver's antics were "out of line," and that a move such as Edwards' retaliatory contact with his rival out of the final corner of the race, would not have gone unpunished in the past.

"I think it's been well documented this year that NASCAR is allowing the racing to be more in the drivers' hands, to try to stay out of some of those incidents that are judgement calls," Gordon said.

"Probably it's hard to really say just because there is a little bit of a past history with those two. You don't really know what all has gone on over the years with them that has brought it to this point.

"But just looking at the incidents, looked to me like Brad got into him a little bit getting into [Turn] 1, but was just racing hard for the position, for the win. Then what Carl did I felt like was definitely out of line. I felt like it was over and above what needed to be done.

"Again, you don't know what kind of bad blood there is between the two. Whether or not NASCAR gets involved in it, I think two, three, four, five years ago, I would have thought absolutely they would have done something, maybe taken the win away or docked points or a fine or something like that. Today, it's letting the guys race."

The four-time Sprint Cup champion says NASCAR's judgement, or lack of it, on the incident, has left him wondering how far the sanctioning body will let the feud between Edwards and Keselowski escalate, as he believes it is not over yet.

He added that the current NASCAR cars are safe, but that such incidents could still have unwanted outcomes.

"I'm anxious to see how far it's going to be taken before [NASCAR] do step in or if they step in," said Gordon. "Those are some questions that I have for Robin [Pemberton, vice president of competition] and Mike [Helton, president] and [Sprint Cup series director, John] Darby and [Race Director David] Hoots.

"It's a question I think on a lot of people's minds that, This is great, but what's too much?

"The thing is, the drivers have always taken care of these things on track, whether you knew about them or not. They just weren't maybe as much out in the open because there would be a fine or there would be some kind of penalty handed down immediately.

"So you thought from an outsider's standpoint, that's over. But, trust me, as a driver, that was not over, that was not the end of it."

While both Keselowski and Edwards will meet again in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis this weekend, they are also set to compete in the short-track Nationwide series race on Saturday night at the nearby O'Reilly Raceway Park.

Agent expects Maicon stayGordon critical of Edwards’ antics

Villeneuve struggles on Cup return

Jacques Villeneuve had a tough return to the Sprint Cup series at Indianapolis, finishing three laps down after struggling for most of the race.

The Canadian, who had not driven a Cup car in more than two years ahead of his return to the series, managed to make the field on speed during Saturday's qualifying, getting the final spot on the grid for what was only his third points' race ever at NASCAR's top level.

Villeneuve suffered with an overheating car, handling issues and contact with the wall, besides massive heat inside the #32 Braun Racing Toyota Camry due to faulty cooling. Besides being his maiden Brickyard 400, his team also had little experience to rely on, Sunday's being their first outing in the race.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner lamented all the issues that hampered him during the race, but said he enjoyed driving his car hard in the end, once some of the problems he had were sorted.

"It was tough," said Villeneuve. "The first time out with the car, we didn't have the cooling working, the helmet or back cooling. That didn't work in the car. And, my drink bottle wasn't working until the caution around lap 100 when we could replace it. That was rough. Then the engine overheated and that killed me.

"Then it was a question of staying out there. Halfway through the race, the car was really difficult to drive with a broken splitter. I hit the wall a couple of times, so I backed it down because there was no point in trashing it.

"Then we came in the pit and fixed it and the car was very strong. I could run two-wide even against the quick guys and hold my own. Too bad we lost too much time when the splitter came up. The car was loose after that, but it was fun. I could drive it hard."

The 1997 Formula 1 world champion admitted he was worried by his lack of pace ahead of the race but seemed relieved he was able to find more speed once the racing unfolded.

"It was very stressful because we came here without any practice and the team not knowing the car or the track, and me not being in the Cup car for over two years," he said. "It was a big question mark. But, that's how I like it, when it's tough.

"We managed to get going. After practice yesterday, I was worried for the race because we were very slow. But, we fixed it overnight and we kept fixing it during the race and by the end, the car was running really strong."

It is uncertain yet when Villeneuve will be back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup series car, his next NASCAR outing set already for next month in the Nationwide Series.


Villeneuve struggles on Cup returnRonaldo won’t return

Villeneuve struggles on Cup return

Jacques Villeneuve had a tough return to the Sprint Cup series at Indianapolis, finishing three laps down after struggling for most of the race.

The Canadian, who had not driven a Cup car in more than two years ahead of his return to the series, managed to make the field on speed during Saturday's qualifying, getting the final spot on the grid for what was only his third points' race ever at NASCAR's top level.

Villeneuve suffered with an overheating car, handling issues and contact with the wall, besides massive heat inside the #32 Braun Racing Toyota Camry due to faulty cooling. Besides being his maiden Brickyard 400, his team also had little experience to rely on, Sunday's being their first outing in the race.

The former Indianapolis 500 winner lamented all the issues that hampered him during the race, but said he enjoyed driving his car hard in the end, once some of the problems he had were sorted.

"It was tough," said Villeneuve. "The first time out with the car, we didn't have the cooling working, the helmet or back cooling. That didn't work in the car. And, my drink bottle wasn't working until the caution around lap 100 when we could replace it. That was rough. Then the engine overheated and that killed me.

"Then it was a question of staying out there. Halfway through the race, the car was really difficult to drive with a broken splitter. I hit the wall a couple of times, so I backed it down because there was no point in trashing it.

"Then we came in the pit and fixed it and the car was very strong. I could run two-wide even against the quick guys and hold my own. Too bad we lost too much time when the splitter came up. The car was loose after that, but it was fun. I could drive it hard."

The 1997 Formula 1 world champion admitted he was worried by his lack of pace ahead of the race but seemed relieved he was able to find more speed once the racing unfolded.

"It was very stressful because we came here without any practice and the team not knowing the car or the track, and me not being in the Cup car for over two years," he said. "It was a big question mark. But, that's how I like it, when it's tough.

"We managed to get going. After practice yesterday, I was worried for the race because we were very slow. But, we fixed it overnight and we kept fixing it during the race and by the end, the car was running really strong."

It is uncertain yet when Villeneuve will be back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup series car, his next NASCAR outing set already for next month in the Nationwide Series.


Ronaldo won’t returnVilleneuve struggles on Cup return

Gordon critical of Edwards' antics

Jeff Gordon believes Carl Edwards went too far in crashing into Brad Keselowski to take victory in the Nationwide Series at Gateway last weekend, and says such an action would have been penalised by NASCAR in the past.

Last Saturday Edwards and Keselowski, who compete full-time in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, were at the centre of controversy when an on-track exchange while fighting for victory on the last lap ended with a massive accident for the Penske driver.

Thus far NASCAR has yet to step in and take any action against either driver, having adopted a more relaxed approach towards on-track incidents for this year.

Earlier this season Edwards was placed on probation for three weeks after a similar incident with Keselowski in a Sprint Cup series race at Atlanta ended in the latter's car flipping over at high speed.

Gordon believes the Roush Fenway driver's antics were "out of line," and that a move such as Edwards' retaliatory contact with his rival out of the final corner of the race, would not have gone unpunished in the past.

"I think it's been well documented this year that NASCAR is allowing the racing to be more in the drivers' hands, to try to stay out of some of those incidents that are judgement calls," Gordon said.

"Probably it's hard to really say just because there is a little bit of a past history with those two. You don't really know what all has gone on over the years with them that has brought it to this point.

"But just looking at the incidents, looked to me like Brad got into him a little bit getting into [Turn] 1, but was just racing hard for the position, for the win. Then what Carl did I felt like was definitely out of line. I felt like it was over and above what needed to be done.

"Again, you don't know what kind of bad blood there is between the two. Whether or not NASCAR gets involved in it, I think two, three, four, five years ago, I would have thought absolutely they would have done something, maybe taken the win away or docked points or a fine or something like that. Today, it's letting the guys race."

The four-time Sprint Cup champion says NASCAR's judgement, or lack of it, on the incident, has left him wondering how far the sanctioning body will let the feud between Edwards and Keselowski escalate, as he believes it is not over yet.

He added that the current NASCAR cars are safe, but that such incidents could still have unwanted outcomes.

"I'm anxious to see how far it's going to be taken before [NASCAR] do step in or if they step in," said Gordon. "Those are some questions that I have for Robin [Pemberton, vice president of competition] and Mike [Helton, president] and [Sprint Cup series director, John] Darby and [Race Director David] Hoots.

"It's a question I think on a lot of people's minds that, This is great, but what's too much?

"The thing is, the drivers have always taken care of these things on track, whether you knew about them or not. They just weren't maybe as much out in the open because there would be a fine or there would be some kind of penalty handed down immediately.

"So you thought from an outsider's standpoint, that's over. But, trust me, as a driver, that was not over, that was not the end of it."

While both Keselowski and Edwards will meet again in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis this weekend, they are also set to compete in the short-track Nationwide series race on Saturday night at the nearby O'Reilly Raceway Park.

Agent expects Maicon stayGordon critical of Edwards’ antics

Johnson apologises for causing crash

Jimmie Johnson apologised for causing a fiery crash involving Kurt Busch and Elliott Sadler at Pocono, after he hit the back of the Penske driver's Dodge while fighting for position.

The reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion had dominated most of the first half of the race but in the last quarter of the distance and while trying to break into the top 10 again, he made contact with the rear of Busch's car on the stretch between Turns 1 and 2. The Penske driver ended up losing control and crashing against the wall before turning left and hitting the inside barrier as well.

Behind them Sadler got caught in the chain reaction and suffered a massive impact with the inside Armco. The magnitude of the hit was such that the engine of his Richard Petty Motorsports Ford got torn apart from the chassis and ended up lying at the side of the track as the front end was completely destroyed.

Following the crash and while the race was red-flagged to clean the debris from the track, Johnson apologised over his radio communication and after the race he explained he was simply trying to push Busch so that both got past Clint Bowyer, who was running on the outside of them.

"I just came up to bump-draft [Busch] and push him along down the back straightaway," said Johnson. "So, we did make some contact. I was just trying to bump draft him. He was already wobbling and I bumped him and then it was wobbling some more and then eventually it did a lazy turn to the right and into the wall.

"I certainly feel bad. I am glad the #19 [Sadler] is okay. I understand he took a heck of a hit. Last thing I wanted to do was cause a wreck or crash the #2 [Kurt Busch] or anything like that. I feel bad about that but we were all just racing real hard down the back."

Busch said Johnson drove "straight through" him and was left fuming at the manoeuvre from the Hendrick driver. Johnson said after the race that he remains open to talking to Busch about the incident, even knowing that he does not enjoy the best relationship with the former Cup champion.

"Kurt isn't very fond of me, he never has been," said Johnson. "I think when he has a chance to take a shot at me, he will probably do so. But certainly nothing intentional and if he would like to talk about it, I'm more than willing to talk about... I will definitely talk to him. If I am right or wrong, I have nothing to hide, so I will gladly talk to him."

Sadler caused concern, as he seemed to be in a lot of pain when he tried to get out of his stricken machine. Once he was out, he lay on the track trying to catch his breath back. He was evaluated at the track's care centre but released a few minutes later with only soreness in his upper body.

He was full of praise for his team and NASCAR for building such safe cars that allowed him to walk away from what he considered his hardest crash ever.

"I'm okay. I'm a little sore," said Sadler. "The breath definitely got knocked out of me. It was probably the hardest hit I've ever had in a race car, but I've got to thank all my guys back at home that put these things together.

"It knocked the engine out of it. I know it knocked the sway bar tube and the whole sway bar out of it and the whole left-front wheel assembly, but I'm still in one piece so it did its job. The way it hit the guardrail back there was pretty tough.

"I haven't seen the replay, but somebody just ran into the back of us and turned us inside through the wet grass into the guardrail, so I was along for the ride. It was a very hard hit. I'm a little sore through my chest and my stomach, but that's from where the seatbelts did their job and grabbed me and kept me in the car, so I'm thankful for that."

Four-time Pocono winner Jeff Gordon supported views that the safety in some areas of the 2.5-mile oval need to be upgraded. SAFER barriers were implemented at the track following a hard crash he had at the venue in 2006, but he believes work remains to be done to bring the track up to standard.

"The incidents speak for themselves," Gordon said. "There are times when we've got to step up the technology and the safety of certain facilities. We've seen a few incidents here this year, and I think it's going to be a wake-up call for some improvements. It's a great track. We love coming here. But there's definitely some areas that need to be improved."

Track owners had already planned on safety upgrades for next year but further changes are expected following Sadler's crash.

Busch laments Burton incidentAlmeida aware of rumours