Former F1 and IndyCar champion Jacques Villeneuve will take part in qualifying for NASCAR’s 2022 season opener, the 64th Daytona 500, in mid-February
acques Villeneuve has a taste for NASCAR once again. The 1995 Indy 500 winner and IndyCar champion, as well as 1997 Formula One world champion, will compete in qualifying for this year’s Daytona 500 in mid-February.
The 64th running of the “Great American Race” is on the 2022 NASCAR calendar for 20 February and will be the first points race with the new car – Gen7 or Next-Gen. Villeneuve tested this very car this week in Daytona, namely for Team Hezeberg. This is the new NASCAR team from the Netherlands, founded by Toine Hezemans and Ernst Berg.
Because Team Hezeberg does not have a so-called charter and thus automatic eligibility for races in NASCAR’s top league, the team’s drivers have to qualify for the races each time. Villeneuve is trying to do just that in a few weeks at the Daytona 500.
“It’s difficult to be on the grid when you have to qualify for it either by lap time (in the individual time trial on 16 February) or by the Duel (qualifying race on 17 February; editor’s note),” Villeneuve remarked on Wednesday on the sidelines of testing at Daytona, admitting, “Just to make it into the race would be very special. “
“The last time I competed in a NASCAR race was a couple of years ago,” recalls the Canadian, who has made four appearances in NASCAR’s top division. These took place in Talladega and Phoenix in 2007, as well as in Indianapolis in 2010 and Sonoma in 2013.
Villeneuve tried to qualify for the Daytona 500 with Bill Davis Racing in 2008. However, he crashed in his qualifying race (Duel) and his dream of making his race debut in the “Great American Race” was over. Now, 14 years later, the now 50-year-old Villeneuve is making another attempt.
Incidentally, in October 2021 Villeneuve scored his first victory in the NASCAR Euro Series in Vallelunga (Italy). In this same NASCAR European Championship, Loris Hezemans won the title in 2019 and 2021. And now this year, just like Villeneuve, the 24-year-old Dutchman is scheduled for some Cup appearances with Team Hezeberg. Loris Hezemans is the son of team co-owner Toine Hezemans.