Canadian's comments a boost to NASCARJacques
Jacques Villeneuve is edging closer to a deal with a NASCAR team, according to an Italian sports newspaper.
La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting this week that the French Canadian, whose BMW Sauber tenure and Formula One career abruptly
ended after the German Grand Prix last month, is now in talks with a team in the highly-popular American stock car series.
If confirmed for 2007, the news would make
Jacques Villeneuve the second former Formula One winner to switch to NASCAR this year, after
Juan Pablo Montoya announced his shock move in early July.
In the LA Times meanwhile, the President of a leading sports marketing firm, Ardy Arani, outlined the value that a couple of well-known Grand Prix stars would bring to the US-based category.
He also called
Jacques Villeneuve's recent comments, in which he favourably compared NASCAR with Formula One's prestige, as a 'watershed event'.
Arani continued: "NASCAR, at least in terms of the dialogue among racers, is now seen as having parity with one of the major racing series in the world."
Source GMM CAPSIS International
