Villeneuve secured a spot in the 64th edition of the Daytona 500 in qualifying on Wednesday, coming in 36th in the final standings. The team, however, faced engine problems just the next day, which continued until Saturday. While his mechanics raced against the clock to fix the car, the 50-year-old explained the issue, saying:
As a result of the problems he faced, Villeneuve will start last on the grid. Should he overcome an engine change and a P40 start to miraculously win the Great American Race, he will become only the second driver to win the three most coveted laurels of the motorsport world — F1 title, Indy500 title, and the Daytona 500 trophy — after Mario Andretti.
The 1995 Indy500 winner spoke about his apprehensions before attempting NASCAR and how he feels now, saying:
NASCAR confiscates car parts following Daytona 500 qualifying
Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve was not alone in facing stumbling blocks in the lead-up to Sunday’s Great American Race. On Friday, NASCAR officials confiscated the wheels used by Rousch Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing and Team Penske.
The NASCAR memo stating the development did not provide the number of wheels confiscated. It did, however, say that any penalties that could arise after the inspection of the parts will be applied at a later date. In the meantime, the wheels will be sent to the NASCAR Research & Development Center for further inspection.
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