Jacques Villeneuve – UNICEF Tundra Post Race Report
Race: Ford 200
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Date: Friday, Nov. 16, 2007
Started: Third
Finished: 36th
Laps Completed: 81
Total Laps: 138
For Jacques Villeneuve, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway was not only the final race of the 2007 season, but it was also his final NCTS start, as he will join the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series ranks in 2008.
Villeneuve and crew chief "Slugger" Labbe made some serious headway during each practice session Friday morning. The No. 27 UNICEF Tundra was near the top of the speed chart in all three practice sessions and finished as the third-fastest truck in the final practice session. Villeneuve and his team were ready for that afternoon's qualifying session.
Villeneuve ran as hard as he could during qualifying. A great lap of 31.368 seconds placed Villeneuve third on the starting grid for that evening's race and gave Villeneuve his best NCTS start.
As the race got underway, Villeneuve immediately experienced problems. He drifted toward the back of the field, but he tried to regain lost track position by lap 40. By lap 61, Villeneuve had worked his way into the lead.
Villeneuve maintained the lead throughout the next few laps before pitting under caution on lap 77. After the four tire stop, Villeneuve restarted fifth on lap 80. It seemed as if he was on his way to his highest finish ever.
However, on lap 81, Villeneuve's Tundra got loose and backed into the wall. The incident relegated him to the garage area for the remainder of the race. He and the No. 27 UNICEF team were credited with a 36th-place finish.
Villeneuve will now set his sights on 2008 and the upcoming NEXTEL Cup Series season.
From Amanda Smith Mathis / Bill Davis Racing
