February 17, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Villeneuve ecstatic for unexpected victory--qualifying for the Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—“Amazing!” 

That’s how Jacques Villeneuve described qualifying for his first Daytona 500. 

After he won the 1997 F1 title--not to mention the 1995 Indianapolis 500 and the CART title the same year--the Great American Race was one of the few crown jewels missing from the 50-year-old racer’s resume. 

Still, after all of Villeneuve’s accomplishments, just making the field for the Daytona 500 ranks right up at the top. 

“Obviously, it’s not a win,” said the driver of the No. 27 Team Hezeberg Ford. “It’s not like winning the Indy 500 or the F1 championship, but at this point in my career... the last time I tried to qualify here was 14 years ago. Just to make the show is incredible because it’s a small team. 

“We didn’t link up with a big team to get the car ready, and it’s highly unexpected to be able to make it on time, so it ranks right after these big wins.”

Wednesday’s attempt at qualifying for the 500 wasn’t his first. Villeneuve aligned with Bill Davis Racing in 2008—and was one of 10 drivers who failed to make the 43-car field. 

Just the sheer opportunity to jump behind the wheel of a NASCAR Cup car was reason enough to draw Villeneuve back in. Racing makes him feel alive. Sure, there’s the potential risk of embarrassing himself—should things go horribly wrong. But the challenge of qualifying for and racing one of the most prestigious events in the world—even with a small, unproven team—was too attractive to turn down. 

“I love being the underdog,” Villeneuve said. “That’s always when I’ve done my best. It’s very different at Daytona because you’re very dependent on having a good spotter—and how he positions you. But it’s always the kind of pressure that I’ve loved.

“When I won the Indy 500, I was two laps down which is usually not something you would recuperate from. When I won the F1 championship, I was a point behind after being disqualified the previous race. Then you get into the position when you have nothing to lose, basically. So you can really go for it. If it goes wrong, well, you’re were you were at at the start of the race. 

“So, it can be very exciting, but it can be very disappointing as well.”

Excited can’t begin to describe Villeneuve’s feeling when he locked himself into the field on Wednesday—one of just two cars to pull off the feat. Twenty-three-year-old Noah Gragson grabbed the second spot available to the six unchartered teams in time trials. Greg Biffle, Timmy Hill, Kaz Grala and JJ Yeley will have to race their way in from the Duel qualifying races on Thursday night. 

"When I was in F1 I didn’t think I would be able to drive anything else," Villeneuve said. "I was so focused and groomed for those kind of cars, and it’s not until I jumped into a NASCAR that I realized there was a lot of fun to be had driving something different and I’ve had a blast ever since just jumping in different kind of cars. The most fun I’ve had racing has been in NASCAR, not qualifying because it’s hard to beat the speed that you get in Formula 1, but racing wheel-to-wheel or fender-to-fender, you can’t beat the way it goes in NASCAR.”

Josh Reaume is listed as Villeneuve’s crew chief. Veteran crew chief and former Cup team owner Tommy Baldwin will be spotting for Villeneuve. He won the 2002 Daytona 500 with Ward Burton behind the wheel. 

While Villeneuve failed to crack the top 20 in Cup, he’s earned three podium finishes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Most recently, Villeneuve was victorious in the 2021 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season finale—the NASCAR GP Italy at Autodromo Vallelunga.

“I won the last race in the Euro NASCAR and on the podium there were 20-year-olds and then they look at you and you can see that they’re confused,” said Villeneuve, who rolls off 27th in the second Bluegreen Vacations Duel. “To be able to make such a big race at such a high level is amazing and when I’m in the race car I don’t realize that I’m 50, which is good.  

“As long as it carries on like this, I can’t imagine myself stopping racing.”