Something puzzles me.
I don't recall any top NASCAR driver ever deciding to leave NASCAR to drive open-wheels. Conversely, this year we have seen two new defections to next year's Sprint Cup season. This on the heels of Juan Pablo Montoya's rookie year. Jacques Villeneuve, the former F1 World Champion and Indy 500 winner, will join Dario Franchitti, the reigning IRL, and Indy 500 champion when the big show comes to your town.
And the crowd goes wild!
The question is why. An easy question to ask, not an easy one to answer. Is it the money? Is it the prestege? Is it because they need a new challenge? One thing is for sure, (guys like Scott Pruett, and Wally Dallenbach can tell you) As a driver, Cup is the hardest thing you will ever attempt in your life. Dallenbach drove for Hendrick, and never won. Never won in a car sponsored by Budweiser! Ok, so Pruitt drove for Cal Wells, but Ricky Craven did win at Darlington for Wells, so every once in a while they put a decent car on the grid.
Villeneuve has seen his meteoric career go from the highest of highs, to stints with lesser F1 teams, to the Puegeot LeMans factory team this year. Of the six drivers on that team, his was the least impressive in overall performance according to observers. Rumor has it that his manager Greg Pollack brought the money needed to Bill Davis Racing to make his NASCAR dream come true. Pollack was also the guy who gave Villeneuve the bad advise to leave the Williams F1 team the year AFTER he won the world championship to drive for the newly formed British American Racing, a team that Pollack was a part owner of. A move his career never really recovered from. Villeneuve's last major accomplishment in racing? You guessed it!
Franchitti has been a major face in American open wheels for a decade. This year saw the pinnacle of his success, after bouncing around from good team to good team. Though his talent has never been questioned, his luck has not been complementary. Like Villeneuve, Franchitti is at the tail-end of his career. Two earth-departing wrecks this year punctuated the both the best and maybe the worst year of his racing life. These mortality checks might just be the reason why he now wishes for the safety of a closed cockpit car with fenders. I don't get the impression that he thinks that NASCAR will be a cakewalk, this is more of a case where Chip Ganassi is betting that lightning can stike twice in consecutive years. JP Montoya's first year in Cup has been at least a moderate succcess, and Chip wants to see Dario have the same kind of impact.
My advice to Jacques - Understand that you will sign more autographs in one day at a Cup event than you did in a entire year in F1. If you think you can be an island unto yourself in NASCAR, think again. NASCAR will demand that you actually represent sponsors, and face the public. The days of being a racing diva are now offically over.
My advice to Dario - If you think that your wife (Ashley Judd) got attention in the IRL, just wait till all of these down home American Wynonna and Naomi Judd loving fans get a hold of you next year! Keep that girl away from the track or you will not be able to move five feet.
My advice to both - Get ready to get your head handed to you in your first year. If you don't wish to take my word for it, call Montoya and find out. If you thought the racing you've done up til now was competitive, you aint seen nothing yet. Montoya learned that quickly. Gotta hand it to Juan though, when he got pushed, he pushed back!
Welcome to NASCAR, your life will never be the same.