Michel Jourdain Becomes First Full-Time Hispanic in NASCAR
Written by: Cassio Cortes
Dearborn, Mich. - 1/6/2005 Jourdain wants to make history as the first
full-time Mexican in NASCAR

After nine seasons of Champ Car competition, Mexican driver Michel Jourdain Jr
has signed a multi-year contract to campaign a Ford Taurus in NASCAR's Busch
Series beginning in 2005.

Jourdain was dropped both by his sponsor Gigante (which withdrew from racing)
and his team RuSPORT - he was replaced by Justin Wilson - by the end of this
season, and was thought to be still scrambling to land a Champ Car ride.

Although it can be argued Jourdain was beginning to slip past his open-wheel
prime, having been outclassed by rookie teammate A.J. Allmendinger throughout
the year, Jourdain's loss comes as a blow to Champ Car, as the Mexican's
announcement will certainly boost interest in NASCAR's first-ever
south-of-the-border venture - the Busch Series will race at the Autodromo
Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City next March.

Ford Racing's Dan Davis defined Jourdain's tin-top switch as "another important
step in promoting diversity in NASCAR." The 28-year-old driver is set to become
the first Hispanic to campaign a full-time ride in America's most popular form
of motorsport.

Jourdain tested with ppc Racing for the first time last October, and will get
his first superspeedway test with the team later this month during Busch Series
testing at Daytona International Speedway.

"I've been wanting to come to NASCAR for a couple years now," revealed Jourdain,
"and Dan Davis worked very hard with me to find the right opportunity where I
could have a chance to work and learn with a top team like ppc."

"This is completely different from what I've been doing the last 10 years, but
I've got a championship crew, three great teammates, and the people at ppc have
been wonderful to work with."

ppc Racing team owner Greg Pollex believes the deal presents "a great
sponsorship opportunity" for American and Mexican companies. "We're committed to
running the full schedule of Busch races this year, depending on what NASCAR
will allow in terms of the superspeedways," he revealed.

"We know there's going to be a learning curve for him coming over from
open-wheel," added Pollex, "but he's got the talent and the right attitude to
compete at this level."

Jourdain also preferred a cautious approach: "This is going to be a learning
year," he added. "I've raced on some of the tracks - places like Fontana and
Milwaukee - but a lot of them will be new for me. By the end of the year, I hope
we'll be in position to compete for top 10s and top fives, but the key for me
this year will be to finish races and get as much seat time as I can."

But the Mexican, a two-time winner in 152 Champ Car starts, has higher
expectations in the long run: "I'd like this to be the first step to getting to
Nextel Cup."

On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 12:37:40 -0500, D Type wrote:
Well, won't this come as a surprise to Felipe Lopez, who for years has claimed
that Kyle Petty is Hispanic???? LOL


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"D Type" wrote ...
What, exactly, would a part-time Hispanic in nascar be when he's not being
Hispanic? Swedish?

D Type wrote:



Carlos Contreras on line 1.




John

I bet Carlos Contresas wonders what he did full time a few years ago. I could
have sworn that he drove a Petty Enterprises truck full time.

"H.B. Elkins" <hbelkins (AT) mis (DOT) net.restrictorplate> wrote

This has to be the best running joke in RASN since the whole Gonkulator
thing.

"Why is Kyle Petty no longer running in Winston Cup? Was the discrimination
against him due to the fact that he is an Hispanic American?"
- Felipe Lopez, Nov. 19, 2000

"John Sutphin" <johnsutphin (AT) comcast (DOT) net> wrote

"BGNMan" <bgnman (AT) aol (DOT) com> wrote

Ahhhh the Philipe Lopez connection.....