Former System One champion Jacques Villeneuve will be a part of Netherlands based mostly outfit Crew Hezeberg in a bid for a spot on the Daytona 500 beginning grid, NASCAR stated on Wednesday.

The 50-year-old Canadian, winner of the 1995 Indianapolis 500 and the 1997 F1 drivers crown, took half in preseason testing on the famed Daytona Seaside monitor on Tuesday and Wednesday, confirming he’ll attempt to qualify for the Feb. 20 race.

Villeneuve has competed since 2019 within the NASCAR Whelen Euro Collection, alongside collection champion and Amsterdam native Loris Hezemans, who shall be Crew Hezeberg’s main driver.

“It will be wonderful,” Villeneuve stated on NASCAR.com. “The final time I used to be in NASCAR in North America was fairly just a few years, I believe it was Sonoma [Raceway] the final time so it was a variety of years in the past.

“Will probably be extraordinarily particular as a result of it’s also a standout race.

“It’s a very particular race to take part in, and it is laborious to get into present when you need to qualify on time or within the duels.

“So it makes it a bit extra annoying, and making the present would already be one thing particular.”

The group put collectively by former sports activities automotive racer Toine Hezemans, Dutch businessman Ernst Berg, and Reaume Brothers Racing, plans to run a partial schedule, competing primarily in highway course races.

“It is a small group and there is nonetheless an extended option to go,” stated Villeneuve. “Proper now we’re specializing in Daytona and hopefully we’ll do extra races.”