Special Appearance at the Canadian Motorsports Expo

[ITMN]

Jacques Villeneuve is coming to the Canadian Motorsports Expo


(TORONTO, ON / JAN. 14, 2009) The Canadian Motorsports Expo is pleased to announce that Canadian racing star Jacques Villeneuve will be appearing at the show for several hours on Saturday, January 17.

While at the Canadian Motorsports Expo, the former F1, CART and Indy 500 champion will participate in:

* A 1-hour autograph session on the Main Stage during which a maximum number of fans can meet Jacques, get his autograph, and snap photos from in front of the stage. The autograph session takes place from 11 a.m. until noon.

* A 50-minute press conference (media only) in the Seminar Room. This takes place from noon until 12:50 p.m. Contact info@canadianmotorsportsexpo.com for credentials.

* A 30-minute public session on the Main Stage during which Jacques will discuss his plans for 2009 and interact with the fans. This moderated discussion will take place from 2 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.

“We are honoured to have Jacques Villeneuve participate in the third annual Canadian Motorsports Expo,” said CME President Glenn Butt. “He is a Canadian and international hero whose achievements are among the greatest in racing. We’re very happy he’s chosen the CME as a venue to connect with racing fans and the media, and to discuss his plans for the future.”

The Canadian Motorsports Expo is a three-day celebration of Canadian racing that runs January 16 to 18 at the International Centre (6900 Airport Road in Mississauga). The show is sponsored by Lucas Oil Canada and is powered by Inside Track Motorsport News. In addition to booths and racing vehicles representing the entire spectrum of Canadian motorsports, the show is jammed with seminars and forums to entertain and inform racers and fans alike.

For all three days of the CME, NASCAR Canada is presenting the #48 Lowe’s Chevy of three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and the #88 AMP Chevy of Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the sport’s most popular drivers.

For more information about the Canadian Motorsports Expo, visit www.canadianmotorsportsexpo.com, call Glenn Butt at (905) 576-8593 or email him at glenn@canadianmotorsportsexpo.com. You can reach co-promoters Inside Track at (416) 962-7223 or email expo@insidetracknews.com.

[AtomicPunk]

Cool! This is an exciting addition to the show.

Oh, and any restrictions on what he might sign?

[ITMN]

Don't think so, other than the obvious;)



Cool! This is an exciting addition to the show.

Oh, and any restrictions on what he might sign?

[AtomicPunk]

Don't think so, other than the obvious;)

I know, I know. The kind of boobies I have he wouldn't be interested in signing.

[George]

Someone ask Villeneuve if he remembers launching himself off my back wheel 4 laps into the 100cc National race at the Canadian Championships in Sanair..lol

[Doug P]

Someone ask Villeneuve if he remembers launching himself off my back wheel 4 laps into the 100cc National race at the Canadian Championships in Sanair..lol

Didn't you tell me you punted his uncle off later in that race? :D

[George]

Didn't you tell me you punted his uncle off later in that race? :D

No, uncle Jacques took over the drive after the accident but we both had to start from the back because repairs were done under the red flag so my 5th place qualifying turned into 50th or whatever..lol I worked my way back up to 7th. and punted some backmarker off in the process - I don't know where uncle Jacques finished but he was back there somewhere I guess - I was expecting to have a problem with him but it never happened.

Good race though, poured rain for the first 2 days of practice and then dry for the finals.

A lot of people thought that the best race of the meeting was 100cc International with my good friends Pradip Jaywardene and Eddie Truant running nose to tail in first and second for 25 laps. Pradip also finished 5th in the CIK World Championship race for 135cc Direct Drive held at Jacksonville, Florida; his efforts were somewhat hampered by the fact that all his equipment, frames and motors were stolen in Florida prior to the race and they had to buy a new frame and some extra motors from the Dutch team of Peter DeBruen Racing.

[23Racer]

George, your stirring up some memories for me with those names. Its too bad that when I got involved in karting all of those National championships had pretty much disappeared, especially if you wanted to run direct drive FIK classes. I remember the first time I drove a 100cc direct drive National class kart, I thought it was the fastest thing going. Then I drove a 100cc international and thought the same thing. Then I drove a 135cc and thought it was the fastest thing on 4 wheels and that it was going to take off when you pulled the trigger with the torque of the thing.

A few years later I got to drive a 125cc shifter sprint kart, after I started racing cars. I felt that the acceleration was mind crushing and I knew that it would take a number of test sessions to really get on top of the beast.

I still miss the days of running wheel to wheel with 40 karts at Goodwood or Shannonville. Running that hard with guys like Lee Bentham, Guido Saturno, Crazy Tony Luani, those far too serious guys from Quebec, etc... really taught you race craft, vehicle management and especially full on determination to win. I have very rarely had the same feelings in a car of full commitment and outright speed.

Who knows, maybe this years events will be at that level, I can always hope, lol.

Eric