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Villeneuve Leads Nationwide Practice At Road America

Elkhart Lake, Wis., June 22 – With the NASCAR Nationwide Series completing the first of two scheduled practice sessions for the Sargento 200 at Road America, familiar road racing veterans have found their way to the top of the speed charts with Jacques Villeneuve leading the way with a time of 2 minutes, 13.564 seconds at an average speed of 109.107 mph.

Driving the #22 Penske Racing Dodge, Villeneuve turned his fast lap on his final circuit in the two hour practice session as did Nelson Piquet Jr. as he wheeled his #30 Turner Motorsports Chevrolet to second fastest with a lap time of 2 minutes, 14.211 seconds at an average speed of 108.581 mph. Max Papis piloted the #33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to the third best time in practice after touring the Road America course in 2 minutes, 15.230 seconds (107.763 mph) while Michael McDowell was fourth in the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at 2 minutes, 15.558 seconds (107.502 mph). Ron Fellows rounded out the top five in the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at 2 minutes, 15.720 seconds with an average speed of 107.374 mph.

Sam Hornish Jr. posted the sixth fastest time in the #12 Penske Racing Dodge while Miguel Paludo in the #32 Turner Motorsports Chevrolet and Justin Allgaier in the#31 Turner Motorsports Chevrolet were seventh and eighth respectively. Brian Scott and Jason Bowles rounded out the top ten on the speed chart.

Other notable drivers included Danica Patrick in 12th, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 15th, Elliott Sadler in 16th, and Colin Braun, driving the #54 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota in place of Kurt Busch who will race the car in the Sargento 200, in 19th. Austin Dillon was 20th quick in the practice session after bringing out the first full course caution with an early spin into the gravel in turn 14.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also brought out a full course caution in the session after damaging the ride side of his car with contact exiting turn 11 but later recovered to post the 15th fastest speed. The third and final full course caution of the session occurred for an incident involving Matthew Bell as he sustained damage to both sides of his car with an off-track excursion exiting turn one. Justin Allgaier damaged the left side of his car after contact in turn 12 and Brad Sweet damaged the front of his car after spinning in turn five but neither mishap produced a full course slowdown as they kept their cars moving.

Light rains moved in at the end of the session, dampening the track which could change conditions prior to a final 90 minute practice session scheduled for later in the afternoon.

In other support series practice sessions, Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge ST Class driver Mark Pombo sustained a hard crash entering turn 12, otherwise known as Canada Corner. Pombo’s Kia failed to slow and slammed hard into the tire barriers before overturning. Pombo was taken to Froedtert Memorial Hospital in Milwaukee where he was being held overnight for treatment for injuries that were reported to be a concussion, broken clavicle, and a broken nose.

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