Brousseau Photo
Patrick Carpentier, Pierre Keuttel and Carl Edwards pose for a photo in Montreal Canadians jerseys.By the Numbers: Montreal
Inaugural Busch race has touch of international flavor
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Saturday's Busch Series race in Montreal shows progress. It shows change. It shows diversity. It shows that NASCAR is expanding into new markets.
That's just by looking at the entry list.
For the first time, NASCAR will be racing in Canada as the inaugural NAPA Auto Parts 200 takes place Saturday at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (3 p.m. ET, ESPN2). It's the second time this season that the series ventures beyond the United States' boundaries. And the turnout shows.
But this week the talk isn't about a full field or how many Cup regulars will be qualifying. It's where these drivers come from to race in the Busch Series.
Interesting Fact
8Countries represented by drivers on the entry list: United States (27), Canada (8), Mexico (2), Australia (1), Italy (1), Sweden (1), England (1) and Venezuela (1).
Fun Fact
2Ranking of Montreal in terms of the largest French-speaking cities in the world. Paris is No. 1.
All the Facts
0NASCAR races held in Canada.
1Driver entered in Saturday's race who has won on a road course in the Busch Series: Ron Fellows.
2.709Length, in miles, of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the longest course in any of NASCAR's top three series.
3Road-course victories for Ron Fellows, the most among drivers entered in Saturday's race. His 10 Busch Series road-course starts are more than any driver on the entry list.
3Busch Series races held outside the United States, all of which were in Mexico City.
4Road-course races in the series that have been won from the pole. Eight of the 18 total races have been won from a front-row starting spot.
4Drivers who earned their first career Busch Series victory on a road course: Bill Elliott (1993, Watkins Glen), Ron Fellows (1998, Watkins Glen), Denny Hamlin (2006, Mexico City) and Juan Montoya (2007, Mexico City).
6Drivers expecting to make their first career Busch Series start this weekend.
7Drivers who will commute between Montreal and Pocono this weekend driving in both the Busch and Cup races: Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon, Kevin Harvick, David Ragan and David Reutimann.
14Reporters for MRN Radio covering Saturday's race, the most the network has used in its history of covering NASCAR events.
14Drivers entered in Saturday's race who have no road-course experience in the Busch Series.
18Busch Series races held on three different road courses: Watkins Glen (13), Autodromos Hermanos Rodriguez (3) and Road Atlanta (2).
22Worst starting position by a road-course winner (Ernie Irvan, 1992 at Watkins Glen).
304Laps on road courses since 2005 in which Boris Said has run inside the top 15.
$2,075,651Purse for Saturday's race, the eighth-richest in Busch Series history and the third this season in excess of $2 million.
Inaugural Races in the Busch Series
Since 1995
| Track | First Race | Winner | Pole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homestead | 1995 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Nemechek |
| Las Vegas | 1997 | Jeff Green | Jeff Green |
| California | 1997 | Matt Kenseth | Steve Park |
| Gateway | 1997 | Elliott Sadler | Joe Bessey |
| Texas | 1997 | Mark Martin | Jeff Green |
| Pikes Peak | 1998 | Matt Kenseth | Matt Kenseth |
| Memphis | 1999 | Jeff Green | Jeff Green |
| Phoenix | 1999 | Jeff Gordon | Ken Schrader |
| Chicagoland | 2001 | Jimmie Johnson | Ryan Newman |
| Kansas | 2001 | Jeff Green | Kevin Lepage |
| Kentucky | 2001 | Kevin Harvick | Jay Sauter |
| Nashville | 2001 | Greg Biffle | Kevin Harvick |
| Mexico City | 2005 | Martin Truex Jr. | Jorge Goeters |
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NAPA Auto Parts 200
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
| When: | Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET |
| Track Size: | 2.709 miles |
| Turns: | 14 |
| Race Distance: | 200.466 miles (74 laps) |
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