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Postata de: Dogcat250 Jan 18 2019, 05:07 AM

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jacques Villeneuve is ready to make an IndyCar comeback. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports said Wednesday it has hired Villeneuve to race in this years Indianapolis 500, 19 years after the Canadian driver first drank the milk in Victory Lane. "IndyCar is growing again and thats why last year when I started watching races again, every time I watched I felt almost angry I wasnt there," the 1995 race winner said on a satellite hookup from France during a news conference held at the teams Indy headquarters. At age 42, Villeneuve seemed content being a television analyst, musician and RallyCross driver. But when Schmidt and co-owner Rick Peterson, also from Canada, made a serious offer, he couldnt refuse. The 500 is scheduled for May 25. Villeneuve certainly has a compelling resume. As an Indy rookie in 1994, he qualified fourth and finished second to Al Unser Jr., and was named the races rookie of the year. The next season, the reigning CART rookie of the year was even better. He qualified fifth at Indy, forced Scott Goodyear into a costly mistake on the final restart and eventually held off Christian Fittipaldi to become the first and only Canadian winner of the race. Villeneuve completed all 400 laps at Indy in those two starts and won the 1995 CART title, too. But after starting 33 races, winning six poles and five races in two IndyCar seasons, Villeneuve had a chance to become an international star. So he headed to Europe and joined Formula One -- the series that made his late father, Gilles, a household name. Like his dad, who died in a 1982 F1 qualifying crash, Villeneuve excelled on the world stage. In 163 career starts between 1996 and 2006, the younger Villeneuve reached the podium 23 times, won 11 races, 13 poles and claimed the 1997 world championship. At that point, American open-wheel racing wasnt even on the radar. His journey back to North America began in 2007 when Villeneuve made the move to American stock cars. Over the next seven seasons, he dabbled in Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Le Mans series as well as sports cars. Villeneuve regained interest in IndyCars last season as he watched how close and competitive the races had become. To him, it reminded him of the series he left almost two decades earlier. Suddenly, he was interested in making a return -- if he could find the right car and the right team. "To get this opportunity is a gift," Villeneuve said. "A lot of people say when you have kids, you slow down. I want my kids to see me race." Schmidt is the winningest team owner in Indy Lights history and already employs two full-time drivers in the better-known IndyCar series -- Russias Mikhail Aleshin and Frances Simon Pageland. In previous years, Schmidt has always found a way to compete at Indy. Getting Villeneuve might be the biggest coup of all for his low-budget team. "Indy is a special place. We go there not to exist but to win the race," Schmidt said. "To see a guy that finished second and finished first there, I dont think hes going to have any problem going back." Villeneuve becomes the fifth 500 winner on this years entry list. The others are three-time winner Helio Castroneves of Brazil, two-time winner Scott Dixon of New Zealand, 2000 winner Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia and Brazils Tony Kanaan, the defending champ. Another trip to Victory Lane would give Villeneuve two more milestones. He would break Al Unsers record for the longest gap between first and last victories. Unser went 17 years between his first Indy crown in 1970 and his record-tying fourth win in 1987. Villeneuve also would break Gordon Johncocks record for the longest gap between first and second wins at Indy, 1973 and 1982. Villeneuve isnt motivated by records. He wants to win. "Im a racer," he said, explaining he does not plan to retire anytime soon. "Ive got to find ways to get better and better and better, and Im going there with a team thats very experienced and has been very successful as well." http://www.airjordan11australia.com/ . They probably ruined Tim Duncans hopes of a career change, though. Duncan wants to be a point guard, coach Gregg Popovich revealed Saturday, a wish that wont be granted. http://www.airjordan11australia.com/ . -- Byron Scott is taking over the Los Angeles Lakers with the vocal support of his fellow Showtime greats. http://www.airjordan11australia.com/. For the Athletics, hes extremely important at the top of the order, especially with Coco Crisp hurting. Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3. http://www.airjordan11australia.com/ . According to a report from ESPN, Lynch wants a new contract from the Seahawks, and will likely skip all off-season workouts until he can renegotiate his deal with the Seahawks. http://www.airjordan11australia.com/ . Sweeting scored two in the first and three in the second before Strong (4-4) got two back in the fourth. Sweeting then scored three in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh to grab a commanding 9-2 lead.Will Greenwood is backing England to sparkle under the lights in Paris on Saturday - as he sits in the darkness to support Earth Hour. The former England international and Sky Sports expert is excited by the prospects of a Grand Slam title for Eddie Jones side, but is also urging everyone to simultaneously get behind the global initiative organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature.The event is held worldwide annually to encourage individuals, communities and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol of their commitment to the planet. France v England We take a look at five key talking points that could make the difference tonight Greenwood told Sky Sports News HQ: Sky as a company have got a long history and long heritage of supporting climate change, with a six-year campaign in and around the rain forest. Earth Hour has been going since 2007 and in 2015 10 million people took part in over 172 countries. But what does Earth Hour mean? Will Greenwood previews Englands Six Nations match-up against France. Between 8.30 and 9.30 tonight switch off as many lights as possible. I know people are saying England are playing France too win the Grand Slam but Ill be watching it at home with simply the TV on and the rest of the house in darkness.dddddddddddd Iconic landmarks like Buckingham Palace and the Eiffel Tower will be taking part. Around the world many sporting stadiums will simply press Click, turn, off with an understanding that even the smallest changes can make the biggest difference.Climate change is responsible for the extinction of species, and also really at the heart of why poverty takes place around the world so its hugely important initiative. The lights will be dimmed at Buckingham Palace and other landmarks tonight Sky have always grasped the bull by the horns it terms of being proactive in looking after our climate and we are hoping that as many of the 21m Sky custoners as possible tonight between 8.30-930 if they are having their takeaway or having a pint can ask the landlord to turn the lights off and drink their beer by candlelight.As to Englands hopes of landing their first Grand Slam for 13 years in Paris, Greenwood said: The key is to have the mental side of the game right. The southern hemisphere sides dont really care who wins the Six Nations but they will sit up and take notice if a side completes the clean sweep, turning over World Cup quarter-finalists like Wales and Ireland. France are still a threat, says Greenwood, despite their recent travails Playing at the Stade de France is a mighty challenge for any side, no matter what the current struggles are for the French. 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