Former F1 champ Villeneuve to test truck for Bill Davis Racing

HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Jacques Villeneuve will try to become the latest Formula One driver to move into NASCAR, hoping to parlay a test session into a new career.

Villeneuve, a former F1 world champion, will test a truck for Bill Davis Racing on Monday at Chicagoland Speedway, the team said Thursday.

"Bill Davis Racing was aware of my interest in NASCAR and approached my management team with a view to allowing me to test within its truck program," Villeneuve said. "I'm glad we were able to work that out, and having spent the day with the team for my seat fitting, I am really looking forward to working with Bill and his staff."

Villeneuve has not raced on ovals since 1995, when he won both the Indianapolis 500 and the Indy Racing League title. The Canadian used those accomplishments to land an F1 ride, and became world champion in 1997.

He had a rocky ride after that, though, and lost his seat with BMW-Sauber midway through last season.

Craig Pollock, Villeneuve's longtime manager, said they prefer for the driver to ease into NASCAR through the Truck Series. Last summer, Juan Pablo Montoya jumped from F1 to NASCAR and eased his way in. But Montoya never raced in the Truck Series, going straight into stock cars for his October debut.

Montoya is now in NASCAR's top-level Nextel Cup Series, and he scored his first career victory on the road course in Sonoma, Calif., in June.