Jeff Gordon and B.A.R.

[cosworth151]

I just came across this in Sports Illustrated. According to this, Jacques Villeneuve, the reigning Formula 1 World Champion, approached Jeff Gordon, the reigning Sprint Cup champion, in 1997 with a plan that could have taken Gordon to B.A.R. in 2000.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/tim_tuttle/10/07/inside.nascar/?eref=sircrc

[lkjohnson1950]

Gordon said on wind tunnel that the talks were very serious, but just didn't work out. ($$$?) Based on his exchange with JPM at Indy a few years ago I suspect he would at least have been respectable.

[John S]

Good find Cos.

The admissions about the Parker Johnstone episode at the Green team certainly shows the power the tobacco sponsors used to wield, perhaps sponsors still do, distorting driver selection against natural talent.

[Steven Roy]

That is new to me.  I can't imagine money was the issue as BAR were throwing it around.  Besides with Gordon on board they could easily have raised whatever he wantd in sponsorship.

[lkjohnson1950]

Gorden didn't say it was money, but at that time, for a rookie in F1, and given the bias against Americans, and NASCAR drivers in Europe, I just thought that was probably it. Jeff has made a ton of money NASCAR.