Former Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen will drive in NASCAR

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nascage

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http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2011-03-30/kimi-raikkonen-approved-to-race-trucks-at-charlotte

Quote:

Former Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen has tendered his driver application and resume to NASCAR, the sanctioning body confirmed Wednesday.

Raikkonen has sought and received approval to compete in the May 20 NC Education Lottery 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, according to NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharp.

Beyond that, Raikkonen’s plans have not been announced. A newspaper in his native Finland cited Raikonnen as saying he intends to bring his ICE-1 Racing team to NASCAR competition with former RPM boss Foster Gillett as one of his financial partners.



Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar/...ved-to-race-trucks-at-charlotte#ixzz1I8pmPG4d
 
nascage said:
Raikonnen as saying he intends to bring his ICE-1 Racing team to NASCAR competition with former RPM boss Foster Gillett as one of his financial partners.
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That worked so well for RPM:rolleyes:
 
A newspaper in his native Finland cited Raikonnen as saying he intends to bring his ICE-1 Racing team to NASCAR competition with former RPM boss Foster Gillett as one of his financial partners.
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interesting read until i read this. i wouldn't buy tickets to the truck race to see him just yet. first impression, he won't be there.
 
Ray Evernham, a former partner of Foster Gillett at Richard Petty Motorsports was a little bit astounded when he learned of the rumor of Kimi Raikkonen coming to NASCAR with a new team owned by Foster Gillett. "I really don't know why Kimi would partner with people who continually fail with sports franchises," Evernham told Auto123.com. "I don't know how they could leave with so many unpaid bills and return to the sport," Evernham added. Evernham says he was not paid over $19USD million and brought a lawsuit against his former partner earlier this year in a state court in North Carolina.(Auto123.com)(3-29-2011)
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Me thinks Ray dislikes Gillett just a tad!!! :sarcasm:
 
wolfcub said:
Me thinks Ray dislikes Gillett just a tad!!! :sarcasm:
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He's right though, I have no idea how they have any financial assets at Gillett. They still owe people money, not sure how their even allowed back into the sport. Like SlownEasy said, I don't think we are gonna see Kimi at Charlotte.
 
JimmieGordon2448 said:
He's right though, I have no idea how they have any financial assets at Gillett. They still owe people money, not sure how their even allowed back into the sport. Like SlownEasy said, I don't think we are gonna see Kimi at Charlotte.
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agreed. but NASCAR just wants money and car counts- they dont care if they owe money elsewhere or not
 
Wouldn't it be interesting to see a protest by other teams if he makes it to the track? NASCAR would certainly care if the other teams refused to race with his team in the race.
 
Granted Gillett is a total douchebag but at the same time how can NASCAR ban him from being an owner. As it stands now, I don't know that the guy has been convicted of anything that could be grounds for NASCAR to pull his hard-card.
 
wolfcub said:
Me thinks Ray dislikes Gillett just a tad!!! :sarcasm:
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i'd dislike anyone more than a tad if they owed me $19 mil. foster gillett should be sitting in jail, along with his dear old dad. tis a shame he wasn't a robby gordon financial backer. at least riobby would have gotten something from the deadbeat, even if it was only a little satisfaction (face, meet fist).
 
Former Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen will make his NASCAR debut in the May 20 Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway driving an entry fielded by Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Busch confirmed Saturday that his organization had signed Raikkonen, 31, for three to five races this season. Raikkonen is responsible for bringing sponsorship to the team, Busch said....
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can't ask for better equipment. kimi is a great driver. it will be interesting to see how he handles the contact. i'd consider a top 10-15 a big success for his first race. most likely he crashes out, probably with a little help. <g>
 
And people talk abut the lack of peronality i NASCAR. You ever see a Kimi interview? Aside from his extremely thick Finnish accent, the guy shows absolutely no emotion under any circumstances.
 
VaDirt said:
And people talk abut the lack of peronality i NASCAR. You ever see a Kimi interview? Aside from his extremely thick Finnish accent, the guy shows absolutely no emotion under any circumstances.
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Neither has any other Finnish person I've met.
 
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