By the Numbers: Montreal

Just how important is this week's Nationwide Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal for Canadian-born drivers? It means so much to Patrick Carpentier that the Sprint Cup rookie will not drive this week at Pocono, deciding instead to focus solely on the NAPA Auto Parts 200 (3 p.m. ET Sat., ESPN2).

Carpentier, a native of Quebec, began the transition from open-wheel to NASCAR when he debuted last year at Montreal. He earned the pole and finished second on the 2.7-mile road course in a race overshadowed by an confusing ending that resulted in Robby Gordon getting parked for the next day's Cup race at Pocono.

Carpentier will be making his fifth series start of the season and eighth of his career. He has two top-fives, both on road courses.

In all, nine natives of Canada are on the Entry List for NASCAR's second foray north of the border. Of the nine, five will be making their series debut.

Ron Fellows, from Ontario, has been the most successful with three series victories, all on the road course at Wakins Glen. Jacques Villeneuve, of Quebec, will be making his 2008 and Nationwide Series debut. Villeneuve, whose NASCAR career was short-circuited by lack of sponsorship for the No. 27 Cup car of Bill Davis Racing, is the son of legendary racer Gilles Villeneuve for whom the Montreal track is named.

Kevin Harvick is the defending race winner, but won't be defending his win. Gordon, who thought he should've been the winner and even celebrated as if he were, won't be there, either.

Road aces Max Papis and Fellows finished third and fourth, respectively. Marcos Ambrose, the Austrailian who got tangled up with Gordon to create last year's chaos, finished seventh. A few more key numbers from that race:

Also
• Confusing finish leaves drivers, fans speechless