Nationwide - Carpentier To drive The NAPA Toyota In Montreal

CORNELIUS, May 17, 2011: Pastrana-Waltrip Racing and NAPA announced today that Canadian driver Patrick Carpentier will race the No. 99 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota in the NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 presented by Dodge, NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal on Aug. 20.

''We are extremely proud to see someone like Patrick, a great friend of our event being confirmed for our August race. Our spectators cheering for him will be numerous. We surely wish him another pole position and finally, a first Nationwide Series win in front of his home crowd," said François Dumontier, President of Octane Management Inc. and Delegated Promoter of the event.

The Joliette (Quebec) native won the pole for this race in 2007 and posted second-place finishes in 2007 and 2008. The 2009 and 2010 Montreal races saw Carpentier as one of the fastest on the track before mechanical issues ended his races early.

"This is the most important race of the year for me," said the 39-year-old Carpentier who led 14 laps of the 2007 race on the 2.71-mile (4.361 km) road course. "We've been so close in Montreal and I think this year we have as good of a shot as anyone. I've said many times that winning in Montreal would definitely be a highlight in my career." Carpentier owns 14 Nationwide and 39 Sprint Cup starts after winning five races in CART in a stellar open wheel career. He has quite a history on the Montreal track finishing first and third in Formula Atlantic races and posting two third-place finishes in CART.

"Patrick Carpentier is a driver with whom NAPA can easily identify: he is determined, dynamic and ambitious. We are very proud to have Patrick behind the wheel of our NAPA car again this year. We are confident that the Waltrip-Pastrana and Carpentier team has many great surprises in store for us," said Robert Hattem, President and COO of UAP Inc.