AUGUST 8, 2006

Goossens to beat Montoya to NASCAR

Marc Goossens was a useful open-wheeler driver in Europe in the 1990s. He won the British Formula Ford title and finished third in the British Formula 3 Championship in 1993 going on to win races in Formula 3000 in 1996 and 1997. He then went to Japan but returned to F3000 again until 2001 when , having failed to break into F1 he turned his attention to GT racing. That was not enough for the 35-year-old Belgian and he has been trying to break into NASCAR in recent seasons, making his debut in the Busch Series earlier this year in a Robert Yates Racing car in Mexico, qualifying sixth and finishing ninth. Now it seems Goossens will be seen racing a Robert Yates Racing car in the Nextel Cup event at Watkins Glen this weekend - if he can qualify. Goossens has done well in tests and hopes that a good showing will lead to bigger opportunities in NASCAR.