Schmidt Peterson Motosports co-owners Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson announced that the team will field an Indianapolis 500 entry for 1995 Indianapolis 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve.

“The opportunity came about with Sam Schmidt. We started talking not long ago, actually a few weeks ago. It all went fast. The discussions happened at the right time because I’d been watching the IndyCars last year, and it looked extremely exciting with the new cars, to the point where I was angry and jealous that I wasn’t racing. So that got me going again.” Said Jacques Villeneuve

Sam Schmidt: “Obviously we’ve got some pretty good stuff up here starting the IndyCar team full-time in 2011, having the pole at Indy, having success in 2012 with Simon, finishing fifth, winning two races last year, finishing third in the championship, and now this. It’s really a representation of the guys and how hard they’ve been working, how the program has really come along quite nicely. I think having somebody of Jacques’ caliber is an incredible statement and we’re really looking forward to it.”