Gordon: I want Canadian oval.

In the midst of rumours surrounding a potential future Nextel Cup event at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Jeff Gordon has stated that Canada is the next natural place for the Nextel Cup to expand to, but that he wants to see a Canadian oval race, not a road course event.

Although he is a major fan of Formula One, Gordon said in the build-up to Bud Pole qualifying this weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway that he felt NASCAR could put on a better show on an oval rather than at the twisty 2.7-mile Canadian Grand Prix venue.

"You know, I'd love to see us in Canada," said Gordon, who is a noted road course expert. "Canada to me seems like the next natural place for us to go. Obviously, Mexico went well for the Busch cars, that might be a good option as well."

With Montreal promoter Normand Legault indicating that he wished a maximum of two events per year at the Ile Notre Dame venue and that he hoped for a NASCAR race at the track within the next three years, Champ Car fans have been worried that the Molson Indy Montreal, whose contract expires in 2006 would make way for a NASCAR event.

However they will now be hoping that NASCAR listens to its quadruple Champion.

"I want to see us on an oval," Gordon continued. "I don't want to see us on a road course in Canada. I think we can put on such a better show for the fans, and I know there are a lot of fans in Canada who follow NASCAR. I wish we had an oval track up there. If we're going to go there, we need to start that process."