What in the name of Patrick Carpentier is going on here? NASCAR might be adding a hockey goon to its roster.

Patrice Brisebois recently retired after 18 years with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. The rugged defenseman won’t skate off to the porch to drink Molson and eat Tim Hortons. Oh, no. He wants to drive in NASCAR's Canadian series. In other news, NASCAR has a Canadian series.

"It's a great team sport, like hockey," Brisebois said. "Your mechanic is kind of like your coach, and there's a game plan, race strategy, so it's a bit like a hockey team. I'm going to try and go as far as I can in auto racing. I'd love to be able to move on to the Nationwide or Sprint series, but it's going to be very tough. Another dream of mine would be to do the 24 hours of Le Mans."

Personally, I would chip in a few loonies just to see this dude crash and fight. This is the kind of energy we need in racing.

For now, Brisebois (pronounced breez-bwah) has one little problem with his new career - the complete lack of any sponsor.  Oddly enough, George Gillett owns owned the Canadiens and Richard Petty Motorsports and now, possibly, a camel. So let me get this straight. Brisebois spent most of his career in Montreal, and he didn’t go to his former boss for funding for a NASCAR team?  Or Brisebois, a guy who could grow the sport in a targeted area for NASCAR, did ask for funding and got rejected by his former boss? Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I present exhibits X and Y on how messed up Gillett and RPM might be. (Here is exhibit Z from last night.) 

Brisebois seeks funding for next career (ESPN)