Montoya qualifies second for stock-car ARCA race debut
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Montoya qualifies second for stock-car ARCA race debut
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Juan Pablo Montoya got the easy part out of the way, qualifying second Thursday for his stock-car debut in the ARCA Food World 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Now, the former Formula One star finds out how he fares in heavy stock-car traffic.
"Qualifying here makes your life easy," the former Indianapolis 500 champion said. "It makes you look really good, because you were flat (out) the whole time. They told me come out of the pits and just floor it and run as high as you can. And when you've got to start the second lap, just aim at the apron and stay low.
"That's all you've got to do."
Bobby Gerhart won the pole with a fast lap of 189.485 in the No. 5 Lucas Oil Chevrolet on the 2.66-mile tri-oval. Montoya clocked a lap of 189.451 in the No. 4 Texaco-Havoline Dodge ahead of Friday's race.
The 31-year-old Montoya, set to become the first F1 driver to join NASCAR fulltime next year, is driving for NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi.
"When I came here and tested, I had a really good car and the guys back in the shop did an amazing job," Montoya said. "I think I've got a good, competitive car for tomorrow. The main goal is to prepare myself for next year.
"I'm probably going to get caught out a couple of times making the wrong moves, but that's part of the learning curve."
And learning, he stresses, is what he's here for, though "it would be great if I win."
Montoya, who drove for McLaren in F1, will replace Casey Mears in the No. 42 Dodge next season on the Nextel Cup circuit.
"I don't know why but I'm really comfortable in the Cup cars," he said. "The shifting is not a problem. Yes, it takes a lot longer to slow down. That's the hardest thing so far.
"Here, you come out of turn 4 you've got to brake, and it's like, 'Ew, stop.' And you don't think you're going to stop. That's pretty hard."
The hardest part of Montoya's afternoon was waiting about 30 minutes while the crew tweaked his car to pass inspection, wearing dark shades and chatting with crew chief Brad Parrott while father Pablo looked on.
He even posed for a souvenir photo as they finished.
Montoya said he won't be nervous about starting out at a track noted for thrilling finishes -- and scary wrecks.
"It's racing. If it happens, it happens. I'm not going to worry about it," he said. "I got my first crash out of the way. I did that in Kentucky a couple of days ago. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, so I'm pleased with that."
Gerhart, meanwhile, won the pole for the eighth time in his career. Mostly he was asked about Montoya at his post-qualifying news conference.
"What it shows is there's a class of competitors in this series that take what they do very seriously," he said. "There's no doubt of the caliber driver he is. He's going to win his share of races. There's going to be no gifts whatsoever, especially in showcase places like this."
http://cbs.sportsline.com/autoracing/story/9707713/rss
Now, the former Formula One star finds out how he fares in heavy stock-car traffic.
"Qualifying here makes your life easy," the former Indianapolis 500 champion said. "It makes you look really good, because you were flat (out) the whole time. They told me come out of the pits and just floor it and run as high as you can. And when you've got to start the second lap, just aim at the apron and stay low.
"That's all you've got to do."
Bobby Gerhart won the pole with a fast lap of 189.485 in the No. 5 Lucas Oil Chevrolet on the 2.66-mile tri-oval. Montoya clocked a lap of 189.451 in the No. 4 Texaco-Havoline Dodge ahead of Friday's race.
The 31-year-old Montoya, set to become the first F1 driver to join NASCAR fulltime next year, is driving for NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi.
"When I came here and tested, I had a really good car and the guys back in the shop did an amazing job," Montoya said. "I think I've got a good, competitive car for tomorrow. The main goal is to prepare myself for next year.
"I'm probably going to get caught out a couple of times making the wrong moves, but that's part of the learning curve."
And learning, he stresses, is what he's here for, though "it would be great if I win."
Montoya, who drove for McLaren in F1, will replace Casey Mears in the No. 42 Dodge next season on the Nextel Cup circuit.
"I don't know why but I'm really comfortable in the Cup cars," he said. "The shifting is not a problem. Yes, it takes a lot longer to slow down. That's the hardest thing so far.
"Here, you come out of turn 4 you've got to brake, and it's like, 'Ew, stop.' And you don't think you're going to stop. That's pretty hard."
The hardest part of Montoya's afternoon was waiting about 30 minutes while the crew tweaked his car to pass inspection, wearing dark shades and chatting with crew chief Brad Parrott while father Pablo looked on.
He even posed for a souvenir photo as they finished.
Montoya said he won't be nervous about starting out at a track noted for thrilling finishes -- and scary wrecks.
"It's racing. If it happens, it happens. I'm not going to worry about it," he said. "I got my first crash out of the way. I did that in Kentucky a couple of days ago. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, so I'm pleased with that."
Gerhart, meanwhile, won the pole for the eighth time in his career. Mostly he was asked about Montoya at his post-qualifying news conference.
"What it shows is there's a class of competitors in this series that take what they do very seriously," he said. "There's no doubt of the caliber driver he is. He's going to win his share of races. There's going to be no gifts whatsoever, especially in showcase places like this."
http://cbs.sportsline.com/autoracing/story/9707713/rss
Last edited by xsiveone; 10-06-2006 at 12:21 PM.
#2
Le Mans Master
Originally Posted by xsiveone
"That's all you've got to do."
fellow competitors.
I'm not sure whether these are his words or those of the author.
Montoya came across as appropriately respectful back in the
Trading Paint show.
Wonder whether he will make it unscathed to the end of the event.
.
#3
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Slalom4me
The cocky tone attributed here to JPM will not sit well with his
fellow competitors.
I'm not sure whether these are his words or those of the author.
Montoya came across as appropriately respectful back in the
Trading Paint show.
Wonder whether he will make it unscathed to the end of the event.
.
fellow competitors.
I'm not sure whether these are his words or those of the author.
Montoya came across as appropriately respectful back in the
Trading Paint show.
Wonder whether he will make it unscathed to the end of the event.
.
#5
Team Owner
Originally Posted by John Shiels
The Food World 250 airs Friday night on SPEED beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
#7
Team Owner
Originally Posted by Sidney004
He finished third, though I didn't see the race. He looks like the real deal. He wasn't too shabby in CART either.
I saw some but slept through some. It will be a fairly easy adjustment for him he is used to ovals anyway.
#8
Safety Car
I saw a good part of it.
He took a hard shot, to the right door, from an ARCA car that was pinched down towards Montoya (#4 car). Montoya's car barely wiggled (off line) and then pinched car rubbed down the right side of the "4" car then sailed towards the infield...nasty wreck involving several cars.
Can't wait till he's in Cup!!
I hope Tony Stewart takes a shot at him......like he did Kenseth.
He took a hard shot, to the right door, from an ARCA car that was pinched down towards Montoya (#4 car). Montoya's car barely wiggled (off line) and then pinched car rubbed down the right side of the "4" car then sailed towards the infield...nasty wreck involving several cars.
Can't wait till he's in Cup!!
I hope Tony Stewart takes a shot at him......like he did Kenseth.
#9
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Originally Posted by Bink
Can't wait till he's in Cup!!
I hope Tony Stewart takes a shot at him......like he did Kenseth.
I hope Tony Stewart takes a shot at him......like he did Kenseth.
#11
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Bink
He took a hard shot, to the right door, from an ARCA car that was pinched down towards Montoya (#4 car). Montoya's car barely wiggled (off line) and then pinched car rubbed down the right side of the "4" car then sailed towards the infield...nasty wreck involving several cars.
I can't believe that they called this race because they ran out of daylight. Why didn't they just start the race earlier? I thought it was pathetic! I hope that Cup isn't run this way.
JPM has plenty of experience on ovals with CART. That's not really the issue that he has to adjust to.
People want to say that OW drivers fail at NASCAR, but who can you recall has had the proper support or made the committment to the series? The closest I can see is Tony Stewart and look at his record. I think that JPM will do fine once he becomes acclimated to this type of racing.
#12
Team Owner
Originally Posted by xsiveone
People want to say that OW drivers fail at NASCAR, but who can you recall has had the proper support or made the committment to the series? The closest I can see is Tony Stewart and look at his record. I think that JPM will do fine once he becomes acclimated to this type of racing.
#13
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by 16Again
Wow I never heard that before. I think you have your statement reversed. Nascar and the drivers love the open wheel guy's. Might want to look at Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kane, Robby Gordon, etc. All come from open wheel racing.
#14
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Read this story here.. They make mention of OW drivers failing at NASCAR.
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2489273
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2489273
Last edited by xsiveone; 10-07-2006 at 08:12 PM.
#16
Team Owner
Originally Posted by xsiveone
How successful would Dale Jr. be in F1 if he was with Super Aguri? That's about the chance that these OW drivers were given in NASCAR.
#17
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by 16Again
No driver however great they are, will succeed without a great team behind them. Montoya is with Ganassi one of the great names in racing. He has a ligitimate shot at winning. Now put him with a crappy team, and he does not have a snowballs chance in hell of winning anything. Looking at what info is available, (basicly(sp) none) I think 50% of the open wheel guy's that come to Nascar are in fact successful. Either way (win or lose), i'll be rooting him on, just as I did last night.