How Will Juan Pablo Montoya Fare In NASCAR?
Sunday December 3, 2006
One of the big stories of 2007 will be the rookie season of Juan Pablo Montoya. He has been a winner in everything he has ever driven, and he has driven in the most competitive series in the world.
The big question is, how well will he make the transition from the light, responsive Formula One cars to the much heavier NEXTEL Cup cars? As the very first driver to make the leap from F1 to NASCAR there is a lot of pressure on Montoya to do well. The motorsports world is watching.
Comments
I believe that it will obviously take time to get used to the cars, but give him that time and he’ll do great.
1st year to learn and get the feel of the cars – handful of decent results.
2nd year: will have he hang of it. Starts having some good finishes, win a few races.
3rd year the “old school” guys WILL be taught a lesson.
Oh yea, I AM a Montoya fan from F3000 days.
Well Racing history says if you FAIL
At One Series YOUR GONNA FAIL AT
ANOTHER….Let A BUSCH ROOKIE HAVE
A CHANCE>>>>>>>>>>>>
are you kidding me? he’ll never amount to anything. let’s bring in a real driver from the busch circuit!
i believe montoya will do fine in this series he,s a very smart and good driver.maybe not the first year, then again maybe so
Only if nascar fans could appreciate the rest of the racing world. Why would you think that montoya won’t do any good. He has won in every series that he has been in. And yes he will win in nascar. It will take him a year or so to learn the car and tracks. But when he does look out!!! Man the die hard nascar fans will hate him sooooo much. And that makes me feel good!!
i think he is a better driver in nascar racing then in formule1 racing and i met him once he is a good guy,i hope the very best for him,greetings from the Netherlands,doeii.
I could care less about this monkey, because he doesn’t have what it takes to win. I don’t think the Nascar wouldn’t want to deal with this clown. I guess he will suck the big time!!!
Make the “leap” to NASCAR? How about a drop to the NASCAR level. While not the best driver in F1, Montoya surely has shown talent in a racing format where drivers actually drive, and not steer around in circles. It is a shame that he has descended to the quintessential American, average, common denominator motor sport simply to “win”. Like so many before him, if you can’t cut it in F1, IRL is next then on downwarnd. Really, who cares if he wins or not.
to bad Montoya leaves formula 1
he was okay and a good driver
i do think he will be one of the best in Nascar ,i will start watching more Nascar with him on board ,maybe Villeneuve
will folliow and make nascar a more intesresting place for people OUTSIDE the USA
My reputation and resume speaks for its self! I will prove myself in NASCAR in 2007, at the front of the field. Start betting your houses! Thanks for all your comments. JP
Just like when he started in F1 …he tought he could take Michael by force.If you dont have …you dont have it! When he started driving in F1, I said to everyone that his style was more of a Nascar driver…he likes to bang up cars.For the price of an F1 cars he can crash 5 or 6 Nascar. Season after season he wined and complained the it wasn’t fare, that Michael plays dirty, that FIA hates him , that the team held him back….he complained about everything and everybody, he just doesn’t get that he doesn not have the right stuff. The only positive note, he made a funny commercial for BMW. Good riddance JP
to me juan leaving f1 was a huge disappointment,because he is one of the drivers that has the skill to overtake and take on drivers. i think it will take him time to get used to nascar,but as soon as he gets the hang of it,im sure he will start winning,after all he is a racing driver and one of the best at that!!!!
you must remember he won a f1 race in his very first year and that being monza,the home of ferrari, and he was in a much inferior car,and we all know that in f1 if you dont have the best you cant win,and he won!!!
f1 is the pinnacle of racing,and someone of his class will do extremely well in nascar
goodluck jpm
all the way from South Africa
It will be impossible to defeat Montoya in Nascar. He will to destroy every drivers in your way and be a great champion of the category. THAT BEGIN THE DESTRUCTION!!!!
Do you know that the favorite video game of Juan Pablo Montoya is NASCAR? and he was playing it for years… He is more than prepared to handle it. He is the most expected car’s driver in this category and his fans are getting more and more every day. Welcome to America JPM.!!!
He had to make the switch so he could remember what it is like see passing on the track.
Juan Pablo uno de los mejores corredores del sur de América, la discriminación ya todos la conocemos, esperemos que en usa sea diferente para que todos puedan observar la clidad de este piloto que pocas veces se ve en el mundo suerte a el mejor piloto de todos los tiempos
I think that Montoya is agifted and very skilled driver especially at his age, but I think the transition from formula 1 to NASCAR will not be easy even for him. If given the time I think he can do it but according to my own opinion a NASCAR driver will fare even less if he decides to try Formula1.
Juan Pablo will be kicking ass in NASCAR by sometime in his second season. He is a very skilled and gutsy driver. Rednecks beware–this Columbian plays to win! I really look forward to seeing him mix it up in NASCAR. F1 is a sorry excuse for racing. Boring, boring, boring. It was all Schumacher, all the time, almost no passing, and I’m sick to death of Bernie, too. Welcome, Juan Pablo!
I feel sad about some of the non-sense comments that I see in this page. That Juan Pablo won’t make it in Nascar; The Nascar die hard fans wont accept someone else that is Foreign. Honestly I don’t watch Nascar, but now that we have some else different I will start to do it. Any type of racing takes a lot of skill; even if it’s Nascar or F1. And let me say that Juan Pablo has a lot of Skill. He has won championships on Formula 3000, Cart, He won INDY 500 on his first Race. Twice was 3rd on the F1 championship. I think he will do very well in Nascar. Besides, Who now about racing knows that F1 is super bowl of racing, and for a Driver to be in have to be one of the best in the world. Juan Pablo just needs a opportunity in Nascar and I’m sure that he Nascar will benefit from his talent. We need to be more open-minded and accept what we cannot change. He is going to race in Nascar.
Anyone who was CART champion in his rookie season and won the Indy 500 as a rookie (leading 167 of 200 laps and beating Robbie Gordon while at it) clearly has talent and should do well.
As for ovals, that was what Montoya excelled at prior to F1.
I was a fan of Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart before either drove their first cup race. They clearly had talent and transitioned to Cup cars just fine (sprint cars aren’t that big and heavy you know). Not to knock Tony, but how many Indy 500’s has he driven?
JPM driving style is perfect for NASCAR. Have been a follower of his since his CART days and always thought he is best suited for NASCAR. I can’t wait until Daytona ‘07 to see him begin his quest for NASCAR glory and now in HDTV we’ll see some really kewl racing. He likes to push, shove and do not run away from physical auto contact, in short JPM drives like a true Colombian capitalino. JuanPablo pa’ delante porque pa’tras asustan. Buena Suerte papa…
Montoya comes from Colombia where the races are more like nascar, i think he is going to surprise everybody, more whith the previus experience in IndyCart
You people make me sick, you dont have to be an expert to realize that Juan Pablo is a very talented driver, you’ll see him win races in Nascar and the He’ll shut your mouths. Montoya is coming so get ready to see real action.
die hard nascar fans, when will you learn the France family does not care about your type any more. do you understand how many fans montoya will bring to the sport of nascar. all of columbia, brazil, and so many other racing fans in the world. open your eyes nacar is the cool sport right now, an the France family is cashing in (HELLO TOYOTA)
face it montoya will win, its just a matter of when. right now he is nice, but once he learns the car and the ways of nascar. look out you will either love him or hate him. my only wish is to see him race in the rain again. the man could beat any driver in the rain!
I consider Nascar to be the rear superbowl of auto racing… After all don’t cars have doors and wheels under fenders. Shouldn’t a car be able to bump and rub a little in competition without the car disinegrating? Yes, F1 cars are beautiful exotic pieces of machinery. But, Nascar is auto racing. Juan Pablo is a talented driver and Should do well in Nascar. His stature as a champion in other racing series’ have provided him access to top quality equipment and I look forward to see him replace one of the also rans, that consistantly qualify in the high 30’s and 40’s run a few laps crash or blow up and park for the day. He already knows given his “warm” welcome at Homestead that the cup drivers are not going to cut him any slack and he has to fight for every spot, but thats racing! Gentlemen Start Your Engines!
Montoya may win some races, after all most other nascar drivers atleast one. However he won’t be a Icon in nascar. F1?Indy? cart? Have you noticed the viewership have gone down?
Montoya will be a OK driver in Nascar. He’s coming for the money, and that he’s has a big head. What a bubble buster he’s going to get. Win? Yea he will win a few, so has many others have sometime from to time. Viewership has gone down in F1, and other open wheel cares. Look at Indy and cart They can’t fill the stands any longer. Nascar viewers has been dropping mostly due to the TV commercials ( more commericals than racing) I also think bringing Toyota, and sooner or later Honda going to hurt Nascar in the not too long distance. If I want to watch a foreign car race I woulf TRY to look for one on TV. If you can find them that is. At the local race tracks if they have forien car races, either the people laughing at them or they leave and go to the bathroom.
What, he be starteing full time in nascar in Febuary 2007? After about mid-March, early April, and after the spot light leaves him. That’s when the fans of Nascar will find out, what kind of driver he really is. I predict give or take a year, he will have some kind of excuse in the end of 2007 or first part of 2008 he’s going back to F1.
I think Montoya is a great driver, however I feel he is with the wrong team. Ganassi Racing hasn’t shown much over the years.
JPM will do just fine, the real question is most likely if he can be given the equipment to be competitive. In NASCAR that seems to be a key factor, just look a Mikey, Newman, and others. If he is truley a complainer, the he can join the ranks of the 24 and the 48, they are experts at it. Does it take talent and skill … Absolutely, all racing does, but F1 IS BORING ! Once the qual order is set, that’s pretty much how everyone runs in follow the leader style.
I remember when Montoya won the Indy 500. He was asked about going to NASCAR. He replied they are too big and too slow.What happened to change his mind?
I think JPM has the talent, but he also needs the right equipment. I, personally prefer CHAMP CARS, they don’t have guys like Robbie Gorden, who pulls off a piece of roll-bar covering just to get a caution he needed. Nascar is constantly having cautions due to “debris on the track”. How many times have you actually seen the debris? Face it Nascar is set up to keep the cars bunched up and not let a car get a lead on the field. Senna was one heck of a driver, but even he would crash out Prost(his teammate) to ensure a title. We need to see more left AND right turn racing to find the REAL talent like Jeff Gordon, Scott Pruett. In Cart, with Newman-Haas it didn’t matter who the driver was, they had ALL the money, and any driver with a modicum of talent could win. Bourdaus is more of a whiner than a winner.
Montoya will do what he knows best! Drive, race and win! Why else would the havoline team has picked him? He is a winner. Nascar fans are just not ready to have a foreigner win, but they will soon get over it. Look out Chase racers, 2007 will give you one less spot,. Montoya: ” Dale duro a lo colombiano!”
Montoya showed in his couple of stock races that he can race with the best. He is a world class driver and he will win alot of races. Open wheel or stock car, racing is racing and he will be a force. This man is simply talented! Go Juan! Kick their asses! Youre the man!
i think jpm is brilliant i wish him all the best in his move but will miss him very much on the f1 grid. but good luck, your an amazing driver.
kerry
go j.p.m. go~!!!!!we need some shake up in this series. do away with the good-ole boy stereotype, and bring in other talent. this is not the redneck sport it used to be. thats why so many people LOVE IT, or HATE IT!!!!
GO JJ 48, and DEJr.8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
montoya will do well.
From his few stock car races until today, i think he will do 2-3 top10’s in his first Cup year.
He is good, but the 2007 season will be hard ’cause the 50+ full timer teams.
A hungarian NASCAR fan.
Hhahahahahahaha…..
JPM:
2006 Team McLaren Mercedes Driver. Signs up for 2007 with Chip Ganassi Racing to race NASCAR.
-2005 Team McLaren Mercedes: 60 points; fourth in the Drivers’ Championship; winner in Britain, Italy and Brazil; second in Germany; third in Turkey.
-2004 BMW WilliamsF1: 58 points; fifth in the Drivers Championship; winner in Brazil; second in Malaysia; third in San Marino.
-2003 BMW WilliamsF1: 82 points; third in the Drivers Championship; winner at Monaco and Germany; second in Europe, France, Britain and Italy; third in Canada and Hungary.
-2002 BMW WilliamsF1: 50 points; third in the Drivers Championship; second in Australia, Malaysia, Spain and Germany; third in Austria, Britain and Belgium. Fastest ever quali fying lap at Monza.
-2001 BMW WilliamsF1: 31 points; sixth in the Drivers’ Championship; winner in Italy; second in Spain, European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring and Japan.
-2000 Ninth in the CART Championship Series, three wins, seven pole positions; winner of the Indianapolis 500 on his first attempt.
-1999 Winner in the CART Championship Series, CART Rookie of the Year, seven wins, seven pole positions, youngest champion in the history of the series.
-1998 Winner of the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship (Team Super Nova) with record points total (65 points); moved to North America to join Target Chip Ganassi Racing; WilliamsF1 test driver.
-1997 Second in the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship (Marko Team) ; first Formula One test (WiliamsF1).
-1996 Fourth in the Masters race in Zandvoort; British Formula 3 Championship, two wins; first in the Bogotá Six Hours; took part in the ITC Race at Silverstone with Mercedes-Benz
-1995 Third in the British Formula Vauxhall Championship; class win in the Bogotá Six Hours
-1994 Karting Sudam 125, class win; third in the Barber Saab Championship in USA; pole position and circuit record prototype class Mexico; Formula N class Mexico, three wins in five races, four pole positions.
-1993 Nationale Tournament Swift GTI Championship in Colombia, seven wins in eight races, seven poles.
-1992 Took part in the Skip Barber Course in USA; Copa Formula Renault in Colombia, four wins in eight races, five pole positions.
-1990-1991 Kart Junior World Championship
-1989-1984 Several Colombian local and national titles in the Children?s Kart Championship and the Kart Komet category.
JPM:
2006 Team McLaren Mercedes Driver. Signs up for 2007 with Chip Ganassi Racing to race NASCAR.
-2005 Team McLaren Mercedes: 60 points; fourth in the Drivers’ Championship; winner in Britain, Italy and Brazil; second in Germany; third in Turkey.
-2004 BMW WilliamsF1: 58 points; fifth in the Drivers Championship; winner in Brazil; second in Malaysia; third in San Marino.
-2003 BMW WilliamsF1: 82 points; third in the Drivers Championship; winner at Monaco and Germany; second in Europe, France, Britain and Italy; third in Canada and Hungary.
-2002 BMW WilliamsF1: 50 points; third in the Drivers Championship; second in Australia, Malaysia, Spain and Germany; third in Austria, Britain and Belgium. Fastest ever quali fying lap at Monza.
-2001 BMW WilliamsF1: 31 points; sixth in the Drivers’ Championship; winner in Italy; second in Spain, European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring and Japan.
-2000 Ninth in the CART Championship Series, three wins, seven pole positions; winner of the Indianapolis 500 on his first attempt.
-1999 Winner in the CART Championship Series, CART Rookie of the Year, seven wins, seven pole positions, youngest champion in the history of the series.
-1998 Winner of the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship (Team Super Nova) with record points total (65 points); moved to North America to join Target Chip Ganassi Racing; WilliamsF1 test driver.
-1997 Second in the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship (Marko Team) ; first Formula One test (WiliamsF1).
-1996 Fourth in the Masters race in Zandvoort; British Formula 3 Championship, two wins; first in the Bogotá Six Hours; took part in the ITC Race at Silverstone with Mercedes-Benz
-1995 Third in the British Formula Vauxhall Championship; class win in the Bogotá Six Hours
-1994 Karting Sudam 125, class win; third in the Barber Saab Championship in USA; pole position and circuit record prototype class Mexico; Formula N class Mexico, three wins in five races, four pole positions.
-1993 Nationale Tournament Swift GTI Championship in Colombia, seven wins in eight races, seven poles.
-1992 Took part in the Skip Barber Course in USA; Copa Formula Renault in Colombia, four wins in eight races, five pole positions.
-1990-1991 Kart Junior World Championship
-1989-1984 Several Colombian local and national titles in the Children?s Kart Championship and the Kart Komet category.
This un-educated american farmers have no idea what they are up against….
Hahahahahaha, in everything Latins get into they end up winning…Baseball all the stars are Latin…Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, etc….even now in their version of Rugby… Tony Romo!!!!
Please Nascar north american un-cultured farmers (just like their idiotic president) understand that putting all drivers in one side and Montoya in an oder, Montoya alone has far better skills and talent that the rest of the grid. Americans are only good to invade poor countries with no reason, killers.. and they claim to do it because of GOd……
On behalf of the smart American I would like to take this opportunity to say to the rest of the world that: We really apologize for the last 7 years, please understand that no all Americans are represented by the current administration, we are trying hard to block Bush and people like the idiot red necks, also please understand that most of the races are going to be in the middle of the country where most ignorant Americans reside.
If you are coming to America go where the smart/cultured American are… California, New York (east cost and west cost) there is nothing in the middle any way.
Again we are trying hard tobring back the real historic USA, the Clinton,Kennedy, FDR, Truman America….
who ever think that JPM is not a good driver is because they never look out side the USA. Hi race again my cousin in F3000. I’m not a fan of him but i know what hi has done. And the team Ganassi is good is well.So rednecks be ready for him on 07,because hi don’t need a year to win a race , you will see doing it in just few month.
Guys, remember JP has been a vinner the fist year in all modes of racing. why someone think he cant do the same in Nascar. This guy has a lot of guts to fight in car racing, we have seen him doing so in F1 and Kart racing the past years. This is what Nascar is all about and he has shown every body that he is good at it.
Must be the best JPM poll in history!
F1Duo.com has the the best JPM poll in history!
What can I say….Montoya sucks the BIG ONE, and hopefully all of them REDNECKS outta there will make his life miserable. LOL. SUCKER!!!!!
I have never typed to a bulletin board or anything of the kind before so here goes: Want to ruin Nascar? Just bring in some foreign drivers!! Don’t believe me just ask Indy car. After todays Busch race I will not watch another Busch race nor will I buy anything with Busch sponsorship attached again this year. When Formula 1 comes to America there are NO American drivers. That’s because they won’t allow American drivers to compete. If you don’t believe me just ask Michael Anderetti. If Nascar allows Montoya to win in Nascar like they did today in the Busch race, I will be forced to boycott them also. I realize this is all about money and if the foreign advertizing dollar is more important than me, good by Nascar!!!
Rusty, where do you get your info? Michael Andretti was not good enough, that is all. F1 has the best drives and the cars are the hardest to drive. They weigh the lightest and make the most power. F1 allows whomever can get a ride to compete, in fact currently there are two Americans in F1.
The simple fact that you mention that NASCAR would “allow” wins shows that it may be rigged(my personal opinion)
I have watched Montoya for many years and he is very good. Most likely a much better driver than anyone involved in NASCAR. You should count yourself lucky just to see such talent.
Way to go JPM, congrats on the win. BTW Pruett caused that accident not you. It is so obvious that he tried to block you.
Renton, You can’t honestly beleive F1 races are competitive. It has nothing to do with driving ability,it’s all about who has the most money and the best equipment. No I do not believe the race was rigged, Montoya should have been penalized for not maintaining control of his car and crashing into the back of Pruett. (my personal opinion and the same opinion just about everyone else I heard also.) I do not want to begrudge you the right to watch Montoya, just not in MY venue. KEEP NASCAR AMERICAN!!
As they sang in the William F1 pit garage to the tune of Paranoia…
“Juan Montoya will destroy ya…
Turn 1 lap 1 will be no fun …
His excuses make-a no senses ….
He belongs beyond the fences”
Juan Pablo Montoya sucks. If he wants to learn to drive quit doing it at the expense of others on the track. And he needs to get his head right. If you are racing for the win and need to nudge somebody, so be it. But not 120 laps in, and certainly not your teamate. Welcome to the new NASCAR, it’s not a race, it’s a reality show!
please I want to run a car, I love cars especially nascar and you, Pablo Montoya I live in Mexico city and I wamt to know more about cars please rty to answer me please… one car is my life….
Montoya is in a word – Terrible. He is the catalyst for some type of wreck almost every race and to add to the pathetic nature of his miserable driving ability, he is never apologetic for the mayhem that he (and he alone) always causes.
Do us all a favor and go back to open wheel.
Although the points are the same, there is a big difference between a true win and getting lucky with “fuel mileage.” I was somewhat surprised that there was no NASCAR caution to create real drama with a green-white-checkers combined with fuel issues. But, I wasn’t thinking about NASCAR getting more press with Montoya winning. I’ve had enough of NASCAR especially with over last few years (COT, NASCAR yellows, inconsistent penalties, etc).
JUAN IS THE WORST DRIVER ON ALL SIDES OF RACING AS HE CONSTANTLY CRASHES INTO PEOPLE, HE SHOULD AND HOPEFULLY WILL BE BANISHED FROM THE SPORT……..
Juan pablo cant drive a car. He couldnt make it in F1 and he wont make it in NASCAR. Every race someone is mad at him because he spun someone or cut someone off. He cant drive. Give some of these young Busch rookies a chance. Get Juan out. He is always wrecking people. If you cant win without wrecking people then you shouldnt be racing sorry but it is the truth. Kick him out of the sport of Nascar.
Juan Pablo Montoya is a great driver, but rascist rednecks like Chuckster and Rusty spend most of their time paying attention on who is the most “home-grown” of the NASCAR bunch, not the smarter nor the most talented. This is sad. Rusty and Chuckster don’t deserve to watch racing, as all they do is find a driver they don’t like (because he is from Columbia) and start bashing him for not having the same “look-at-me” quality that we have seen thousands of times before with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhart Jr. This is why I don’t like NASCAR as a whole. F1 takes a plethora of skills, most of which you don’t find in NASCAR (like turning right). The reason why you don’t see passing in F1 is because it is actually difficult to do so. That is racing, unlike what most of you NASCAR “fanboiz” understand. Racing shouldn’t be passing three or four cars at a time, it should be an one on one battle, driver to driver, car to car. It should be a test of a driver’s skill. Juan Pablo Montoya understands actual racing, as he’s been a quality driver in F1, and is willing to teach NASCAR drivers a lesson in driving. If a driver runs into him (like the Watkin’s Glen incident) he feels the right to blame Montoya, just because he is not a redneck like the rest of them. As reading a book is better than playing GTA: San Andreas, watching a quality sport like F1 is better than watching an overrated show like NASCAR. Monza is better than Daytona, Shumacher is better than Dale Jr., and a race is better than NASCAR. Viva la Montoya!
juan pablo is too good for nascar!!!!!! i feel sorry for him going from a mercedez mclarren and a bmw willams to a dodge…. that sucks big time…….. he made so much money in f1 he can retire forever, going from more than what the the top five in nascar make in one year to pennies…… montoya we miss you in f1!!!!!