Montoya changes crew chief's again....

[gloomyDAY]

Why? :confused: (http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/05/20/jmontoya.crew.chief.bpattie.ap/index.html)

There has to be some underlying problem.

[Sparky1329]

Based on my own observations I'd say it's because JPM is an arrogant rude prima donna.

[RaceFanStan]

It seems they are trying to find a crewchief that Montoya will respect their opinion ... http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/s.gif


(like that is going to happen !) http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

[gloomyDAY]

Based on my own observations I'd say it's because JPM is an arrogant rude prima donna.I hope not!

Those would be some experienced heads Montoya has been rejecting.

[Sparky1329]

I hope not!

Those would be some experienced heads Montoya has been rejecting.

Donnie Wingo has been a crew chief since 1989 and Jimmy Elledge has over 15 years experience in the sport. They both know more about stock cars than JPM does. Brian Pattie is being characterized as "interim" crew chief, whatever that means. Maybe Chip will keep spinning the revolving door until he finds somebody who can deal with both him and JPM.

[BenRoethig]

It was Chip's decision (he basically fired him for the direction of the 41). Juan liked Jimmy and wasn't exactly pleased with senior Ganassi with the situation.

As for Ellege, how much do you bet he ends up at either Hendrick or the "family business".

[Sparky1329]

As for Ellege, how much do you bet he ends up at either Hendrick or the "family business".

He'd be crazy not to.

[harvick#1]

Based on my own observations I'd say it's because JPM is an arrogant rude prima donna.

:D

perfect :p : :up:

[Mark in Oshawa]

It is really simple. The 42 isn't getting the results that Chip feels it must. The sad reality is the Dodge's as a whole have struggled and no Ganassi team is doing that well. Montoya is 16th I believe in points at the time of Elledge's firing so I don't think it is all that bad. That said, JPM was expected to be a chase contender and they are on the outside and fading back. I think Ganassi was doing just fine crew chief wise with Wingo. The problem is you cannot keep moving people around and expecting instant success. This is just another example of Chip not understanding the human dynamics of how NASCAR teams work. Whatever he understands in Sports Car or Indy Car, he seems to not get with the NASCAR teams. I am not entirely sure why.

Jimmy Elledge is a pretty good Crew Chief and will not be out of work long. Chip has to understand that NASCAR is a much tougher world to conquer than Grand AM or Indy Car. The fact he has a young driver that wont listen to anyone (Reed Sorenson), a rookie who is sturggling (Franchitti) and a second year guy who was sensational and awful all in the same year last year doesn't mean he should be expecting better results than what he has gotten. Add in the general struggle Dodge teams have had since Daytona and this is NOT Jimmy Elledge's doing. Crew Chiefs get fired like coaches in sport do. They are often held accoutable for the misperfomance of others....

[RaceFanStan]

Brian Pattie, Montoya's new crewchief will probably be blamed for Juan only qualifying 42nd @ Charlotte ... http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/s.gif
if it wasn't for the top 35 rule, Juan Montoya would have went home, he was 47th fastest !!! http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/eek.gif

Ganassi team-mate Reed Sorenson (#41) qualified 17th ...
temporary Ganassi team-mate Sterling Marlin (#40) qualified 26th ...
people can say it is the #42 Ganassi car that is failing but that doesn't explain his team-mates ...
imo the weak link in the #42 team isn't the car, the crew or the crewchief ... http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

[colinspooky]

rude prima donna.


Just curious - do you ever get normal donnas? Or moderate donnas. Or must they always be primary?

:rolleyes:

[Andrewmcm]

Just curious - do you ever get normal donnas? Or moderate donnas. Or must they always be primary?

:rolleyes:

Donna kebabs. Or something.

[RaceFanStan]

Just curious - do you ever get normal donnas? Or moderate donnas. Or must they always be primary?

:rolleyes:
prima donna : a temperamental person
a person who takes adulation and privileged treatment as a right
reacts with petulance* to criticism or inconvenience

*petulance : peevish
unreasonably irritable or ill-tempered
contemptuous in speech or behavior

[Sparky1329]

Just curious - do you ever get normal donnas? Or moderate donnas. Or must they always be primary?

:rolleyes:

Cute. Not. :rolleyes: for obtuseness.

obtuse: not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; not sensitive or observant; dull.

[BenRoethig]

It is really simple. The 42 isn't getting the results that Chip feels it must. The sad reality is the Dodge's as a whole have struggled and no Ganassi team is doing that well. Montoya is 16th I believe in points at the time of Elledge's firing so I don't think it is all that bad. That said, JPM was expected to be a chase contender and they are on the outside and fading back. I think Ganassi was doing just fine crew chief wise with Wingo. The problem is you cannot keep moving people around and expecting instant success. This is just another example of Chip not understanding the human dynamics of how NASCAR teams work. Whatever he understands in Sports Car or Indy Car, he seems to not get with the NASCAR teams. I am not entirely sure why.

Jimmy Elledge is a pretty good Crew Chief and will not be out of work long. Chip has to understand that NASCAR is a much tougher world to conquer than Grand AM or Indy Car. The fact he has a young driver that wont listen to anyone (Reed Sorenson), a rookie who is sturggling (Franchitti) and a second year guy who was sensational and awful all in the same year last year doesn't mean he should be expecting better results than what he has gotten. Add in the general struggle Dodge teams have had since Daytona and this is NOT Jimmy Elledge's doing. Crew Chiefs get fired like coaches in sport do. They are often held accoutable for the misperfomance of others....

Well, more is coming out. Chip fired Elledge for an argument with Steve Hmiel. Montoya is apparently beyond pissed at Ganassi.

[wedge]

Well, well, well

Everyone knows JPM is an arrogant so and so but its so nice to see him vindicated this time round.

Would be pretty stupid if JPM wasn't listening to the likes of Donnie Wingo and Jimmy Elledge. No surprises he's not happy at Chip and being coupled with a young crew chief.

[RaceFanStan]

from nascar.com :
Team owner Chip Ganassi sympathizes with Montoya's frustration, but said Elledge's dismissal was warranted ...
after the crew chief engaged in a heated argument with competition director Steve Hmiel during the All-Star race.

"We had an employee step over the line,
and I'm sorry it happened because I like Jimmy personally, but it had to be done," Ganassi said.
"I know Juan is upset and he comes out on the short end of this deal.
"I apologize for that, but unfortunately it was unavoidable collateral damage."

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/05/24/jmontoya.frustrated.ganassi.ap/index.html?imw=Y

[RaceFanStan]

Ganassi cars @ the Coca-Cola 600 :
22. Reed Sorenson #41 (1 lap down)
30. Juan Montoya #42 (4 laps down)
31. Sterling Marlin #40 (4 laps down)

[Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left]

If i was JPM id look around for a more stable ride. all these changes have really hurt is effort to get into the chase.

[Lee Roy]

If i was JPM id look around for a more stable ride. all these changes have really hurt is effort to get into the chase.


That's an interesting thought. Montoya got his NASCAR ride because of his long time association with Ganassi. Has Montoya impressed enough to be able to step up to a better team (say RCR, Hendrick, Rousch, or JGR) if he wanted to? I think he has. He's certainly head and shoulders above Casey Mears who seems to hang on at Hendrick for little results.

[oldhippie]

i cant see the owners lining up to hire a spoiled brat :p

[Lee Roy]

i cant see the owners lining up to hire a spoiled brat :p

I imagine that Joe Gibbs is happy he hired a spoiled brat. :D

[RaceFanStan]

Lee Roy, the driver you are speaking of can flat drive a stockcar !
Not many may agree with me but I feel Kyle Busch has much more talent than Montoya.
Kyle Busch can drive a loose or a tight stockcar to the front !
It doesn't matter if the car is exactly right or not Kyle Busch will get 100% out of it !

Kyle Busch may have an attitude & he may offend some people,
but even they will have to admit that the young man can drive.

[Lee Roy]

Lee Roy, the driver you are speaking of can flat drive a stockcar !

Kyle Busch can drive a loose or a tight stockcar to the front !
It doesn't matter if the car is exactly right or not Kyle Busch will get 100% out of it !

Kyle Busch may have an attitude & he may offend some people,
but even they will have to admit that the young man can drive.

I agree. I made no comment on his incredible talent.

Unlike most people, I don't care what a driver acts like when he's out of the car. I've always been a big fan of Kurt Busch, even when he was acting his worst.

And I still think that Joe Gibbs is glad he hired him. :D

Kyle Busch can act like a spoiled brat all he wants to, I'll always be a fan.

[Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left]

Im not a big fan of Kyle but i quite like his attitude of "i dont care what you think of me".

Too many drivers are worried about what people think and only ever spout politically correct drivel. It gets boring.

[wedge]

Too many drivers are worried about what people think and only ever spout politically correct drivel. It gets boring.

:up:

Knowing now what we know of Carl Edwards, he should've wiped that smirk off his face and told us how he really felt!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwiczGMkdHw

[oldhippie]

look at the top 3 series in nascar for 2008
kyle busch
12 of 12 cup races - 3 wins - 8 top 5s - 9 top 10s - 2 poles - points leader
13 of 13 nationwide races - 4 wins - 7 top 5s - 7 top 10s - 2 poles - 2nd in points
5 of 7 truck races - 2 wins - 3 top 5s - 4 top 10s - 1 pole - 16th in points

juan montoya
cup - 0 wins - 1 top 5 - 1 top 10 - 0 poles - 17th in points 597 points behind 1st
0 nationwide races - 0
0 truck races - 0

so which spoiled brat would you prefer to hire?

[harvick#1]

my local paper had an article that Montoya is very mad at chip for the lastest change and rumor that Gibbs may pick him up if Smoke leaves

[nigelred5]

look at the top 3 series in nascar for 2008
kyle busch
12 of 12 cup races - 3 wins - 8 top 5s - 9 top 10s - 2 poles - points leader
13 of 13 nationwide races - 4 wins - 7 top 5s - 7 top 10s - 2 poles - 2nd in points
5 of 7 truck races - 2 wins - 3 top 5s - 4 top 10s - 1 pole - 16th in points

juan montoya
cup - 0 wins - 1 top 5 - 1 top 10 - 0 poles - 17th in points 597 points behind 1st
0 nationwide races - 0
0 truck races - 0

so which spoiled brat would you prefer to hire?

Which ever one is driving one of the top rides in NASCAR for one, and I know the coach knows how to deal with personalities quite well.

The Ganassi/Sabates team has never been anywhere close to the Gibbs or Hendrick teams. They aren't even the best Dodge team for that matter.

[BenRoethig]

When it comes to NASCAR, chip has been very arrogant and inflexible. He took a team that was in the hunt for a championship with Sterling Marlin and destroyed it by trying to running like his open wheel team. I suggest he stick to his indycar team and limit his involvement to the check writing on this side.

[ms0362]

I think there's a vast communication gap. With the challange of trying to get a handle on the COT set-up (throw the old notes out the door) and JPM inability to translate what's right and what's wrong to the crew chief(s) it's not a surprise they're stuggling.

[ShiftingGears]

look at the top 3 series in nascar for 2008
kyle busch
12 of 12 cup races - 3 wins - 8 top 5s - 9 top 10s - 2 poles - points leader
13 of 13 nationwide races - 4 wins - 7 top 5s - 7 top 10s - 2 poles - 2nd in points
5 of 7 truck races - 2 wins - 3 top 5s - 4 top 10s - 1 pole - 16th in points

juan montoya
cup - 0 wins - 1 top 5 - 1 top 10 - 0 poles - 17th in points 597 points behind 1st
0 nationwide races - 0
0 truck races - 0

so which spoiled brat would you prefer to hire?

Of course the team bosses would be smart enough to consider the quality of the cars they drive and what the machinery is capable of rather than merely looking at the stats at face value.

[Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left]

I think JPM is doing well in cars that aint really up to snuff. Isnt this the way things used to work with guys going to an average performing team prooving they can stay on track then getting picked up by one of the big boys?.

[Lee Roy]

From jayski:

I'd love to see JPM in a Gibbs car.


Montoya gives Ganassi an earful; JGR looking at Montoya? #42-Juan Pablo Montoya requested a face-to-face meeting with his boss and got it the day before the Indianapolis 500, when owner Chip Ganassi flew to North Carolina to talk with his emotional driver. The early morning meeting Saturday let Montoya express his frustrations over the race team's direction, including the firing of crew chief Jimmy Elledge, a move Montoya vehemently opposed. "I told him everything I was thinking and how it was," said Montoya, who finished 30th. "The hope of the meeting is that everything that has happened turns into results. I need to run better. That's what will calm me down." Meanwhile, there is speculation that Joe Gibbs Racing may make a run at Montoya to fill the seat Tony Stewart is expected to leave at the end of the season.(Chicago Tribune)(5-29-2008)

[Sparky1329]

From jayski:

I'd love to see JPM in a Gibbs car.


At least he'd have good stuff.

[Sparky1329]

When it comes to NASCAR, chip has been very arrogant and inflexible. He took a team that was in the hunt for a championship with Sterling Marlin and destroyed it by trying to running like his open wheel team. I suggest he stick to his indycar team and limit his involvement to the check writing on this side.

Cheep is also notorious for being cheap.

[RaceFanStan]

Joe Gibbs is an intelligent man.
I think Joe Gibbs is too smart to waste his people & his equipment on Montoya. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

[Yankee Racer]

It would be cool to see, just because I think of all the open wheelers, JPM has the most potential simply because he's not afraid to stick his nose in there. Will he have as much success as Tony did int he 20? Hell no. Will he win races? Probably.

You have to consider this: Montoya has his Juantourage. His fans are loyal. If The Home Depot leaves with Stewart, which I seriously believe is a legitimate possibility, JGR will look for someone who is marketable, not just talented. The thing is, there's just some guys that can't attract a sponsor. I think that Montoya can.

However, one thing against JPM: he's used to a pretty high salary, and a team with their priorities straight won't be overpaying for an unproven talent.

[Sparky1329]

Joe Gibbs is an intelligent man.
I think Joe Gibbs is too smart to waste his people & his equipment on Montoya. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

Not to mention that Smoke hasn't gone anywhere yet. Maybe he'll stay right where he is.

[BenRoethig]

Not to mention that Smoke hasn't gone anywhere yet. Maybe he'll stay right where he is.

Not unless a bow tie gets affixed to the front of those cars again. Tony isn't all that happy about driving a Toyota.

[Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left]

It would be cool to see, just because I think of all the open wheelers, JPM has the most potential simply because he's not afraid to stick his nose in there. Will he have as much success as Tony did int he 20? Hell no. Will he win races? Probably.

You have to consider this: Montoya has his Juantourage. His fans are loyal. If The Home Depot leaves with Stewart, which I seriously believe is a legitimate possibility, JGR will look for someone who is marketable, not just talented. The thing is, there's just some guys that can't attract a sponsor. I think that Montoya can.

However, one thing against JPM: he's used to a pretty high salary, and a team with their priorities straight won't be overpaying for an unproven talent.

If JPM was in it for the money id be very suprised, if he was in it for the money he would have just found a cushy and very well paid seat with a second tier F1 team.

I think it would be great to see what Monty could do in some equipment that matched his talent.

[Yankee Racer]

If JPM was in it for the money id be very suprised, if he was in it for the money he would have just found a cushy and very well paid seat with a second tier F1 team.

I think it would be great to see what Monty could do in some equipment that matched his talent.
I don't think he went to NASCAR to make more money, but I also don't think he'd go to NASCAR for that significant of a pay cut.

On a different note, I think that Wrigley's is going to be the deciding factor in this. Mars is taking over Wrigley's, meaning that they probably won't want M&M's to advertise with Joe Gibbs and Toyota and Juicy Fruit/Big Red to advertise with Ganassi and Dodge. If Stewart takes The Home Depot with him, the 20 needs a sponsor, and Mars may be willing to step up with one of the Wrigley's brands (recall they sponsored both Yates cars in 2007). If Juicy Fruit/Big Red want to continue their existing association with JPM, he might just land a JGR seat.

[Sparky1329]

Not unless a bow tie gets affixed to the front of those cars again. Tony isn't all that happy about driving a Toyota.

Really? I haven't read anything about that although you may be right. He's affiliated with GM everywhere else but I haven't actually heard him say anything negative about Toyota.

[wedge]

If JPM was in it for the money id be very suprised, if he was in it for the money he would have just found a cushy and very well paid seat with a second tier F1 team.

Except he made more enemies in the F1 paddock than friends. He was offered the Red Bull seat but DC vetoed it.

Chip Ganassi is probably the only person who could handle JPM's huge ego (Ron Dennis compared his personality to Senna and said it was an 'emotional' journey).

[e2mtt]

I don't think JPM has been a spoiled brat in NASCAR. From most of what I've read, has gotten along quite well with the other drivers & his crew. The only real mark against him as been over-aggressive driving.