Montoya and the Daytona 500

[MAX_THRUST]

Ok he wins the Indy 500 first time out with Ganassi, He wins the Daytona 24 hours first time out with Ganassi, surely he can't do the Daytona 500 1st time out with Ganassi or can he?????

I'm going to be watching NASCAR this year because Montoya is racing. It's not that I'm a massive fan of his, but I find him fascinating to watch as a driver and in interviews. Plain speaking, hard charging.

Surely he can't do Daytona and win all three blue ribbon events. Hope I haven't jinxed him!!!

What's your opinions???

[Alexamateo]

Montoya's going to be good, but he's still new to driving heavy front-engined cars. He has qualified well, (4th fastest) but the plate tracks are just different and you'll see cars that qualified 30th race extremely well because of the draft. He also drives for Ganassi, which has not been a premier level team in Nascar, although the driver he replaced, Casey Mears did finish second last year. In the end, the newness of the cars and the newness of drafting in a big pack will prevent him from winning, not to mention just how difficult it is to win any given race in Nascar. 13 different drivers won races last year, and not on that list were talented drivers like Carl Edwards, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Casey Mears, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, and Robby Gordon. With the exception of Mears, all of this list has won races and even Championships (Jarrett, Labonte).

If he finishes in the top 15 he should consider his day a success. Will he win this year? He is capable of course, and I would like to think Ganassi is turning it around somewhat. He will definitely threaten on the road courses, but then again, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are tops. It's going to be tough to beat them. Who knows, that's why they line up up and race them! :)

[MAX_THRUST]

I didn't know he had qualified fourth....good showing. I'm hoping we wil get some coverage in the UK on channel 5 or Eurosport....Thanks .

[cgs]

qualifying doesn't mean much about the driver at Daytona. the entire lap is foot flat to the floor and so the driver really has very little input into the lap. however, racing at a SS is all about skill and working the draft. you could have the fast car out there but if you get hung up all by yourself on the high side, you're goign to find yourself in the back of the field pretty quick.

[Alexamateo]

I didn't know he had qualified fourth....good showing. I'm hoping we wil get some coverage in the UK on channel 5 or Eurosport....Thanks .

FYI Max, the two biggest tracks in NASCAR use restrictor plates to reduce the airflow into the motor and cut power and speed. That's the reason for the big packs, no one has the power to pull away. Because of the draft, they'll actually race faster than they qualified. A good qualifying speed does not necessarily mean they'll run well in the race as the draft is paramount for the 4 plate races.

Also, for this race only, there are two qualifying races Thursday, JPM's starting position in the 500 will be determined by how well he finishes there. It will also be the first indicator as to how he's going to do in the draft. He did do well in the ARCA race at Talladega last fall (also a restrictor plate race), but he had far superior equipment than most of the field.

[wedge]

Depends how well he goes in the 125s. He has made a bad habit of kissing the wall last year. Daytona is a narrow track - three wide is possible but expect lane drafting all day. I just hope JPM's infamous patience doesn't wear thin and cause a wreck.

I'm expecting a top-15 finish, top-10 would be excellent but I'd be more impressed if it was 6th/7th place finish or higher.

[muggle not]

Monyoya's best shot at a win, surprise, is at Sonoma or Watkins Glen. I think he has an escellent chance of winning at the Glen.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Muggle, he will find it tough, for Ron Fellows has been racing there in NASCAR's for a while, and won there with Busch 3 times, but cant beat the Cup Regulars. JPM should be in the top 10 there, and that would be as far as I will predict. He is good, but driving a Cup car is an experience thing. IT will take him about a year to be ready to win a race anywhere.

As for Daytona, all he has to do is survive in the Duels and he is in, which is the main thing. Qualfying fourth for the Daytona 500 means less than fourth anywhere else.....

[Sparky1329]

I think Juan can win the 500. If he can avoid "The Big One", stay off the walls and find himself a drafting partner it's possible. I'm not a fan of plate racing but the races are often a crap shoot.

[harvick#1]

If those Ganassi Dodges run like Busch's Shootout car, then hes got a great chance, but if he wins the 500, that would be awesome as winning the two biggest races in 1 start each

[DonnieDarco]

He's doing well, thats the main thing. I don't think we should expect race wins for some time yet, but who knows? It seems to me luck plays a large part in Nascar, almost anything can happen. I'm just happy if he makes it in one piece to the end, anything else is a bonus :D

[Alexamateo]

I can't see him winning if it finishes in a pack like normal, but remember Biffle's first win in the July Daytona race as a rookie in 2003? How are those Ganassi cars on mileage anyway? :D

[trumperZ06]

:D I will be surprised if JPM wins the Daytona 500 this year.

;) Can he win.... yes. He's certainly capable, as a driver.

Will JPM win... odds are stacked against it !

[oldhippie]

to alex:dodge suck on gas mileage and ford does too
chevy gets the best gas mileage and toyota is not known

will the 13 gallon fuelcell be used this year at daytona?
worst case senario=daytona 500 won on gas mileage :(

jpm is good but he need not make room for the daytona 500 trophy ;)

[harvick#1]

I will say that the Daytona 500 will not end in a fuel milage race, unless Dale Jr. is in the lead and wins.

just like in the Shootout, Nascar will throw a bogus caution if thats whats going to happen, Nascar wants their biggest races to have a fantastic finish

[Alexamateo]

to alex:dodge suck on gas mileage and ford does too
chevy gets the best gas mileage and toyota is not known

will the 13 gallon fuelcell be used this year at daytona?
worst case senario=daytona 500 won on gas mileage :(

jpm is good but he need not make room for the daytona 500 trophy ;)

Thanks oldhippie, but didn't Biffle win in a Ford ;)
But yeah I agree, as great a story it would make, no need to make any space for the trophy.

[call_me_andrew]

Thanks oldhippie, but didn't Biffle win in a Ford ;)
But yeah I agree, as great a story it would make, no need to make any space for the trophy.

I'm pretty sure he won the July race. And if anything, Fords get the best fuel mileage. I remember Talladega a few years back when Kensith could go so far on a tank that no one else could pit with him.

I think Montoya will do well, but I'm not getting my hopes up on him.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Montoya wont master the draft on his first attempt. It isn't quite the crap shoot people think. IF it was, we would more fluke winners of the Daytona 500...oh wait a minute, Mikey Waltrip won thisdeal....maybe I am wrong!

No, I suspect Tony Stewart or Jimmie will likely win again. JPM will do well to get into the top 10. It is one thing to finish well at Daytona, to win is to master the art of finding away to trick other people to push you forward and then find a way to not let them by. JPM is a good blocker but that finding an dance partner thing will be something he has to learn the hard way.

[dont_be_jack]

I suspect that he'll do alright at the 500. He's still learning. But once you get him back on the tracks like Texas, Charlotte, and the intermediates, he'll do just fine. Yes, it's a new car for him, but he's a racer. He'll drive anything with wheels and do just fine if not great.

[F1boat]

He might win if he is very lucky and the major stars crash. It is more likely that he will crash, though.

[MAX_THRUST]

JPM was involved with two HANFORD wing races in CART in 1999 I think at California and Michigan, he could hustle a car on the short ovals and did surprisingly well for a rookie that year on the ovals. I think drafting in a stock car should be something he picks up quickly. Yes NASCAR is massively different in so many ways to Champ Cars and F1, that and there will be 43 cars and drivers all wanting that win.

I genuinly can't wait to see the race this year, just not sure if I'll get to see it. Enjoy the race guys and girls!!!

[e2mtt]

JPM is gonna be good. I said it last year, I think he might be the BEST DRIVER in NASCAR right now. Not most experienced at stock car racing, but he will figure it out fast.

[DonnieDarco]

I need some help please :D

JPM qualified 4th on Sunday. That qual session only locked in the front row, so in theory he should start the second qual session tomorrow in 2nd, yes?

A website has stated he starts 4th.

[DonnieDarco]

Right, thanks for all rushing in :laugh: So! Did they in fact, only really determine the starting order for the second qualifying session on Sunday? And the top two also run again, even though they are supposedly locked in? Its not just me who finds this all confusing:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070211/SPORTS03/702110320/1004/SPORTS

:D

[harvick#1]

Daytona is confusing, I'm still confused since they changed the rules two or three years ago.

but Sundays Qualies only set the Front Row. every other position was then the Starting Lineups for the 150's, the inside and the outside.

so Montoya will start 2nd in the second race. Montoya has the most to lose as he can't gain any position but can lose alot. Montoya is already in the field anyway so no need to worry.

its like this to determine the lineup

P1 : polesitter for race 1
P2 : polesitter for race 2
P3 : P2 for race 1
P4 : P2 for race 2
P5 : P3 for race 1
P6 : P3 for race 2

and so on and so forth

[DonnieDarco]

Race 1 and race 2? :D Do you mean qual 1 and qual 2?

[harvick#1]

yeah, Qualifying Races, same thing :)

[DonnieDarco]

Right, so after the first qual session, the top two don't need to compete for the second, and everyone else moves up two places :D I think :D

[RaceFanStan]

I need some help please :D

JPM qualified 4th on Sunday. That qual session only locked in the front row, so in theory he should start the second qual session tomorrow in 2nd, yes?

A website has stated he starts 4th.
This is from Jayski's & may be a little simpler to understand how the Daytona 500 lineup is set :
Positions 1st and 2nd:
The polesitter and outside polesitter from Bud Pole Qualifying are locked-in
(no need to be top 35 in the previous season's car Owners Points)

Positions 3rd thru 39th:
The top 35 in previous season's car Owners Points
PLUS the 2 highest finishing teams in each Gatorade Duel race NOT in the top 35
(set by their finishing postion in the Gatorade Duel races)

Positions 40th-42nd:
The 3 fastest qualifiers from Bud Pole Qualifying not in by above

Position 43rd:
The past champion provisional if needed to be used by a previous champion,
otherwise the spot goes to the next fastest qualifier from Bud Pole Qualifying

Here are the line-ups for the Qualifying Races :
Gatorade Duel Race #1
1 David Gilliland #38 Ford
2 David Ragan #6 Ford
3 Boris Said #60 Ford
4 Johnny Sauter #70 Chevy
5 Jimmie Johnson #48 Chevy
6 Casey Mears #25 Chevy
7 Denny Hamlin #11 Chevy
8 Jeremy Mayfield #36 Toyota
9 Tony Stewart #20 Chevy
10 Martin Truex Jr #1 Chevy
11 Dale Earnhardt Jr #8 Chevy
12 Bobby Labonte #43 Dodge
13 Jeff Green #66 Chevy
14 Greg Biffle #16 Ford
15 Ward Burton #4 Chevy
16 Kyle Petty #45 Dodge
17 Robby Gordon #7 Ford
18 Dave Blaney #22 Toyota
19 A.J. Allmendinger #84 Toyota
20 Clint Bowyer #07 Chevy
21 Bill Elliott #37 Dodge
22 Reed Sorenson #41 Dodge
23 Kenny Wallace #78 Chevy
24 Ken Schrader #21 Ford
25 Dale Jarrett #44 Toyota
26 Jeff Burton #31 Chevy
27 Mike Bliss #49 Dodge
28 Stanton Barrett #30 Chevy
29 Brandon Whitt #72 Chevy
30 James Hylton #58 Chevy
31 Michael Waltrip #55 Toyota

Gatorade Duel Race #2
1 Ricky Rudd #88 Ford
2 David Stremme #40 Dodge
3 Juan Pablo Montoya #42 Dodge
4 Jeff Gordon #24 Chevy
5 Sterling Marlin #14 Chevy
6 Kyle Busch #5 Chevy
7 David Reutimann #00 Toyota
8 J.J. Yeley #18 Chevy
9 Mike Skinner #23 Toyota
10 Elliott Sadler #19 Dodge
11 Jamie McMurray #26 Ford
12 Regan Smith #39 Chevy
13 Ryan Newman #12 Dodge
14 Kevin Harvick #29 Chevy
15 Paul Menard #15 Chevy
16 Mark Martin #01 Chevy
17 Tony Raines #96 Chevy
18 Kurt Busch #2 Dodge
19 Kevin Lepage #34 Dodge
20 Brian Vickers #83 Toyota
21 Joe Nemechek #13 Chevy
22 Scott Riggs #10 Dodge
23 Carl Edwards #99 Ford
24 Frank Kimmel #71 Ford
25 Eric McClure #04 Chevy
26 Kirk Shelmerdine #27 Chevy
27 Derrike Cope #74 Dodge
28 Mike Wallace #09 Chevy
29 Matt Kenseth #17 Ford
30 Kasey Kahne #9 Dodge

[DonnieDarco]

Why does JPM start 3rd when he qualified in 4th???? If the top two are locked in, shouldn't he start second? :D

[DonnieDarco]

Duplicate post.

[RaceFanStan]

David Stremme who qualified 3rd was odd in 2006 owner's points so he starts in the 2nd race. :eek:

[DonnieDarco]

He was odd? And he starts where in the second err, quali? :D

[RaceFanStan]

The field for the Gatorade Duel Qualifying races are set by speed AND the car owner's points standings.
Race 1 will have the polesitter & the cars that are even-numbered in 2006 owner's points.
Race 2 will have the outside polesitter & the cars that are odd-numbered in 2006 owner's points.
Kind of weird I know but it is the way it's been done for a while.

[DonnieDarco]

Yes, but aren't all the drivers taking part in both quals, aside from the top two?? Sorry Stan, this is incredibly confusing :D

[race aficionado]

Donnie, you are indeed a brave, brave WOMAN. :)

I don't even want to try and figure it out yet. Hopefully it will sink in after a couple of race wekends.

Go JPM!!!!!


:s mokin:

[DonnieDarco]

Well, its only this weekend that has this double quali/race thing, apparently :D

[dont_be_jack]

I gave up a while ago trying to figure out the Daytona 500 qualifying rules. I figure that I know the top 35 from last year are going to be in the race and whoever else gets in is a surprise to me on Sunday.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Montoya will get in based on his Owner's points, that is all that really matters. How he does from there should be intreresting.

[muggle not]

It is best to wait until they are on the track Sunday and see how they line up. :) Only then will you be fairly sure of who is starting where. :)

[Hoss Ghoul]

Montoya is starting 36th.

http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2007/1/data/lineup.html

He ran well, leading 18 laps in his qualifier before having hub failure, a flat tire, and hitting the wall. The damage was light and he will not need his backup car.

[DonnieDarco]

Thanks Hoss :) 18 laps led, not bad :D

[Shifter]

Does it even matter where anyone starts in the 500? The good and the lucky will be at the front of the pack at race end anyways. Thats how I feel about Daytona qualis, if it wern't for send some people home they might as well draw numbers out of a hat.

[Robert Ryan]

He ran well, leading 18 laps in his qualifier before having hub failure, a flat tire, and hitting the wall. The damage was light and he will not need his backup car.

He was impressive in this is 4th Stockcar start(including the ARCA race.)

[dont_be_jack]

Does it even matter where anyone starts in the 500? The good and the lucky will be at the front of the pack at race end anyways. Thats how I feel about Daytona qualis, if it wern't for send some people home they might as well draw numbers out of a hat.

And then flip them around half way through the race! All-star + Daytona!