Montoya wasting time in NASCAR!!!!

[mervyn charter]

Despite his recent fighting talk that he would never return to Formula One, Montoya must surely be beginning to realise that he is wasting his career and talent in NASCAR. Montoya`s only likely success their will be on the road courses, but as far as i know they only have two or three road courses out of about 40 races. NASCAR is a different type of racing that is determined not by who is the fastest driver, but who can get other drivers to work with them in the draft, and strategy revolving around the umpteen yellow flags. Juan Pablo you must be getting tired of going around in circles. Toyota, Williams, Honda maybe Renault may all be looking to change one driver next year, surely their must be interest in Montoya from some-one if he returns to F1.

Swallow some pride Juan Pablo, you left F1 in a huff probably after unfairly being blamed for the Indianapolis Crash, but remember you threw away a possible victory the week before in canada with a ill-judged overtaking move on Rosberg.

Montoya is still a great open wheel-driver who should maybe learn from Lewis Hamilton with his consistency, and lack of stupid mistakes.

[gloomyDAY]

I wouldn't mind seeing JPM back on the F1 circuit. The venture seems worth his time and will probably see better results than NASCAR. Juan should come back to the sport of F1 and drive for Renault. I think there is some lost treasure within that team.

[race aficionado]

I for one am enjoying Juan's adventure into Nascar.

This is just his first year, learning on new tracks as he goes . . . and believe me F1 fans, getting to know all these different types of oval tracks - and there are many! - are fun to watch and I'm sure, a challenge for those drivers that are driving so fast and so tight. - ah, and they race every weekend by the way - and Juan is also involved in two series, Bush and Nextel, - therefore racing 2 races on two days - and broadcast live.

Yes, he doesn't have the fastest car so we, Juan's fans, are hopeful that the Ganassi team is also learning and working to get their driver a better car.

That's the whole idea, right?

I consider my self lucky.
I'm enjoying both Nascar and F1.

not bad at all.

:s mokin:

[JovialJooles]

Why on earth would he want to go back to F1?

He is 'RACING' each weekend, and as stated, doing 2 races per weekend. As Juan is a racer, I'm sure even the frustration of learning the tracks and the close action is infinitely better than the boredom of an expensive procession a few weekends of the year.

He will earn much more in NASCAR than F1, so career wise, he is in a better place. You can race into your 50s in NASCAR, so career wise he is now in a better place.

Ovals are not simply a case of turning left. The challenge of learning the tracks and the strategy of a 4 hr race must be infinitely more interesting than the tedium of a Grand Prix weekend.

If you want excitement and action watch NASCAR. If you want to be entertained, watch NASCAR.

If you fancy a kip after your Sunday lunch and want something to send you off to sleep, watch F1.

[rabf1]

He couldn't come back to F1 even if he wanted to. Nobody would hire him.

[OmarF1]

It isn't about Montoya driving in NASCAR or F1, he just wanna live in the U.S., he feels more comfortable there, him and his family, it isn't all about racing in this particular case i think, plus Nascar it's a more friendly environment for a family, way more relaxed than F1.

[Big Ben]

Swallow some pride Juan Pablo, you left F1 in a huff probably after unfairly being blamed for the Indianapolis Crash, but remember you threw away a possible victory the week before in canada with a ill-judged overtaking move on Rosberg.


I thought it was the other way around.... Rosberg was the idiot in Canada and JPM was fairly blamed for the Indianapolis Crash...

he´s just fine where he is.... he´s enjoying every minute... wasn´t he pretending something like that?

[Big Ben]

Why on earth would he want to go back to F1?

He is 'RACING' each weekend, and as stated, doing 2 races per weekend. As Juan is a racer, I'm sure even the frustration of learning the tracks and the close action is infinitely better than the boredom of an expensive procession a few weekends of the year.

He will earn much more in NASCAR than F1, so career wise, he is in a better place. You can race into your 50s in NASCAR, so career wise he is now in a better place.

Ovals are not simply a case of turning left. The challenge of learning the tracks and the strategy of a 4 hr race must be infinitely more interesting than the tedium of a Grand Prix weekend.

If you want excitement and action watch NASCAR. If you want to be entertained, watch NASCAR.

If you fancy a kip after your Sunday lunch and want something to send you off to sleep, watch F1.

yeah... right! watching some cars turning left in an oval for 4 hours would really keep me up.

[Easy Drifter]

First 25 laps good, last 25 good. In between snore unless they crash and then 20 min of commercials and pace car. Why do you think I call it NAPCAR.

[TMorel]

EasyD
Compare that to F1
first corner excitement, the lap either side of the pitstop and then cruise to the flag...

Yup, can really see the difference

(that's not to say I don't love F1, but y'know, it's alright to appreciate other forms of motorsport like NASCAR / WRC / 2CV banger racing and this "ooh they only turn left" crap tends to make me think people are a bit too closed minded to give even the short time to get to know them)

[Big Ben]

EasyD
Compare that to F1
first corner excitement, the lap either side of the pitstop and then cruise to the flag...

Yup, can really see the difference

(that's not to say I don't love F1, but y'know, it's alright to appreciate other forms of motorsport like NASCAR / WRC / 2CV banger racing and this "ooh they only turn left" crap tends to make me think people are a bit too closed minded to give even the short time to get to know them)

I still have the freedom to think that Nascar is a stupid sport though.... right?... even if you are able to appreciate everything

[call_me_andrew]

NASCAR is a different type of racing that is determined not by who is the fastest driver, but who can get other drivers to work with them in the draft, and strategy revolving around the umpteen yellow flags. Juan Pablo you must be getting tired of going around in circles.

Swallow some pride Juan Pablo, you left F1 in a huff probably after unfairly being blamed for the Indianapolis Crash, but remember you threw away a possible victory the week before in canada with a ill-judged overtaking move on Rosberg.

1. That only describes pack racing which ecompases a total of 4 races per year. That doesn't seem very significant when there are "about 40 races" per year.
2. Juan had been planning the move long before Indy. Do you really think Chip Ganassi would hire a guy with no closed cockpit racing expierience just because he suddenly became available?


yeah... right! watching some cars turning left in an oval for 4 hours would really keep me up.

Well who decided that right was so spectacular?

That's not a rhetorical question, feel free to answer.

It's not as though Juan had never been on an oval before he entered F1. He seems to be happy now. He's described driving heavier cars with narrow tires as being like driving in the rain.

[POS_Maggott]

I don't know, I'm not sure why he would go back to F1.

You'd think that race car drivers actually.. you know, like to pass people during races.

[Big Ben]

1. That only describes pack racing which ecompases a total of 4 races per year. That doesn't seem very significant when there are "about 40 races" per year.
2. Juan had been planning the move long before Indy. Do you really think Chip Ganassi would hire a guy with no closed cockpit racing expierience just because he suddenly became available?



Well who decided that right was so spectacular?

That's not a rhetorical question, feel free to answer.

It's not as though Juan had never been on an oval before he entered F1. He seems to be happy now. He's described driving heavier cars with narrow tires as being like driving in the rain.

Me. I decide what I post most of the time (I have to say though, I didn´t really understand the question... It´s rather a wild guess. I hope it fits)...

don´t get offended... It´s just my personal humble opinion that NASCAR sucks... a matter of taste if you want.

[gloomyDAY]

First 25 laps good, last 25 good. In between snore unless they crash and then 20 min of commercials and pace car. Why do you think I call it NAPCAR.


Me. I decide what I post most of the time (I have to say though, I didn´t really understand the question... It´s rather a wild guess. I hope it fits)...

don´t get offended... It´s just my personal humble opinion that NASCAR sucks... a matter of taste if you want.You two are a showcase of automotive knowledge. If you don't like NASCAR, then the least you could do is respect the sport. I used to be a fan of NASCAR and switched to WRC because it suited my style of racing much more. I don't like stock car racing anymore, but at least I won't speak of it in a degrading manner.

As I stated before that if there is a spot open in F1 then JPM would be a shoe-in in my book. If wants to stay here in America and find a way to win, well that's fine as well.

[Big Ben]

I don't know, I'm not sure why he would go back to F1.

You'd think that race car drivers actually.. you know, like to pass people during races.

If I were a race car driver I would prefer not to pass anyone.... I'd rather start from pole position and finish first with now event between the two...
I'm sure JPM wouldn't might doing that in F1... and you wouldn't hear Juan's fans then complaining about how boring f1 is...

[Big Ben]

You two are a showcase of automotive knowledge. If you don't like NASCAR, then the least you could do is respect the sport. I used to be a fan of NASCAR and switched to WRC because it suited my style of racing much more. I don't like stock car racing anymore, but at least I won't speak of it in a degrading manner.

As I stated before that if there is a spot open in F1 then JPM would be a shoe-in in my book. If wants to stay here in America and find a way to win, well that's fine as well.

Okay... I respect NASCAR! it's a super fine sport...

[Cozzie]

NASCAR is a different type of racing that is determined not by who is the fastest driver, but who can get other drivers to work with them in the draft, and strategy revolving around the umpteen yellow flags.

You've obviously never seen a NASCAR race...

[Hawkmoon]

I don't think you can compare passing on an oval to that of passing on a "proper" ;) race track. They're two completely different things. The former is more about getting your car in the correct position to catch the slipstream, or draft as the Americans call it, and then pulling out an completing the pass. The latter often starts the same way, with the use of the slipstream, but has the added complication of needing to break later for the corner and having the correct line for the next corner.

Personally, I don't find the type of passing you get on an oval all that exciting. NASCAR, therefore, holds little interest for me. That's not to say it's bad racing, if you like that sort of thing.

As for JPM returning to F1, he could do it today if he wanted to. I'm sure most of the teams in the bottom half of the grid would take him in a second. I don't think, however, that JPM would take that option just to get back on the F1 grid. He has too much pride, or ego, for that. He wouldn't have quit F1 the way he did if he didn't.

[POS_Maggott]

I wouldnt really say its a matter of oval vs road racing with the passing. I've seen plenty of road races with many, many passes. Many lead changes and constant battles for the lead. But when I watch a Formula One race, I'm watching the leader invariably pull out to a huge lead, with everyone behind him struggling in dirty air.

Road racing can provide very good racings, and I agree that its not fair to compare oval to road racing, but what you're getting in Formula One these days is essentially 50-70 really fast parade laps, showcasing the starting grid, with the occasional pass, generally as a result of pitstops and pit strategy.

Thats not very good racing, is it?

[leopard]

He can emigrate to my nation, we will hire him as number one driver of A1, because he is favorite driver of my current driver :D

[dwboogityfan]

I'm a fan of both F1 and NASCAR and honestly can't understand the arrogance of some F1 fans toward any other form of motorsport. The fact is the Montoya is seemingly enjoying himself more than he did in F1 and also finding that NASCAR is not perhaps as easy as he (and alot of F1 Montoya fans) thought it was going to be.
Besides the arguement about NASCAR just going round in circles - I would urge anyone who thinks this to actually watch a NASCAR race. Trust me you will see more overtaking in 10 laps than you do in an F1 season. Does that make it better than F1? No, just different but I love 'em both!

[Cole_Trickle]

He's the top rookie, he's doing pretty good IMO.

[muggle not]

Despite his recent fighting talk that he would never return to Formula One, Montoya must surely be beginning to realise that he is wasting his career and talent in NASCAR. Montoya`s only likely success their will be on the road courses, but as far as i know they only have two or three road courses out of about 40 races. NASCAR is a different type of racing that is determined not by who is the fastest driver, but who can get other drivers to work with them in the draft, and strategy revolving around the umpteen yellow flags. Juan Pablo you must be getting tired of going around in circles. Toyota, Williams, Honda maybe Renault may all be looking to change one driver next year, surely their must be interest in Montoya from some-one if he returns to F1.

Swallow some pride Juan Pablo, you left F1 in a huff probably after unfairly being blamed for the Indianapolis Crash, but remember you threw away a possible victory the week before in canada with a ill-judged overtaking move on Rosberg.

Montoya is still a great open wheel-driver who should maybe learn from Lewis Hamilton with his consistency, and lack of stupid mistakes.
I am sure that Montoya has tried getting drivers to work with him with the draft at Bristol, Richmond, Martinsville, etc but they would rather work with drivers that understand the tracks a little better.

[BobbyC]

Not only is it not as easy, the lifestyle is completely different. Sebastian (his son) has probably enjoyed the Cup lifestyle better than he thought. There's a big difference in the F1 lifestyle compared to the NNCS where the drivers are having the kids around other drivers' kids every week, the wives and some girlfriends with each other, and playing in each other's friendly golf matches.

I think the kid-friendly atmosphere is different than F1; how many wives and kids do you expect are at the grid during the start of an F1 race?

[Garry Walker]

Juan Pablo you must be getting tired of going around in circles. Toyota, Williams, Honda maybe Renault may all be looking to change one driver next year, surely their must be interest in Montoya from some-one if he returns to F1.

none of those teams would be interested in him, there are much better drivers available.



Swallow some pride Juan Pablo, you left F1 in a huff probably after unfairly being blamed for the Indianapolis Crash, but remember you threw away a possible victory the week before in canada with a ill-judged overtaking move on Rosberg.


Win the Race at Canada? He would have been lucky to get on points.
and he was blamed fairly for USA crash, he drove with blinders on there.

[luvracin]

I'm a fan of both F1 and NASCAR and honestly can't understand the arrogance of some F1 fans toward any other form of motorsport. The fact is the Montoya is seemingly enjoying himself more than he did in F1 and also finding that NASCAR is not perhaps as easy as he (and alot of F1 Montoya fans) thought it was going to be.
Besides the arguement about NASCAR just going round in circles - I would urge anyone who thinks this to actually watch a NASCAR race. Trust me you will see more overtaking in 10 laps than you do in an F1 season. Does that make it better than F1? No, just different but I love 'em both!

I'm a fan of many types of motorsport and couldn't have said it better myself.

[blakebeatty]

I'm a fan of both F1 and NASCAR and honestly can't understand the arrogance of some F1 fans toward any other form of motorsport. The fact is the Montoya is seemingly enjoying himself more than he did in F1 and also finding that NASCAR is not perhaps as easy as he (and alot of F1 Montoya fans) thought it was going to be.
Besides the arguement about NASCAR just going round in circles - I would urge anyone who thinks this to actually watch a NASCAR race. Trust me you will see more overtaking in 10 laps than you do in an F1 season. Does that make it better than F1? No, just different but I love 'em both!


Amen. I would speculate that anyone who is quick to judge has never seen a race. Some need to broaden their horizon.

[BenRoethig]

I still have the freedom to think that Nascar is a stupid sport though.... right?... even if you are able to appreciate everything

You have the right to think NASCAR is stupid, we have the right to think your so called pinnacle of racing called F1 is just a boring overhyped technology parade where the driver has absolutely nothing to do with it anymore. Seriously, what makes you guys so scared of anything that is different than the international (aka european) norms?

[Zsolt]

Why on earth would he want to go back to F1?

He is 'RACING' each weekend, and as stated, doing 2 races per weekend. As Juan is a racer, I'm sure even the frustration of learning the tracks and the close action is infinitely better than the boredom of an expensive procession a few weekends of the year.

He will earn much more in NASCAR than F1, so career wise, he is in a better place. You can race into your 50s in NASCAR, so career wise he is now in a better place.

Ovals are not simply a case of turning left. The challenge of learning the tracks and the strategy of a 4 hr race must be infinitely more interesting than the tedium of a Grand Prix weekend.

If you want excitement and action watch NASCAR. If you want to be entertained, watch NASCAR.

If you fancy a kip after your Sunday lunch and want something to send you off to sleep, watch F1.



Actually, I don't think i've ever fallen asleep watching F1, but I did try to watch nascar a few times & did get sleepy. I'm just not a fan of ovals, even if they still did them in CHAMP CAR I wouldn't like it.

/How many of those 4 hours is the race under "yellow flag?"

[DonnieDarco]

I think JPM's having a great time in Nascar, why would he leave? Its challenging, he loves the US anyway, he seems very happy to me.

[jslone]

He is on a mediocre team in Nascar,get over it.Yes he is the top dog on the team,but his cars a lot of times just suck.Otgherwise he would have had better results.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I love when European/F1 fans talk about NASCAR. It really shows a pre-conceieved arrogance that assumes that JPM going to NASCAR is a temper tantrum and that he will come to his senses and come back to f1. What this boils down to is an ignorance to why JPM left f1 and what NASCAR is all about.

It has been said before, and I will note it also, Juan likes the family atmosphere in NASCAR. He as been accepted with open arms by the other Cup drivers, and what is more, he has earned their respect. He has not run anyone off the road this season. He has learned to run in traffic that is unlike anything he would deal with in OW cars and he has had to learn a new oval almost every week.

Contrary to popular belief, it isn't just standing on the gas and turning left. Car setup, learning to push the car to the limit without going over it is actually part of the equation, and while there are lots of yellow's, you are usually under green for over 3 hours in a NASCAR race. What is more, you have 7 to 8 pitstops in some races or more, and you have 40 other guys or so to fight on and off pit road while obeying the pit lane speedlimit. You cant stall, you have no electronics to keep your speed down, and the car doesn't brake really well. F1 pilots really have no excuses for a bad pitstop whereas even getting in and out of the pits in NASCAR is a fight. It is so different to F1 in its approach and so competitive that this thread reveals another f1 attitude towards NASCAR being:

The idea that JPM was going to win races this year. Nothing could be further from the truth. He may not even win a Cup race on the road courses EVER. NASCAR is so competitive and his team is not one of THE top teams. What is more, even if he was racing for Hendrick or Gibbs, he would still have to beat guys who grew up around this type of racing. Road course ringers such as Scott Pruett and Ron Fellows have not been able to win on the road courses in Cup cars despite being very used to this type of car. JPM had to adapt after driving f1 cars with all their technology. So lets drop this snooty F1 attitude that Juan is wasting his talent in NASCAR. Here is the reality. There are about 5 forms of racing that are unique and represent the pinnicle of their branch of the sport. Just because you are a master in one, doesn't mean you will ever be a master in the other. A great NASCAR driver wouldn't necessarily be a lock to win a race in F1 even if you put him in a McLaren in the first year, so who in their right mind thinks JPM will win races in the NASCAR version of a Honda or Toyota f1 car? ( A mid pack runner ). In NASCAR he has a better shot only because the cars are much more closer in performance, but professional grade teams skew the odds and Ganassi's operation isn't in the top tier.

Juan is having fun and likely wont be back because he is doing better than most of the teammates/Dodge runners, so he is fairing very well in simliar equipment. He is respected and included as a star in NASCAR in that the top 20 or so guys are always respected and looked up to. He is a new guy to NASCAR yet with merchandise sales he will make more money likely than he would in F1, and he is safer. There really is no argument for him to go back to f1 unless it is to put up with the politics to drive one of those amazing little cars again, but that said I doubt it will ever happen. He put up the crap that an f1 guy has to put with, the gossip, the backstabbing, the hostile press and the politics of trying to stay with the hot team that may not be the hot team next year. In NASCAR he has none of those issues, and no matter how crappy the US press is, it is a walk in the park compared to the stupidity I read about from European press when a driver is singled out.

Juan is NOT wasting his talent, it is his talent to take where he pleases, and if he is enjoying what he is doing, it really matters little does it? God knows he is making a good living in NASCAR, and when he finally does master ovals he will maybe win a race. Who knows? He may never, but I suspect for Juan, he learned that living life being 20th in the points in NASCAR pays better and is as rewarding as finishing 6th never passing a car in his old Williams as the Ferrari and McLaren boys drive off in the distance...

[Mark in Oshawa]

Correction, he did punt Pruett off the road this year....but that was on a road course and that was in the Busch series where he should be up front on a road course. He will find that Cup drivers good on a road course and they are not going to give way and he wont get away with punting them. Tony Stewart knows how to play full contact racing and so do people like Kevin Harvick and the Hendrick boys.... If JPM wants to win one of the road course events, he better hope he can outrun them. Good luck with that, Ron Fellows was about the best GT sports car driver on the planet for a 4 year period, and he couldn't beat Tony Stewart at the Glen when Tony was sick as a dog in the car. I Doubt JPM is going to know something about these cars Ron didn't....

[Cole_Trickle]

You forgot Tony Raines at Martinsville ;)

I do agree with you though, If I was Montoya that'd be where I want to be.

[Old3Fan]

For the 10,000th time. Racing is racing. There are several different types of racing. If you don't like a certain type don't watch. Have your mother change the channel for you or something if you don't know how. BTW I prefer road/street racing but I watch them all. One is not better than the other. Just different.

[LTalbot]

First, JPM is not going anywhere soon. Nuff said. Regarding fans of different series, I find there is a bit of arrogance in all of them, and europeans specifically. Me I watch many forms of racing, but get real excitement from ChampCar and Formula 1. Never been to a NASCAR race, but I enjoy them on TV and will go to one someday. I'd go to Infineon next week if I didn't hate the smell of the place so much.

Recently I was on a flight back to California that had a stopover in Las Vegas the weekend NASCAR was at the LVMS. All around me on the plane were NASCAR fans on a pilgrimage so I thought is was a natural to strike up a Racing conversation. They knew and cared nothing for ChampCar, Formula 1 or anything other than NASCAR. Surely I thought we could talk about the pass JPM made on Scott Pruit in the Mexico Bush race...Nope, they hadn't seen it, didn't care. So I tried to talk about the smaller fuel tanks I read they were going to use in Vegas...they hadn't read that either. Now there's some arrogance. So call it arrogance or ignorance, it exists everywhere.

Personally, of all the venues I have attended, I really enjoyed FI at Indy the best. The international crowd was just more invigorating than what I had experienced anywhere else.

[e2mtt]

First, JPM is not going anywhere soon. Nuff said. Regarding fans of different series, I find there is a bit of arrogance in all of them, and europeans specifically. Me I watch many forms of racing, but get real excitement from ChampCar and Formula 1. Never been to a NASCAR race, but I enjoy them on TV and will go to one someday. I'd go to Infineon next week if I didn't hate the smell of the place so much.

Recently I was on a flight back to California that had a stopover in Las Vegas the weekend NASCAR was at the LVMS. All around me on the plane were NASCAR fans on a pilgrimage so I thought is was a natural to strike up a Racing conversation. They knew and cared nothing for ChampCar, Formula 1 or anything other than NASCAR. Surely I thought we could talk about the pass JPM made on Scott Pruit in the Mexico Bush race...Nope, they hadn't seen it, didn't care. So I tried to talk about the smaller fuel tanks I read they were going to use in Vegas...they hadn't read that either. Now there's some arrogance. So call it arrogance or ignorance, it exists everywhere.

Personally, of all the venues I have attended, I really enjoyed FI at Indy the best. The international crowd was just more invigorating than what I had experienced anywhere else.

Interesting... sort of my same experience. NASCAR fan usually aren't really motor racing fans. The typical real motorsports fan I run into has or wants a sports car, liked CART back in the 80's & 90s, remembers Formula 1 from the time they were very young, and watches NASCAR because it is racing, although they don't like it very well.

[tassiedevilAB]

They both have there good & bad points when compairing the different ways to pass.
To watch Nascars running around the oval from a camera that is to far to see what is really happening out there is a shame, because when they do the in car shots looking out & around , then you can see that just about every driver out there is racing on a knife edge.

F1 GIVES SOME OF THAT BUT VERY FEW & FAR BETWEEN

Now if you really want to see some good passing go & watch the up & commers in a formula ford series, that is where you will see plenty of close racing & passing with lead changes all the way to the finish!

That is where just about everybody that race openwheelers all came from, & before that all of them came from karting!

[tassiedevilAB]

Correction, he did punt Pruett off the road this year....but that was on a road course and that was in the Busch series where he should be up front on a road course. He will find that Cup drivers good on a road course and they are not going to give way and he wont get away with punting them. Tony Stewart knows how to play full contact racing and so do people like Kevin Harvick and the Hendrick boys.... If JPM wants to win one of the road course events, he better hope he can outrun them. Good luck with that, Ron Fellows was about the best GT sports car driver on the planet for a 4 year period, and he couldn't beat Tony Stewart at the Glen when Tony was sick as a dog in the car. I Doubt JPM is going to know something about these cars Ron didn't....

Heah Mark , i didn't think you would have forgoten how Monty won in Mexico?

Iam a fan of all racing , v8's, cart, bikes , sidecars , hillclimbs, dirt speedway, WRC, Supertrucks, Nascar, F1 & drags. The only one i havn't been to& seen is the WRC rally over here & of course a real nascar race over there, BUT ATTENDED JUST ABOUT ALL THE NASCAR TYPE RACING AT THE THUNDERDOME HERE!

BUT TO ACTUALLY RACE IN A VERY COMPITIVE SERIES HERE ON THE DIRT WAS THE BEST THING THAT I HAVE DONE, & will do me till my dying days.

When i see the in-car views it reminds as to how much on a knife edge we use to race, you are driving a car that is shifting & sliding all the time trying to keep it in control so you can make passes or avoid spining cars, so you will have a car to race in the next heat before even thinking of making the feature final! What an adrenalin rush that was.
& reading & seeing the race pics it looked like all the drivers in that carity race had a great time & got back to there roots!

[wedge]

Yep, racing is racing!

Doesn't matter if it oval or road courses, 4 wheels or 2, the same priniciples applies - racing!

I was just reading an article by Robin Miller in this week's Autosport, how JPM has gained so much respect in NASCAR circles, guys like Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick complimenting JPM virtually every week. Especially the night out at Eldora where Tony Stewart showed him start a Late Model car and JPM drove like a veteran. :up:

I don't why some people complain. Jim Clark, Stirling Moss, Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney - they've raced various types of race cars in there time. Sure its a little different now but if you have talent you can sure as hell be competitive in type of car.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Yep, racing is racing!

Doesn't matter if it oval or road courses, 4 wheels or 2, the same priniciples applies - racing!

I was just reading an article by Robin Miller in this week's Autosport, how JPM has gained so much respect in NASCAR circles, guys like Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick complimenting JPM virtually every week. Especially the night out at Eldora where Tony Stewart showed him start a Late Model car and JPM drove like a veteran. :up:

I don't why some people complain. Jim Clark, Stirling Moss, Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney - they've raced various types of race cars in there time. Sure its a little different now but if you have talent you can sure as hell be competitive in type of car.

I wondered how JPM did at Eldora, and what people thought of his efforts there. That is about as far from f1 as one can get, and yet JPM took to it eh? Says a lot about Juan Pablo, and all of it is good. If he had a better team and car around him, I think he would have shown more. As it is, he has done well, and I look forward to seeing what he does at Infineon. I didn't know about Raines being punted at Martinsville, but hell, Martinsville and Bristol and punts are just part of the landscape. I wouldn't hold that against any driver unless it was just a blatent attempt to wreck someone. His pass in Mexico was a bit much, but I also think Pruett was slower and was playing a blocking game when it was obvious JPM had the goods on him. JPM doens't seem to tolerate being brake checked......

[Lee Roy]

Despite his recent fighting talk that he would never return to Formula One, Montoya must surely be beginning to realise that he is wasting his career and talent in NASCAR. Montoya`s only likely success their will be on the road courses, but as far as i know they only have two or three road courses out of about 40 races. NASCAR is a different type of racing that is determined not by who is the fastest driver, but who can get other drivers to work with them in the draft, and strategy revolving around the umpteen yellow flags.

You've never let not knowing what you're talking about slow you down, have you.

[Mach24]

Being an Aussie we don't race on ovals here so I grew up with a passion for circuit racing. We had an oval at Calder park which used to run NASCAR and whilst I only went and saw it once, it blew me away. TV does not do NASCAR (oval racing) justice. I was actually afraid when we took a seat by the concrete at tracks edge. The sound, smell and speed was awsome!

Bikes are my passion but I enjoy all forms of motorsport. The true test is to get out and try it for yourself.... Then you will appreciate it!

[RGM Fan]

Lets be real for a second. Montoya is still a rookie half through his first year in NASCAR so its far too early to write him off. That said, he has not met the expecations, but not fell grossly short of them.

Maybe this isn't his thing, but I think he'll give it at least one more year. I can't ever see him going back to F-1. It's been a while since he was competitive there and going to NASCAR in a huff didn't exactly improve his standing with the owners there. If he leaves I see either Chip putting him in an IRL ride or a CC owner bending over backward to get him in that series.

[Lee Roy]

. . . . . or a CC owner bending over backward to get him in that series.

I think that Montoya has become used to being paid to drive a race car, not paying the team for the honor of driving their car. He won't be in CC.

[Robert Ryan]

JPM has gained so much respect in NASCAR circles, guys like Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick complimenting JPM virtually every week. Especially the night out at Eldora where Tony Stewart showed him start a Late Model car and JPM drove like a veteran.
Equally stunned by Marcos Ambrose finishing 3rd at Macon Illinois in a Dirt Modified, for a charity event. it was who he beat that was amazing., considering it was his first dirt race!

[wedge]

I wondered how JPM did at Eldora, and what people thought of his efforts there. That is about as far from f1 as one can get, and yet JPM took to it eh? Says a lot about Juan Pablo, and all of it is good. If he had a better team and car around him, I think he would have shown more.

He finished 15th out of 26 (23 NASCAR racers) and finished inbetween Harvick and Hamlin, respectively.

This is what Tony Stewart had to say:


I give the an A+, he did a phenomenal job once I showed him how to get it into gear! It just shows what a talent Juan is. I told him next year he could come back and win this. THen he'd have the triple crown - Indy, Monaco... and Eldora!


Reminds me of few years ago when 'Team America' ie. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Colin Edward won in the Race of Champions. I reckon the NASCAR guys could easily drive a WRC car and have no problems doing the Scandinavian Flick!

[Mark in Oshawa]

JPM can drive...and for a guy like him to be mid pack in THAT field at Eldora that says a lot. It is about as far away from f1 as one can get save for the amount of power.

LeeRoy, you are right. JPM likes being paid to race.....but that don't mean he wouldn't have fun in a Champ Car. He just knows that been there done that is his motto, and the money in NASCAR makes it worth his while to race 37 weekends a year.....

[Galveston dunes]

I think he just needs to finish out the year where he's at. He wasn't a headliner when he started in F-1 either.He has put his car in the mix and along side a few wrecks he has showed me some promise as a driver. Hes willing to mix it up and get envolved.If your looking for a breakthrough star hes not it, but a future in the sport I think he could be ok.IMO

[LTalbot]

Not sure why I'm always agreeing with Mark, but JPM is all about been there done that. If he ever leaves NASCAR, there is only the NHRA and NASA left for him.

[BenRoethig]

Not sure why I'm always agreeing with Mark, but JPM is all about been there done that. If he ever leaves NASCAR, there is only the NHRA and NASA left for him.

Not likely. He left CART (Champ Car is something different) to get to the higher level. Once he got there he found out Formula One has a lot to do with politics and engineering and very little to do with racing. He was absolutely miserable. He is much happier 20 something in points in NASCAR than he was winning racing in F1.

[LTalbot]

What part of my statement is not likely? NHRA or NASA?

[Hoss Ghoul]

Boy that superior F1 road racing ability sure showed itself in todays Sears Point qualifying...32nd place.

I'm sure he'll finish higher in the race(or wreck).

I was expecting a lot more this weekend.

[Sparky1329]

Boy that superior F1 road racing ability sure showed itself in todays Sears Point qualifying...32nd place.

I'm sure he'll finish higher in the race(or wreck).

I was expecting a lot more this weekend.

And I was worried that he'd knock Robby off the pole. What a letdown.

[Mark in Oshawa]

What killed him today was two things. One is a team that is strugglling across the board, and two is the fact he maybe underestimated how much more time he had to get out of the COT to make it drive well. He was in the top 15 in practice, and just seemed to make an error or two in qualfying. These COT cars are a handful from what I saw in qualifying, and I think JPM's learning curve is still messed up by the fact the team doesn't know what to do to make the damn car work either.

[Hoss Ghoul]

Mark, look at the lineup, his way younger and less experienced teammate outqualified him. Aside from that, look at how many Dodge teams/drivers outqualified him, with drivers he's ahead of in the points even.

I'm not saying JPM isn't better than this, or those drivers, but he got shown up today plain and simple.

[trumperZ06]

Mark, look at the lineup, his way younger and less experienced teammate outqualified him. Aside from that, look at how many Dodge teams/drivers outqualified him, with drivers he's ahead of in the points even.

I'm not saying JPM isn't better than this, or those drivers, but he got shown up today plain and simple.

:dozey: Hhmmmm.... YEP !!!

JPM didn't do as well as many of us expected, especially on a road course.

:rolleyes: That said... on a road course the Car Of Tomorrow is a POS (piece of $hit)!!!

It won't corner, CG's too high... causing the car to lift the inside tire, doesn't stop too well, either.

[JPMfan]

He showed good pace in practice and I guess he made some mistakes during his qualifying run.

But let's see the race first, before jumping to any conclusions.

He's in good company from where he's starting, so I expect a train of cars charging to the front on sunday.

[muggle not]

JPM drove like a rookie in qualifying. OOOOps, he is a rookie. JPM needs someone like Boris Said to show him how to drive the stock cars and also to help with the setup. I don't think that JPM has any idea how the cars should be setup. If you notice, Jamie McMurray gave Boris credit for Jamie's qualifying run.

As far as the COT goes, I do believe that all the drivers used it in qualifying :)

[IndianChiefJoy]

I guess that it would have been different if they were in the Car of Yesterday, the COT is simply killing Montoya and his teams chances. From a top 5 in Atlanta, he went to be a regular in low 20's, and even if he will improve in Sunday, he will not win this one.

If every race is going to be on COT next year, and Ganassi don't improve, he should eval if being a midfielder in NASCAR is better than being a midfielder in F1.

[trumperZ06]

I guess that it would have been different if they were in the Car of Yesterday, the COT is simply killing Montoya and his teams chances. From a top 5 in Atlanta, he went to be a regular in low 20's, and even if he will improve in Sunday, he will not win this one.

If every race is going to be on COT next year, and Ganassi don't improve, he should eval if being a midfielder in NASCAR is better than being a midfielder in F1.

:D I wonder if Renault has contacted JPM's agent ???

;) I hear they have a driver's spot becoming available !!!

[Cole_Trickle]

Humble Pie much? he did a good job Sunday.

[IndianChiefJoy]

Well, some poeple here thought that Montoya wouldn't win today (including myself). Starting 32nd was way too much to bet for him, but Juan showed these NASCAR boys how to turn right. I read comments about how Montoya might never win a Cup race, how he needed a guy like Boris Said to teach him how to drive like Mc Murray, or how he didn't know more than a guy like GT star Ron Fellows (who's this guy?), but Juan showed today that even if he's not in the top car, as long as NASCAR goes to road courses, they are visiting planet Montoya.

[Komahawk]

It's more like visiting planet "Road Racing".

[F1boat]

I am very happy that JPM won and I hope that he stays and improves in NASCAR. I am not a huge fan of the series, but I have great respect to it. It's very hard, with many champions and race winners, with many cars, which are competitive, with a lot of oivertaking and, what I like, it is really, really tough. Rookies don't come, making miracles there...

[JPMfan]

Good job from Juan.

He proved the skepticals wrong again.

I was laughing at the announcer when he said that JPM hadn't learned how to save fuel,.........what a moron.

He proved that you can win from deep within the field.

Also kudos to Gordon with his 7th place; my prediction of a charging train towards the front came true.

The skepticals can just be that,.... skeptical. When they are confronted with an exceptional driver, they don't even see it, they can only critisize...pathetic.

ps. I predict a roadcouse sweep from Juan this year, let's bring on the glen!!

[BenRoethig]

Good job from Juan.

He proved the skepticals wrong again.

I was laughing at the announcer when he said that JPM hadn't learned how to save fuel,.........what a moron.

He proved that you can win from deep within the field.

Also kudos to Gordon with his 7th place; my prediction of a charging train towards the front came true.

The skepticals can just be that,.... skeptical. When they are confronted with an exceptional driver, they don't even see it, they can only critisize...pathetic.

ps. I predict a roadcouse sweep from Juan this year, let's bring on the glen!!

I think Stewart and the Gordons will have a say in that. Juan did a great job, but lets not kid ourselves here and say it was some kind of dominating drive, he got lucky. The front runners couldn't make it on fuel, Juan took the gamble that he could and it paid off.

[Narr]

Many of those at the front were counting on other drivers running out of fuel or on a similar strategy so I don't think it detracts from Juan's drive at all otherwise everyone would have done it.

I wouldn't expect him to repeat the win on an oval this year though.

[veeten]

Ladies & Gentlemen, I direct your attention to the month of August...

8/4-BGN race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, 8/5-NNC race at Pocono Raceway...

8/11-12 BGN/NNC weekend at Watkins Glen...

Make plans & get your tickets now... :D

[Lee Roy]

I don't care what anybody says, that was a fantastic win for a great driver. Montoya has won in everything he's driven. I knew it wouldn't be long before he got a win in NASCAR Nextel Cup.

[rlenis]

It's more like visiting planet "Road Racing".

road Racing clinic with professor Juan Pablo Montoya if you ask me.. Three road courses this year and three wins, that is pretty impressive.
Rolex 24, Mexico, Sonona.
Bring on Wakings Glen.

[rlenis]

I think Stewart and the Gordons will have a say in that. Juan did a great job, but lets not kid ourselves here and say it was some kind of dominating drive, he got lucky. The front runners couldn't make it on fuel, Juan took the gamble that he could and it paid off.

dude, if you remember Stewart, Hamlin, JJ and Robbie stayed longer to gain track position when Juan, Mcmurray, Edwards and others decided to pit.. Their strategy was good but because there was not yellows for the last 40 laps when they re-emerged Juan, Harvick and co. were already to far ahead because the field was very spread out at that point. Montoya was a fox saving that much fuel while both edwards and Jammie ran out when they pitted on the exact same lap as Montoya.

[IndianChiefJoy]

Montoya reminded me when I had a huge 60's V8. When I was on top of a hill, I let the car roll as much as I could to save some gas.

[Mark in Oshawa]

JPM proved once again great skill with great agression leads to success. He may not sweep the road courses, but he shouldn't be discounted either. What he did was prove once again he ISNT wasting his time, and you have to know it is the only win Ganassi will likely get this year unless JPM wins at the Glen, so it has been a win win for both sides. Juan will learn to be competitive I am sure on the ovals as time goes on. He ran well at Atlanta and he hasn't struggled to qualify yet, so I am of the opinion things will be JUST fine....

[El Sween]

Good job Juan. Now win on an oval.