OK, ok, it’s old news, but since we’ve got a category dedicated to him it’s getting reported a little late.  Juan Pablo Montoya won his first Nextel Cup race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California over the weekend.  Is it any surprise to anybody that his first win came on a road course?  He is now only the third driver in history to win a Formula 1, IndyCar, and Nascar race, joining the likes of Mario Andretti and Dan Gurney.

It also looks like JPM’s wife, Connie, wears the pants in the family.  JPM was adamant about not relocating to the hub of Nascrap, until she suggested it.  They are now looking for a second home in Charlotte, NC so he can be closer to the team, although the Montoya family will still be based out of Miami, FL.

Technorati Tags: Juan Pablo Montoya, Infineon Raceway, Formula 1, IndyCar, Nascar, Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney

Not that I think Nascar.com or Wrigley’s Big Red (one of Juan Pablo Montoya’s sponsors) would copy the likes of our little anti-nascar spewing blog, but a couple of the headlines look a little similar….”Where’s Juan? Bristol” and “Where’s Juan? M’ville”.  Yeah, you’re correct, probably giving ourselves TOO much credit here…..

You can catch up on all the details of Juan Pablo Montoya’s rookie Nextel Cup season here, or you can just keep reading and save yourself some time and boredom.  To summarize, JPM’s best start: 4th (Las Vegas), best finish 5th (Atlanta), average start 20.2, average finish 20.8.  He’s also expressed interest in golf and windsurfing, a “magic gps” finding Pizza Hut restaurants for him, and has been involved in at least one “questionable” racing move already, not that I’ve watched any of the Nextel Cup races. 

Tony Raines alleges that JPM was reckless at Martinsville rear-ending him and spinning him out.  Doing some research of JPM’s finer moments in F1 might take the mystery out of his characteristic driving style.  This and Tony’s observation, “If he’s so good, he should be able to not run into the back of somebody” can be explained by JPM rear-ending his own teammate and wrecking both McLaren/Mercedes F1 cars in a race, forcing them both to retire.

Felix Sabates, one of the stock holders in Chip Ganassi Racing, was also crying about all the drivers racing JPM hard, even being a lap or two down.  I guess Felix must have lost sight of the fact that he has a harolded, Colombian driver in the middle of a “Good “ole Boys” racing series and these guys aren’t just going to let an open-wheel, turn both directions, driver waltz in and steel all their thunder.  Oh yeah, Felix, it’s also called a RACE, fastest from point A to point B…just because these guys are a lap or three down, doesn’t mean they should let him by, but I guess this depends on which side of the pit wall you are on.

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Technorati Tags: Juan Pablo Montoya, Nextel Cup, Tony Raines, Martinsville, McLaren/Mercedes F1, Felix Sabates, Chip Ganassi Racing

Is Kimi Raikkonen overrated as a Formula One driver? Jacques Villenueve seems to think so. It has been reported by GPUpdate.net and the BBC that Jacques Villenueve questions Kimi Raikkonen’s ability to drive a team to be number one.

This is an interesting point. Jacques is not questioning whether Kimi can turn quick laps and win races. Rather, he is questioning Kimi’s dedication to the sport to be number one. Primarily, does Kimi has the acumen to take the team he is with and their car and develop it so that he can consistently win races with the best performing equipment possible.

This is the question to be answered in 2007. In the past, Kimi’s performance at McLaren was marred with equipment failures that seemingly robbed him of his first championship. Or is it that Kimi could not drive the car that McLaren gave him in a way that would make the car last? Did Kimi bring on his own mechanical failures by his driving style and his inability to communicate the issues he was experiencing to his engineering staff?

Juan Pablo Montoya did not have the same mechnical reliability issues during his tenure that Kimi experienced with McLaren. (JPM brought on his own mechnical failures by driving the car like a mad man!) If Kimi is just a “fast” driver and not much more than that, it will become extremely apparent with Ferrari, where in the past, Michael Schumacher’s technical acumen delivered a fast and reliable car for Ferrari year-after-year. Schumacher knew how to drive fast within the limits of the car and then work with the engineers to extend those limits taking him even faster.

At McLaren, it was clearly evident that Kimi could drive the car fast, but beyond the limits that the car could sustain for an entire race. It is that ability to communicate where those limits are and how the car behaves at those limits that the engineers need in order to continue to improve on the car’s setup to extend those limits. That is the certain “je ne sais quoi” that Villenueve ascribes to not only Michael Schumacher, but all great champions of the sport, and more importantly, decrys Kimi Raikkonen for lacking.

Technorati Tags: Ferrari, Formula One, Formula 1, F1, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Jacques Villenueve, McLaren, Mercedes, Juan Pablo Montoya, NASCAR

Ray Evernham, CEO of Evernham Motorsports, a venture created back in 1999 to lead Dodge back into prominence in NASCAR’s elite racing series, has issued a standing offer to Michael Schumacher to join the Oval Circus© and run circles around a trailer park infield.

An article on ITV.com is following-up on comments made by Michael Schumacher after Juan Pablo Montoya decided it was easier to stay in a race if wreck into someone with covered wheels as opposed to the open-wheel roadsters he was driving for McLaren/Mercedes. Michael was reported as saying:

“Personally I wouldn’t do it,” he said at Magny-Cours last July.

“What do you do in NASCAR? What is exciting there?

“I can’t see that, running around on ovals.”

In response to this, Ray Evernham has offered a test drive to Michael saying that he would “put him in a red car, a real good car…” and that “A lot has changed in recent years.
These cars are looked on as much more sophisticated than they used to be. I think he’d find them technical enough to keep him happy.”

Yeah, like the fact that they are finally going to use unleaded fuel!

Technorati Tags: Michael Schumacher, Formula One, NASCAR, Dodge, Juan Pablo Montoya

That’s part two, for you non-french canadian NASCAR fans.  Beyond the fact that NASCAR is exporting a part of Americana we can all be proud of (I can’t believe I wrote that), Juan Pablo entered (and finished) his second concrete oval tail chase, Prairie Meadows 250 at Iowa Speedway, albeit after an application of a bit of 200 MPH tape (see earlier post).

Whether the translation was lost from English to Colombian or NASCAR to F1, “Outside” just doesn’t mean outside anymore.  Being told by his spotter, “Outside,” Juan drove into Steve Wallace who was making a move to the outside of the track. Wallace ultimately went on to win the race.  Montoya, who was leading the race, finished 24th after lengthy repairs to return him to the track for more “practice.”  Montoya’s potential in NASCAR is unlimited.  With the ability clearly in hand to wreck himself from first place at any given moment, Montoya certainly will be an entertaining edition to the Oval Circus.

Incidently, the Iowa track was designed, in part, by Rusty Wallace, Steve Wallace’s father.  It is considered a greater test to the NASCAR nubie Montoya because it has “its fair share of tricky turns.”  Let me guess: a series of left-handers followed by another series of left-handers, followed by another series of left-handers, followed by another series of left-handers … ad nauseum.

Technorati Tags: NASCAR, Juan Pablo, F1, Montoya, Oval Circus

Juan Pablo Montoya (JPM) made his NASCAR debut on October 6, 2006 in an ARCA car at the Talladega Speedway in Alabama.  The talented, former F1 driver, made quick work qualifying his car second and passing the pole-sitter on the first lap.  He was eventually overtaken after nine laps leading the race.

The AP article quoted his car as being “clearly superior”….Most drivers leaving the pinnacle of motor sport (Formula 1 for the ‘necks) and climbing into Grandma’s Dodge would appear to be in a car that is “clearly superior”, they all can drive well!  If the cars are supposed to be equal, how can one car be “clearly superior” than the next?  They can’t, because they are all the same…I’d say it was a clearly superior driver.

The eventual winner (name withheld due to NASCAR irrelevance in the overall world of motor racing) also referred to JPM as a “rookie”.  Hey simpleton, he might be new to driving American, and soon to be Japanese, sedans in a counter-clockwise circle, but he’s no rookie.

Surprise, Surprise!  JPM was mixing it up with bump-drafts and bullying his way around traffic.  Hell, he used to bump-draft his own teammates in F1, ending both his and his teammate’s races and now he has a full size, McDonald’s drive-thru, Big-Mac fetching sedan and a damn roll-cage around him, what do you expect?  I look forward to the inevitable F1 domination of the Nascar nation, it’s only a matter of time!

Technorati Tags: Juan Pablo Montoya, NASCAR, F1, Formula 1

Never ones to missing a marketing opportunity, Chip Ganassi Racing , have announced the release of Montoya merchandise. Before even taking one lap under green, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) brands are launching a line of clothing and other merchandise to get some return on investment before Juan starts turnin’ circles.

It really looks like Chip Ganassi is trying to reach out and recruit a new demographic of NASCAR fan, or maybe just class them up a little bit. They are drifting way from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Confederate Flag tee-shirts and opting for a more European inspired graphics similar to those found in F1.

While I may not be excited to see Juan making left turns, It will be great to see fat chicks wearing European styled t-shirts that are 3 sizes to small for their beer guts.

Technorati Tags: Montoya, NASCAR

This is the inaugural post in (what I hope will be) a regular topic for posting:  Where in the world is Juan Pablo Montoya.  I kind of grew fond of Juan and his antics as a Formula 1 driver.  His ability to inexplicably late break in front of a car he had just overtaken, allowing them to remove his rear wing.  His ability to lose track of all of the cars in the starting corner and drive into the side of his own teammate.  His love of Bic Macs.  He’s, well, he’s Juan Pablo Montoya and where in the world is he now?

As we know, he has left (or tried to leave) Formula1.  However, McClaren, particularly, Ron Dennis, kind of made it difficult for him to leave by not releasing Juan from his McClaren/[/tag]Mercedez[/tag] contract.  Ironically, Juan was trying to get a new ride with Chip Ganassi racing… a Chyrsler team.  Jesus Chrysler drives a Dodge and so does JPM.

He has finally been released from his F1 contract with the details to soon be released.  He should be hitting the road at an oval near you in a few ARCA races, some Busch Races and maybe even a Nextel Cup races at the end of this season.

More details can be found here

Technorati Tags: Juan Pablo Montoya, Formula 1, McClaren, F1