It does not matter what car you race in, there is something special and appealing about competing in NASCAR. Perhaps it stems from Tom Cruise`s Days of Thunder movie or maybe it is the raw power of the muscle cars on show that lures drivers in. Whatever it is, it is strong, as is evident by several former Formula One drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya swapping their open-wheeled cars for the physicality and thrill of NASCAR racing.
Where F1 uses more technically advanced vehicles where it is usually the team with the most money that wins, NASCAR teams essentially use the same cars as each other, leaving the result of the races down to the drivers` skills. The two disciples are entirely different from one another, which means very few drivers make the switch in either direction. It is even rarer for a driver to switch and be successful.
IndyCar The Formula One
Juan Pablo Montoya is a true racing driver, one who lives for the thrill of the race, the sound of screeching tyres, and the smell of gasoline. Montoya started his professional career in the International Formula 3000 series before heading stateside and competing in the now-defunct CART Championship Series. Montoya became the youngest ever CART FedEx Championship Series Champion in 1999, aged 24. His first-ever Indy Car race was the 2000 edition of the Indianapolis 500. His first IndyCar victory was in that very race. Montoya won the same race in 2015.
He headed to Williams-BMW F1 team in 2001 and was regularly one of the favorites in the latest Formula 1 betting markets because of his undoubted driving skills, but he never had the car to match his potential. Montoya finished sixth in the Driver`s Championship in 2001, third in both 2002 and 2003, and fifth in 2004. He moved to McLaren-Mercedes for the 2005 and 2006 seasons, finishing fourth and eighth.
Montoya Turns His Attention To NASCAR
Montoya left Formula One at the end of the 2006 season and announced his plans to compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup during the 2007 series. The plan was to race for Chip Ganassi Racing, the team of Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. He made his NASCAR debut during the 2006 season at the Automobile Racing Club of America event. The Colombian qualified in second, led the race for the first nine laps, but ultimately finished third when officials called the race after 79 of the scheduled 92 laps.
The following year saw Montoya win a trio of races, including taking the chequered flag in his first Rolex 24 Daytona race in the Grand American Road Racing Association. He won again in Mexico City, earning himself his first victory in a stock car, before showing his immense driving ability in the Sprint Cup. Montoya qualified in 32nd place at the Infineon Raceway but navigated his way through the field to finish ahead of everyone else. That season saw Montoya crowned NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2007 Rookie of the Year; he finished 20th in the series.
Montoya battled it out in the NASCAR Cup Series until 2009. During his time behind various muscle cars, he raced 255 times, won twice, enjoyed 59 top tens, and was in pole position in nine races. He also raced 23 times over three years in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, winning once and finishing in the top ten on three occasions.
The petrol head left NASCAR in 2014 and returned to IndyCar, which is now his passion. Montoya`s IndyCar record is impressive with five wins, 13 podiums, and three poles from his 55 races. He raced full seasons 2014-16 but only twice in 2017, in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and the Indy 500; he finished sixth in the latter.
Montoya, who is now 46-years-old, made a brief return to IndyCar in 2021, finishing ninth in the Indy 500 and 21st in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. It is quite incredible that a man of his age can still compete on the biggest stages.
