At Chicagoland Speedway this morning, Chip Ganassi announced his old driver in a new car: Juan Pablo Montoya will drive the #42 Cup car, replacing Casey Mears.
Juan Pablo Montoya currently races in Formula One for McLaren, one of the premier teams in F1. Montoya will finish the current season with McLaren, and will race for Ganassi in 2007.
Ganassi and Montoya have a history together - Montoya won the Indy 500 for Ganassi in 2000. It was Montoya's first and only start in the 500. The next year, Montoya jumped to F1.
People in F1 have to be stunned - they view themselves as the best drivers in the world. Clearly, they are the most technologically advanced. Why give up a ride with a car worth millions for a car that doesn't have traction control? F1 lovers have to view this as a step back to horse and carriage days.
Montoya answered that question by saying he wants to get back to racing. The schedule in F1 has about 1/3 the races in a Cup season, but they are far flung. Montoya referenced the travel time as reason he wants to race in Nascar. F1 races in Dubai, Germany, Belgium, England, Australia, Brazil, Monaco. While Nascar visits far flung places like Watkins Glen, NY, and Sonoma, CA.
Montoya took a test drive in Jeff Gordon's Cup car a few years ago. He claims he liked the car - and he looks forward to racing the Nascar stars next year. It was apparent from the news conference that Ganassi and Montoya were excited.
Montoya was asked why he'd take a pay cut to race Nascar. He dodged the question, but commented that he was happy with the amount. Ganassi claimed Montoya named his price and he paid it.
This will be a monumental development for Nascar - it gives them some legitimacy in F1 racing (or at least some publicity). It gives them a famous Columbian driver. It gives them a great spokesman for the series (and Ganassi), and it gives the series a respected driver, not a developmental driver whom fewer than 1,000 people know.
As a fan who has followed Montoya for years, my only question is: Where do I buy a Montoya T-Shirt?
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