Juan Pablo Montoya Replacing Mears

[kat2220]

MONTOYA IN: Juan Pablo Montoya has been released from his Formula One contact with McLaren and is scheduled to test a stock car at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday.

NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi said Montoya will begin a heavy testing schedule for the Colombian driver immediately.

Montoya is planning to test an ARCA car at Talladega, which could prepare him for the Oct. 6 race at the newly paved track. But when asked when he planned to enter Montoya in an actual event, Ganassi said nothing was locked up. Ganassi said he would enter Montoya in ARCA, Busch Series and Cup races before the end of the season.

"We want him in as many races as we can the rest of the year,'' Ganassi said.

Montoya stunned the racing world when he said he was leaving behind his lucrative F1 career to compete in NASCAR with Ganassi, with whom he won the Indianapolis 500 in 2000. Although McLaren officials booted Montoya out of the car immediately following his announcement, they temporarily refused to release him from his contract -- preventing him from testing cars for Ganassi.

Montoya will replace Casey Mears in the No. 42 Dodge next season. Donnie Wingo will be his crew chief.

 

[Eagle1]

He was 6th fastest in todays testing, ahead of guys like frank Kimmil

 

[Betsy]

Testing?

Is testing "rubbing"? I can't wait till he gets rubbed.. Where he comes form rubbing is really dangerous.
Betsy

 

[buckaroo]

I too am anxious to see how he does in a real race. Marcos Ambrose, who is driving trucks this year, is a huge champion in the cars raced in Australia and though he's had a bit of success this year, he says that this year has been really hard for him learning the ropes. Though the Super V8 cars in Australia are nothing like our stock cars, and the fact that they race mostly on road courses, I do believe that his learning curve is a bit easier than Juan's is going to be. But, I could be wrong and JPM could end up in the Chase next year. Nah! I was just joking.