JPM in a stockcar this week!

[VilleneuveTracy]

DOVER, Del. – A deal has been struck that will allow Juan Pablo Montoya to begin testing with Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates' NASCAR operation, possibly as soon as next week, Yahoo! Sports has learned.

Montoya has been unable to practice in a stock car due to a contractual issue with his soon-to-be former employer McLaren-Mercedes F1. An agreement releasing Montoya from his contractual obligations to his F1 team is necessary before he can begin testing with Ganassi.

That agreement has been reached, according to a source within the Ganassi organization.

Details of the agreement have not been disclosed, though an announcement is expected soon. Ganassi/Sabates officials want the former F1 and Indy 500 winner behind the wheel of one of their cars as soon as possible in order to prepare for his entrance into Nextel Cup next season.

He reportedly will run 4 to 9 NASCAR races plus perhaps the ARCA race at Talladega to gain restricator plate experience. Let's hope this is true and that we can see JPM racing soon!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;...yhoo&type=lgns

[Knowlesy]

Oh yes, fabulous news! The excitement builds!

Fingers crossed.

[Knowlesy]

Confirmed. Montoya will begin his work towards NASCAR tomorrow!

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns17490.html

[Hazza]

Hurrah!

[rustyfan]

About bloody time if you ask me!

I was already planning on, erm, "importing" the ARCA race at Talladega, but if Montoya will be racing in it I really need to get it imported

[rustyfan]

Just saw an article at NASCAR.com which states that Montoya will also test an ARCA car at Iowa Speedway on Thursday, and that there is even a slight chance he might race in the Busch Series race at Kansas this coming weekend!

[Hazza]

Crikey! That'd be good!

[kingfloopy]

Man I wish I had free time I'd drive down to Newton to the track and try to see him run...

J.D.

[zac510]

What is restrictor plate experience? Is that some licencing requirement?

[muggle not]

Nascar has 2 tracks where Restrictor plates are used. Daytona and Talladega. Due to the size, configuration, and banking of these 2 tracks the cars essentially go too fast creating what Nascar thinks is a dangerous situation. Therefore they issue restrictor plates to all teams for these races to make them go slower:
RESTRICTOR PLATE
An aluminum plate that is placed between the base of the carburetor and the engine's intake manifold with four holes drilled in it. The plate is designed to reduce the flow of air and fuel into the engine's combustion chamber, thereby decreasing horsepower and speed.

Restrictor plate racing is much different than racing on the other tracks and one slight bobble by a driver usually creates terrible accidents. Drivers that are better experienced using the "draft" from cars in front of them have supposedly a better chance of running in the top 10. The cars, even with the plates, run at very high speeds for the track.

[Hazza]

Pfft, restrictor plate experiance? He ran an IRL car!

*drumhit*

So basicly they make him fart round on other ovals before he can race at the big events.

[kingfloopy]

The main thing is they want to make sure he handles himself well and stays out of trouble with other drivers and such. From what I've seen of his ability he won't have any problem passing the test. A lot worse drivers have passed. NASCAR justs trying to be fair to eveyone and that means making each driver whether they come from a fairground dirt track or F1.

J.D.

[Knowlesy]

He seems happy enough to be driving again!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/54670

He is quite right though, we shouldn't expect miracles initially.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by muggle not

Nascar has 2 tracks where Restrictor plates are used. Daytona and Talladega. Due to the size, configuration, and banking of these 2 tracks the cars essentially go too fast creating what Nascar thinks is a dangerous situation. Therefore they issue restrictor plates to all teams for these races to make them go slower:
RESTRICTOR PLATE
An aluminum plate that is placed between the base of the carburetor and the engine's intake manifold with four holes drilled in it. The plate is designed to reduce the flow of air and fuel into the engine's combustion chamber, thereby decreasing horsepower and speed.

Restrictor plate racing is much different than racing on the other tracks and one slight bobble by a driver usually creates terrible accidents. Drivers that are better experienced using the "draft" from cars in front of them have supposedly a better chance of running in the top 10. The cars, even with the plates, run at very high speeds for the track.

Good description, and I just want to add that the reason NASCAR even use the plates is because of Bobby Allison's huge crash at Talladega in 1987 when he blew a tire going through the tri-oval which sent the car flying into the catchfence. Several fans were injured, including a woman who lost an eye.

We might be in for a treat soon though, since NASCAR is hoping to be able to increase the size of the holes in the restrictor plate when the Car of Tomorrow is introduced, and with time hopefully remove it completely.

If the Cup races at Talladega and Daytona can become even half as good as the first truck race at Daytona in 2000 (Geoffrey Bodine's massive freak-crash not included of course), they'd still be real good. Perhaps not as good as the 1984 Talladega 500 (can you say 68 whoppin' lead changes? And that's just at the s/f line!), but still darn good

[zac510]

I see what you mean, the carby restrictor plate!
I just didn't expect a pro racing driver to need to get experience with it.

[muggle not]

http://www.racingone.com/article.aspx?artnum=31279

Juan Pablo Montoya had his first experience testing a Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates stock car at Talladega Superspeedway Monday, and the former Formula One star enjoyed the experience, going flat out on his first lap around the 2.66-mile oval in the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge.

“It was like, ‘Oh, my God!’” said Montoya, who will drive that car in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series full time in 2007. “When I went into three and four, I started lifting, I said, ‘aw, let’s just try it,’ and just went full throttle, and then I went into one pretty fast. They told me it was fast easy, just try it, and I went for it. To be honest, it felt pretty quick.”

Montoya was one of 35 drivers participating in the one-day ARCA RE/MAX Series test, in preparation for the October 6 Food World 250.

While Ganassi officials seemed pleased with the test, the team would not comment on his schedule for the remainder of 2006, although it appears likely he will compete in a variety of selected NASCAR Busch Series and NEXTEL Cup Series in addition to possible ARCA events.

“The car really moves around a lot more from what I’m used to, but after awhile, you get the hang of it,” Montoya said. “It’s a lot of technique, and I think experience will help a lot, knowing when to run high, when to run low. I’m still struggling a little bit with running high, but I’m getting there. It’s going to take some time.”

Later in the day, Montoya also had his first experience working with traffic and drafting on the giant oval.

“We’ve been working hard to get Juan freed up (from his Formula One obligations) since July,” Ganassi said. “Mission accomplished, as of Friday. Here we are. It’s certainly a load off his shoulders. We’re taking it one day at a time. We’re just scratching the tip of the iceberg in terms of communication.”

Ganassi said the next test will be at an open ARCA test at Iowa later this week.

“Whatever we can get on whatever kind of track,” Ganassi said. “We’re going to get the most miles we can on the most types of tracks that we can. The benefit will really come 5-6 races into the 2007 season.”

Donnie Wingo, who will be Montoya’s crew chief in 2007, was impressed with what he saw.

“Just like he said, he was flat out the first time he ran by,” Wingo said. “The biggest thing is trying to some of the basics out of the way – getting used to coming in and out of the pits, braking in the pits – it’s pretty important when we get ready to start racing, and this is a good place to practice coming in and out of the pits.”

Montoya’s only experience with heavy cars was running Trans-Am-type cars in his native Colombia a dozen years ago, plus the one day test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2003 when he traded cars with NEXTEL Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon.

“The highest-banked track I drove on prior to today was Michigan, and compared to here, Michigan is flat,” Montoya said. “It’s pretty high, and the car is amazingly responsive to changes. I’m pleased with that. You can really feel the changes. It’s nice to start understanding how the car reacts to changes.

“It’s new to me,” Montoya said. “It’s pretty exciting. Once I understand the car and feel comfortable, we’ll make that call on when it’s going to happen. But, as Chip said, it’s one step at a time.”

[Doc Hollywood]

Fantastic to see him back in a car! Really, really good news!

Cant wait to see him race! Any idea if they have a merchandising line for him yet!

[kingfloopy]

That's good news. If he qualifies and runs decent in the ARCA car at Talledega he should be okay to run Cup at Daytona and chances are NASCAR would let him run there. If he can run Daytona chances are they'll let him run the other races at California, Atlanta, etc. so the first big hurdle will be past. Granted the more seat time he'll get the better to help him prepare for next year so he needs to run every race he can still, but he should be good.

J.D.

[Erki]

Originally Posted by zac510

I see what you mean, the carby restrictor plate!
I just didn't expect a pro racing driver to need to get experience with it.

Dega race is in less than 2 weeks, take a look and ya'll see what kind of experience is needed.

[Knowlesy]

Great to actually see him back in a car.

Anyone got any links to any bigger pictures of the event? I fancy a new wallpaper.

[zac510]

Originally Posted by Erki

Dega race is in less than 2 weeks, take a look and ya'll see what kind of experience is needed.

I presume you are referring to the style of oval racing rather than the fact the restrictor plate exists? The restrictor plate would only affect the power delivery which a professional driver should adapt to very quickly, theoretically!

[alesi95]

Originally Posted by knowlesy

Great to actually see him back in a car.

Hell Yeah!!!!!

[kingfloopy]

I'm getting pretty excited. Montoya was my favorite driver in F1 so its pretty cool that he decided to come over across the pond to join NASCAR. It's also good for the sport as a kind of validation that NASCAR can compete for talent and fans on a global scale.

J.D.

[Knowlesy]

It is good for Juan Pablo, it is good for NASCAR, it is good for the NASCAR forum. It's a winner all round.

Win or lose (and there will be plenty of both!), Montoya will inject his brand of excitement into the series.

[Hazza]

I wonder if Juan Pablo will become "Juan Montoya" again, and also if "Juan Montoya" will be afraid to use the front bumper? You think he'll be that kind of a driver?