By Paul Kelly
allstate400atthebrickyard.com
Monday, October 9, 2006
2000 Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya learns the same way he drives – quickly.
Montoya started second and finished third in his stock car racing debut, the Food World 250 ARCA series race Oct. 6 at Talladega Superspeedway, as his racing road to the 2007 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard got underway. The race ended after 81 of the schedule 94 laps due to darkness and a multi-car accident.
Five-time United States Grand Prix starter Montoya returned to the United States after nearly six full seasons in Formula One to start preparing for a complete rookie season of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series racing for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. He will become the first driver to compete in the three major races at IMS – the Indianapolis 500, USGP and Allstate 400 at the Brickyard – if he qualifies for the 14th annual NASCAR event at IMS on Sunday, July 29, 2007.
"It's nice that Chip got me here because it was definitely necessary to come here," Montoya said of his debut. "You've got to live it and experience it well. All the Cup guys are here, and it's all about getting experience and playing smart.
"You've got to play smart. It doesn't matter how you push or what you do, but if you don't bring the car home it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you have the fastest car or whatever. You've got to be at the right place at the right time."
Montoya learned that rule in a hurry on the 2.66-mile Talladega oval, which features intense drafting battles and speeds approaching 200 mph due to the 33-degree banking in the corners.
He started second and moved to the lead on the first lap and stayed there until Lap 10. On Lap 35, Montoya showed great car control by keeping his Texaco Havoline Dodge from careening out of control after he was hit by two cars that tangled next to him in the turn. He entered the pits while they were closed for repairs, with the ensuing penalty moving him back to 31st place on the restart.
But by Lap 71, Montoya used the draft to climb back to the front, trailing only Steven Wallace, son of NEXTEL Cup champion and ABC-ESPN IndyCar Series analyst Rusty Wallace. Montoya used bump-drafting, a veteran tactic in which the trailing car nudges the leading car to gain momentum, to help push Wallace to the front.
"It was pretty hard to keep up with him (Wallace), but a couple of times when someone would get behind me I had enough momentum to hit him. Before I hit him a couple of times I thought I was coming too fast, and I clipped the brakes. It was just exciting. It's really nice to see a little push, you can just touch him, and you can go past two cars. It's great."
The bump-drafting between Wallace and Montoya set up a possible showdown between them for the victory until veteran Frank Kimmel passed both of them on Lap 78. One lap later, Kimmel inherited the victory when race officials halted the event due to darkness after a multi-car accident.
"For a rookie, he did pretty good," Kimmel said of Montoya. "You knew he would come in here and do well."
Team owner Chip Ganassi, who also owned Montoya's Indy 500-winning car, was happy with the debut.
"As far as I'm concerned it was one solid step toward what we want to do," Ganassi said. "Mission accomplished. I think he understands Cup is going to be more difficult. Everything is a learning curve. I'd give him a nine (on a scale of one to 10)."
***
Tickets: Tickets for the 14th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will go on sale Friday, Dec. 1.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office is accepting ticket orders for the race. To place an order for tickets, camping or parking, contact the IMS Ticket Office at (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, (317) 492-6700 locally or log on to www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com.
The Ticket Office is located in the IMS Administration Building, at the intersection of 16th Street and Georgetown Road in Indianapolis. Business hours are from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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