Juan Montoya to race in Nascar next season

[Pacfanweb]

Just because he's an F1 driver doesn't mean he can step into any other type of race car and win.

The equipment still matters. Nascar is a much more even playing field than F1, though. F1 is all about the money, though they've made some rules changes to even it up a bit this year.

If you put Michael Shumacher in the last place car in Nextel Cup, it will still be the last place car unless they make the car better for him.

 

[Taggart]

any relation to Inigo Montoya?

Did you kill his father?

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Just because he's an F1 driver doesn't mean he can step into any other type of race car and win.

Bringing up a thread I missed (on vacation) with new info...

JPM knows that, but he has stepped into a couple of formats and won. There is a big curve and the best they can hope for is Rookie of the Year with maybe a win near the end of the 2007 season. Look for DaimlerChrysler to put more money into the team as this is a big one for them. McLaren is a Mercedes shop, so (see link), it is keeping it in the family. This will be DCs chance to breath some new life into the product.

Chip Ganassi Press Conference

I know that for the first time since Alan Kulwicki died, I actually want to watch NASCAR. I just signed up for the CG mailing list and am disappointed that there is nothing Montoya in their store yet . I suspect that they have to sit on new merchandising anyway as JPM will get some new folks wanting to get their names on his car.

JPM was my F1 guy. With Zanardi gone, Villenueve not doing anything, and Schui being Schui, not much to watch anymore. Gonna get me a motorhome, some too short wifebeaters, a couple cases of Bud and start hanging out

Edit - ps - if you missed it, Alex has been racing sedans in Europe with hand controls. Go AZ!

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Taggart
any relation to Inigo Montoya?

Did you kill his father?

Arrrgh! You beat me to it. Prepare to die.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Are you comparing the prize money won from races and what the team pays, or is it including royalties and what not from all the merchandise?

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Are you comparing the prize money won from races and what the team pays, or is it including royalties and what not from all the merchandise?

Sponsorship and engineering for the team.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: CFster

Originally posted by: bR
wow... who the hell goes from F1 to NASCAR? WTF?

Mario Andretti. AJ Foyt. But those were the old days.

More recently, Christian Fittipaldi (indirectly, as he raced CART in between).

In any event, the F1 car that Montoya said he most enjoyed driving was the 97 Williams that he tested initially. The slick tires made for a car you could slide around and hang the tail out. Now, with the grooved tires the cars are on too much of a knife edge and require a lot of finesse. Not his thing.

I was at a couple of CART races when he was driving for Ganassi before. They suited his style of driving - he could really manhandle the car around. He was truly a wonder to watch.

I think the stockers will suit his driving style. However, I also think there's a lot of other drivers in that series that drive just like him, and just as agressive.

And, I don't think that just because he comes from the "top" series he'll automatically do well in NASCAR. There have been many instances where champions (and he's not even that) from one series have gone to others and failed miserably. Speed in one formula does not necessarily equate speed in another. That's why I was laughing my ass off at the whole Valentino Rossi debacle. People actually thought the guy could hop off a motorcycle and win the F1 championship no problem. Fortunately they decided against it.

FYI, my own take on it is he got fired from McLaren for crashing out half the field at the USGP this year. Despite his success, he's usually either winning or crashing. He has a history.

I don't believe he couldn't get a ride with another F1 team - just not a top rate team. It's possible that Chip offered him more money.

Why were you laughing your ass off? Rossi is supremely talented and he is a character, something F1 needs IMO. I didn't think it would be easy for him but I hoped he would make the move and see what he could do there.

You don't fire a top driver for making what almost everyone saw as a racing incident. He said Kimi braked earlier than usual for that corner, I haven't heard anyone blaming Montoya for that causing that mess. He was certainly part of it but to say that McLaren fired him for that is just crazy.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Are you comparing the prize money won from races and what the team pays, or is it including royalties and what not from all the merchandise?

There is no prize money for winning a race in F1. All you get is a trophy.

Your contracted salary and any performance bonuses are paid by the team. Then there are the lucrative advertising dollars.