Both Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya had immense success in auto racing styles that were very different from NASCAR Nextel Cup racing before their rookie Cup years. They both stamped paid on the faith of their team owners with wins as rookies.
Stewart's rookie season included three cup wins and twenty one top ten finishes. Smoke left no doubt that he would be a force in NASCAR for as long as it kept his interest.
Juan Pablo Montoya has, perhaps, had a tougher legacy to live up to.
Leaving the glamor, pageantry and mega money of Formula One, recognized everywhere in the world - at least everywhere that doesn't have a Cracker Barrel restaurant - as the premier racing series, for the ovals - mostly - of the France republic was one thing. There was certainly a buzz among his international peers and the pointy car media that Juan was goin' slummin'.
How would it look if he got here and failed?
Now I certainly don't buy the whole "F1 is superior" argument. Comparing NASCAR Cup racing to Formula One is like comparing Football to Soccer. At the highest level, both games have superior athletes and they each feature a ball. That's about as close as they get.
Even though Montoya had won the "one time, Greatest Spectacle in Racing" on the Indy oval, the expectation was that, if he were really as good as advertised, he should certainly win at the NASCAR road course events.
Sunday, of course, he did just that. In an improbable run from a thirty second place start, JP passed them all, stretching his fuel and held on for the victory at Infineon. Coupled with his Busch Series win at Mexico City, Montoya is two for two in the NASCAR Road Race Series.
Nice job by the rookie.
A win is a win! JPM is a determined vroomer, that's for certain!
Posted by: Vroom! | June 26, 2007 at 07:17 AM
my money will be on Monty at The Glen
Posted by: michael | June 26, 2007 at 07:33 AM