Ganassi waiting on Montoya

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Chip Ganassi Racing officials are still waiting anxiously for Juan Pablo Montoya to get in one of their Nextel Cup race cars.

Montoya has not gotten out of his Formula One contract. He was replaced in his Formula One car after announcing in July that he will drive the No. 42 Ganassi Dodge in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series beginning next season but is not allowed to even test a Cup car until the F1 season ends Oct. 22.

Once he is allowed to test, Montoya would possibly race in Busch and Nextel Cup before the 2006 season ends, Ganassi Managing Director John Fernandez said Sept. 9.

After the F1 season ends, there are four race weekends where Montoya could race: Atlanta (Cup)/Memphis (Busch) Oct. 28-29; Texas Nov. 4-5; Phoenix Nov. 11-12; and Homestead Nov. 18-19.

If Montoya were to become available earlier, Fernandez said he would entertain running him in ARCA races Oct. 6 at Talladega and Oct. 15 at Iowa Speedway.

Which races Montoya will do depends on how he feels during the tests. "We want to make sure that he's ready, so we want to make sure that he progresses at the rate he wants to progress at," Fernandez said. "He's a veteran driver, and he will tell us when he is ready to step up from ARCA to Busch and Busch to Cup."

Fernandez said pulling Casey Mears out of the No. 42 car early for Montoya is unlikely. Mears is headed to Hendrick Motorsports next year.

"We would probably run a fourth team," Fernandez said. "Casey has done a great job for us. We're hoping to get him a win before he leaves."

Mentioned Drivers: Casey Mears

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2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings

Driver Standings after the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500

1 Jimmie Johnson 6492
2 Mark Martin -108
3 Jeff Gordon -169
4 Kurt Busch -211
5 Tony Stewart -285
6 Juan Pablo Montoya -289
7 Greg Biffle -321
8 Denny Hamlin -352
9 Ryan Newman -411
10 Kasey Kahne -476
11 Carl Edwards -520
12 Brian Vickers -666

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