‘Hotheads’ Mark Martin, Juan Pablo Montoya trade text messages, put Chicago incident behind them
Mark Martin says he simply lost his temper when he confronted Juan Pablo Montoya at Chicago. // Sam Cranston, NASCAR Illustrated
INDIANAPOLIS – While NASCAR tried to put an end to the Brad Keselowski-Carl Edwards feud by penalizing both drivers, Mark Martin and Juan Pablo Montoya handled their rift much easier – by text message.
Martin and Montoya had words after the race two weeks ago at Chicagoland Speedway, with Montoya telling Martin he needed driving lessons. Montoya was upset with the way Martin raced him in a battle for 15th.
“I don’t disagree with him,” Martin said Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “I need to drive smarter. … Two hotheads that came off – just people didn’t know I was a hothead.”
Martin said his post-race reaction – he drove his car next to Montoya’s in the garage after the race – was not a result of his recent struggles. His 15th-place finish at Chicago was one of his three best finishes in his last 10 races.
“It had 100 percent to do with the circumstances that happened there after the race,” Martin said. “I was pleased with my finish at Chicago. I certainly wasn’t frustrated. I was pleased with our finish and our effort, but I lost my temper.”
Montoya said all was good between him and Martin.
“He actually sent me a text the day after and we talked about it [by text] and that was it – it was good,” Montoya said. “Heat of the moment.”
