Montoya participates in first test for NASCAR team

By Mike Hembree
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
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GREG McWILLIAMS

TALLADEGA, Ala. - The process of transforming Juan Pablo Montoya from a top-flight Formula One driver into a NASCAR regular began Monday as the South American driver participated in an ARCA test session at Talladega Superspeedway.

Montoya ran laps in a Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Charger as Ganassi, crew chief Donnie Wingo and much of the Ganassi hierarchy looked on. Although official speeds were not released, team members said Montoya ran laps in the 187-mile-per-hour range.

"I went out on the track for the first time, and it was like, 'Oh, my God,'" Montoya said. "I went into [Turn] 3 and 4 and started to lift, but I said, 'Oh, let's just try it.' I went into 1 pretty fast. They told me running flat [full speed around the track] here was easy. I did it, and it felt pretty quick.

"The car moves around a lot more than I'm used to, but I'm getting there. It will take some time."

Unless Ganassi's plans change, Montoya will make his stock-car-racing debut in the Food World 250 ARCA race here Oct. 6. He is scheduled to run the full Nextel Cup series next season.

Monday's laps were Montoya's first in a full-bodied NASCAR-style stock car, although he raced 12 years ago in Trans-Am-type cars in his native Colombia.

Mentioned Drivers: Juan Pablo Montoya

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2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings

Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500

1 Jimmie Johnson 6248
2 Mark Martin -184
3 Jeff Gordon -192
4 Juan Pablo Montoya -239
5 Tony Stewart -279
6 Kurt Busch -312
7 Greg Biffle -340
8 Ryan Newman -402
9 Kasey Kahne -414
10 Carl Edwards -437
11 Denny Hamlin -448
12 Brian Vickers -556

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