WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – One of the world’s most renowned race car drivers is back in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend.
Making his first start since 2014, Juan Pablo Montoya is racing Sunday at Watkins Glen Int’l – completing a one-off for 23XI Racing.
When he got asked to the race earlier this year, Montoya had no reason to say no. An accomplished racer at all levels, the 48-year-old has seven Formula 1 victories and two Indianapolis 500 triumphs to his name. Not racing anything full-time this year, he didn’t hesitate.
“(Steve) Lauletta (23XI president) called me earlier this year, around the U.S. GP in Miami, and a little before that, and he asked if you would be interested in doing that, and I said ‘yeah, I would,’” Montoya said Saturday. “The idea behind it is pretty cool and the cars are really competitive – so why not? I really don’t have a reason not to do it.
“I feel like I can still do a good job – this year, I wasn’t racing full time, but I was doing a lot of karting, a lot of shifter karts with my kid, and I’m still involved in racing fully. Will just drive the car. If the car is good, you will look good. If it’s bad, you are going to look bad.”
In preparation for Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen, Montoya was granted a select driver orientation test at Virginia International Raceway. He said he turned about 40 laps, and while the team couldn’t make many adjustments, the test allowed him to get comfortable in the Next Gen car.
Though the car is different than what he last drove in 2014, he felt comfortable based on his previous experience. He’s run various IMSA classes since 2017 and said the car felt the most similar to a GT3 – another commonly raced sportscar, particularly overseas.
“I felt like [the Next Gen car] was easier to drive than the last car, and then, you talk to our teammates and the team and everyone is like, it is so difficult to drive,” Montoya said. “You talk to (Michael) McDowell, and he’s like it is much easier to drive – it is more like at GT3, and I’m like that’s what I thought. Then you talk to (Max) Papis and then you are like I don’t know. I’m just going to go out there and – it’s either going to be ‘Oh, it’s not too bad’ or I’m going to go, ‘Oh, s—t’ – but we will see.
“The hard thing is, you are going to go out and they are going to want to see the tires and you are going to go out and do a long run, you are never going make a qualifying sim. Back in the day, you used to a qualifying sim and you would really prepare for qualifying, but now you go there and drive it, and with the tire derogation that they are talking about – you are probably going to get (one) lap.”
Though he’s raced nearly everything, Montoya still put together a very respectable Cup Series career. He ran seven full-time seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing, picking up two victories – including the 2010 race at Watkins Glen.
Montoya won nine poles and had an average finish of 19.8 in 255 starts. He had a career-best 18 top 10s in 2009 when he finished eighth in points. His next best points finish was 17th in 2010.
“I thought it was pretty good honestly, for the cars that I was in and the equipment we were in,” Montoya said, reflecting on his NASCAR career. I think in a couple of years we were not great, but we made the Chase, we fought for the championship – we did a lot of things with a lot less than the other teams, personally thinking.
“I think our best run was with Brian (Pattie). When Brian was there, he was taking care of everything. When the new crew chief came in, and he stayed there until I left, it was a bit of a joke, but what can you do.”
Team co-owner Denny Hamlin just wants Montoya to enjoy the opportunity.
“I think he’s going to get better as the race weekend goes on, as he gets more reps” Hamlin said. “I can’t tell you how hard it is to do what he’s doing, which makes the guys that come in here really impressive when they can run the speeds that they do.
“I don’t have any expectations. I just want him to have fun. And certainly, having that experience with that third car, with the personnel that we have on it, getting everyone reps is a good thing.”
Montoya admitted that he’d be interested in doing another one-off down the road if the opportunity presents itself. But he wants to get through this weekend first before thinking about it.
“Honestly, I probably someday – if someone comes to me one day and asks me if I want to do a one-off, I would probably say yes,” Montoya said. “But it is Saturday morning, so we will see.”
Montoya will start 34th on Sunday.