Montoya content after first full season in NASCAR, plans on title win in 3 years

The finish locked up rookie of the year honours for the former Formula One driver and Indianapolis 500 winner, and secured him 20th-place in the final season standings. More important, it closed out one of the most fulfilling years of the Colombian's life.

From the time he stunned F1 last summer by signing with Chip Ganassi Racing for a career in bulky stock cars, Montoya has never looked back and never doubted his decision.

There is also a Q&A portion of the article. This was an interesting part:

Q: Hardest driver to race?

JPM: Um, I don't know. Most of them are pretty sensible.

Q: Come on, this is our last week together. Tell me who the hardest driver to race was?

JPM: Yeah, I am not going to tell you that. Most of them are pretty sensible.

Q: Which one is not sensible?

JPM: I'm not going to tell you. Next question.

:laugh:

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hR0-wKZEwls2ccGqGiECGlNAHNAQ

In related news (in an article in which JPM sympathizes with Alonso's plight at McLaren ;) ), JPM expects to win the title within 3 years, a reasonable goal.

He justifies his difficulties in NASCAR by saying that he plans to get the title in three years. "I won over all the pilots racing at F1; here, I've been ranked thirty".

http://batanga.sportsya.com/english/news.php/Former_F1_pilot_best_2007_NASCAR_rookie_supported_Spaniard_Fernando_Alonso.html?id_estruc=283&id=164512

Three years seems like a sensible number, but I think that he may have to move to a top tier team like Roush Fenway, RCR...

Seems realistic - by the end of 2007 JPM was able to get top 15 finishes on pretty much any track and from any starting position, so with experience helping his car setup calls during the races, he ought to be able to convert those top 15s to top 10s in 2008. Next year making the Chase is a realistic target, so no reason why in another 2-3 years he can't be fighting for the Cup.

Probably not the place for posting this, but I think regarding JPM/Alonso at Mac it is significant that Ron Dennis has employed three of the best four drivers in F1 and managed to irritate the lot of them so much they never achieved their full potential and quit his team...

I'm not so sure we'll be seeing Montoya up there winning titles anytime soon. He's a very good driver but he has still got so much to learn. Consistency for one. I know it's his rookie season but compare his performances/results to the Jeff Gordons of this world and you realise he's gotta have a lot of luck in his favour if he's gonna win a title. Although, with the current Chase setup, anything goes, I guess.

2009 is too far to predict. However, I don't believe JPM is anywhere close to making the Chase in 2008. There are also some other pretty good drivers that I don't believe will make the Chase in 2008........Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex. I think that Harvick and Hamlin are also on the bubble and may not make it.

My picks for new additions to the top 12 are Ryan Newman, JR, and Greg Biffle.

Agreed that there is a lot of quality within the top 15 in the Cup. However, I do think JPM has a decent chance of being around p12 before the Chase starts - it certainly seems reasonable to think he'll be somewhere around the cut-off point.

No chance, he needs a top team first. That will bring consistency to the results.

Meantime he has some small things to learn.

I like his attitude though and I believe he has the basic talent to do it someday. But not that soon.

Regarding next year, I think top 15 in points is a realistic target, just short of the chase. With some luck though he could make it.

Go JPM. :beer:

IMO Montoya did very well in his first season. I am not sure about winning the title in 3 years but qualifying for the Chase is realistic.

Is Montoya only running in Cup next year? Or will he do some Nationwide races?

He is primarily focussed on Cup now, but I can see him doing the odd Busch race....maybe road courses and the first Daytona race?

As ThePenguin and Knowlesy noted, one of the biggest question marks surrounding JPM's future in NASCAR is whether he will be given a championship caliber car. Ganassi has been a second-tier team since 2003 but it was a title contender in 2001 and 2002. I would prefer to see JPM with Hendrick or another established, more consistent team like Gibbs or Roush but I don't think we can completely write Ganassi off right now. Even in 2004 it had the second most top 10's with the mediocre McMurray (J.Gordon led the series with 25, Johnson and McMurray had 23). Had he made the Chase, which he barely missed, he would have finished, I believe, 4th in points. In 2005 McMurray missed the Chase only due to bad luck at Richmond. If Ganassi was that solid with a driver like McMurray, what could a world-class driver like Montoya do if Ganassi improved a bit, even to its 2004 level, let alone its 2001-2002 level of performance? One thing that hurt Ganassi is that it did not have a 7 post shaker rig. However, it will be getting one for next year. That, the addition of Franchitti and the $$$$ he should bring, could be the ticket to propel Ganassi Racing back to top-tier status.

Ganassi Racing is going to need more than just money and a seven post shaker rig, they are going to need to be seen by Dodge as the top of their teams. Hendrick is seen as the top Chevy team, and they are out in front of everybody else. Roush Fenway are the top Ford. Joe Gibbs Racing is expected to be the top Toyota. Right now Dodge doesn't have a top team, so it would be the perfect time for Chip Ganassi to step in, before Penske or Evernham can take it. Unless they become the team that Dodge favors the most, they won't be a top team.