Juan Pablo in a Stock Car

AP: Montoya to Make Nextel Cup Debut
By JENNA FRYER, The Associated Press
Nov 15, 2006 6:27 PM (9 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 362 of 9,099 articles
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Juan Pablo Montoya will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the No. 30 Dodge, The Associated Press has learned.

Car owner Chip Ganassi had briefly considered putting Montoya in the No. 42 Dodge, which is driven by Casey Mears and is guaranteed a spot in the field. The No. 30 is not, and Montoya will have to qualify the car to get into Sunday's race.

"He'll earn more respect if he qualifies the car then he will if he takes the freebie," Ganassi told the AP on Wednesday. "And isn't that what this has all been about? Gaining respect? At the end of the day, Juan didn't want a free pass into the race."

I watched Montoya compete in Formula 1 for the few years he raced in the series, always with the opinion he'd be much better suited to NASCAR. He's a good driver, but much too aggressive for Formula 1.