Juan Pablo Montoya
Fontana Advance
Race:
Auto Club 500 on Sunday, February 25, 2007
Track:
California Speedway (2.0-mile oval)
Location:
Fontana, Calif.
Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 42 Texaco Havoline Dodge Team Facts:
California Bound: Juan Pablo Montoya is no stranger to California Speedway. Montoya competed in two CART events at the track, including his championship clinching fourth-place finish in 1999 with Chip Ganassi Racing. Montoya also raced in the 2000 series finale where he started fifth, but settled for a 10-place finish after a mechanical failure ended his day early. This is his first race in a stock car at the 2-mile oval.
Standings: Montoya and the Texaco/Havoline team sit 18th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings following the Daytona 500, 84 points behind the leader.
Rookie Status: Montoya currently sits second in the Raybestos Rookie standings following his 19th-place finish in the Daytona 500. David Ragan was the only rookie in the six-man battle to outrun Montoya in Daytona.
It takes one to know Juan!: One little tidbit of information on the Colombian-born driver, Montoya loves movies, but his favorite movies are the Star Wars films.
20th Anniversary Note: Texaco/Havoline is celebrating is 20th year in NASCAR as a Cup sponsor. Did you know that three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Rookie-of-the-Year winners drove the iconic car? Davey Allison won the ROY title in 1987, Kenny Irwin in 1998 and most recently Jamie McMurray in 2003.
Hailing from the West Coast: Two members of the Texaco/Havoline team have hometowns on the West Coast. Mechanic J.D. Frey grew up in Ferndale, Calif. (260 miles north of San Francisco) and has been involved in racing for the last 10 years. Shock specialist Roy Gangdal was born north of the border in Vancouver, British Columbia. Gangdal once participated in a show car circuit in the Pacific Northwest in a low rider mini-truck.
Updated site: The fan and media site at www.texacohavoline42.com has been revamped for the 2007 season. Fans can get up-to-date information on the team, Montoya as well as special features like an exclusive blog from Montoya’s spotter Tab Boyd.
Chassis: Crew chief Donnie Wingo and the Texaco/Havoline team are brining chassis #703 to California Speedway this weekend for his first NEXTEL Cup race in the Golden State. This is a new chassis in the No. 42 stable and will make its debut in the Auto Club 500.
