The No. 30 Dodge of Juan Montoya had a following during the entire test session. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Montoya completes first Nextel Cup test session

Former F1 driver shocked at competitors' willingness to help

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Chip Ganassi Racing's newest driver knows his assimilation into Nextel Cup Series competition will require patience and a sense of humor.

It's the small surprises -- particularly the interaction among series teams -- that have delighted Juan Pablo Montoya thus far.

His NASCAR education continued this week at the Nextel Cup Series' final open test of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- Montoya's first participation in a Nextel Cup test session.

Juan Montoya clocked the second-fastest time in the first session, and was third in the evening session on Wednesday. Credit: AP

Top Speeds Wednesday, Session 1 Pos. Driver Make Time 1. S. Wimmer Chevy 31.329 2. J. Montoya Dodge 31.500 3. T. Kvapil Chevy 31.540 4. T. Kvapil Chevy 31.556 5. J. Nemechek Chevy 31.702 6. C. Bowyer Chevy 31.730 7. Reutimann Toyota 31.794 8. D. Gilliland Ford 31.819 9. S. Marlin Chevy 31.874 10. J. Montoya Dodge 31.894 Wednesday, Session 2 Pos. Driver Make Time 1. J. Green Chevy 30.921 2. C. Atwood Ford 31.161 3. J. Montoya Dodge 31.318 4. S. Marlin Chevy 31.359 5. P. Menard Chevy 31.410 6. J. Nemechek Chevy 31.508 7. D. Stremme Dodge 31.540 8. Reutimann Toyota 31.557 9. J. Montoya Dodge 31.727 10. M. Wallace Dodge 31.761

A former Indianapolis 500 winner and Formula One star, he'll drive the No. 42 Dodge in 2007. And he cites the openness of the Cup garage as a personal eye-opener.

"I think it's great to see how competitive it is out there when it comes down to business and how casual it is back here," Montoya said of the contrast between the on-track and garage environments. "It's a great atmosphere."

Homestead-Miami Speedway will host the season finale Ford 400 on Nov. 19. Montoya's Ganassi team was among the 14 who tested Wednesday, the final day of the three-day session; he drove a No. 30 Dodge both days.

Montoya tested while receiving plenty of input. He admitted his amazement when Kevin Harvick visited his garage bay Tuesday, the second day of the test, and offered setup hints. Teammates Casey Mears, the current driver of the No. 42, and Reed Sorenson helped with more suggestions.

"Both Casey and Reed got in my car [Tuesday] and they ran my car," said Montoya, who visited the Homestead-Miami Speedway infield media center prior to Wednesday's test session. "You know, we don't do that in Europe. If you see somebody struggling in Formula One, you never see someone go and say, 'You're making this wrong.' You actually go to your guys and you say, 'You see what they're doing wrong?'"

Among other topics Montoya addressed was his move from Formula One to NASCAR. He says he's aware there may be differences of opinion on whether he'll succeed, and when, but he knows any success will take time and perseverance. Following the Homestead-Miami Speedway test, his next step will be his Busch Series debut -- Oct. 28 at Memphis Motorsports Park.

"For me, I'm here for the long run whether they like it or not," Montoya said of observers and critics. "Do I want to succeed? Of course, I want to succeed. Is it going to be easy? No. Am I going to have good races? Hopefully yes. Am I going to have bad races? Definitely yes. It's part of it."

Montoya's July announcement that he would join Ganassi's NASCAR organization continues to spark interest and debate among media and fans alike. On Wednesday, he offered his opinion about how NASCAR is viewed in Formula One circles.

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"You know, I think in Europe NASCAR is not regarded as high as it should," Montoya said. "You know, I think people don't know what it is exactly, how competitive it is. They're used to Formula One where the technology is extreme. But the crazy thing here is how limited the rules are for technology, how far they go with the cars. If you would bring an engineer from, like, Formula One and show them how detailed the cars are, they would be shocked."

The Homestead-Miami test marks the final of six designated 2006 tests for Nextel Cup teams.

This year, NASCAR instituted a new testing policy to encourage a more level field of competition and help teams be more cost efficient, with these six tests (Daytona, Las Vegas, Richmond, Charlotte, Indianapolis and Homestead-Miami) the only opportunities for teams to test at Nextel Cup tracks.

The Homestead-Miami test began Monday and ended Wednesday, with teams allowed to test on two of the three available days. All sessions began at 1 p.m. and ended at 9 p.m. ET, with a dinner break from 5-6 p.m.