Juan Montoya qualified 29th for Sunday's Ford 400. Credit: Autostock

No nerves as Montoya puts it in the show

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- After easily qualifying for his Nextel Cup debut Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, former open-wheel champion Juan Montoya proved he's conquered any vestige of nerves he might have possessed.

After one lap in qualifying and facing a trip home, albeit only a 30-odd-mile trip up the Florida Turnpike to Miami, Montoya responded to a radio call from crew chief Steve Boyer that said 'We need a little more, bud,' by delivering.

Kasey Kahne won his sixth Bud Pole of the season. Credit: Autostock

Ford 400 Qualifying Results Pos. Driver Speed Time 1. K. Kahne 178.259 30.293 2. S. Riggs 178.218 30.300 3. Ky. Busch 178.118 30.317 4. E. Sadler 178.059 30.327 5. J. Burton 177.983 30.340 6. B. Vickers 177.288 30.459 7. K. Harvick 177.270 30.462 8. J.J. Yeley 177.084 30.494 9. D. Gilliland 177.009 30.507 10. C. Bowyer 176.945 30.518 • Complete lineup, click here • Practice Speeds, click here Pole winnerKahne will lead the field to green in the season's final race Eye on the prizeJohnson will chase his first NNC title from the 15th starting spot Middle of the packMatt Kenseth will start the Ford 400 from the 19th position Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

"It's amazing how he was able to find almost a quarter of a second in the car," Boyer said of Montoya's second lap. "And that's what got us in the show."

From his stock-car debut Montoya's proven speed isn't an issue. Friday, that resulted in a lap of the high-banked 1.5-mile Homestead oval in 30.755 seconds, an average speed of 175.581 mph.

It put him 29th in Sunday's Ford 400 field, but more important, he was fifth among the 20 drivers he was most concerned with, those who had to get into the race on their qualifying speeds, of the 56 who tried to qualify.

Expectations are something neither Montoya nor owner Chip Ganassi have been burdened with as the Colombian inches toward his first full-time season in stock cars, set to begin at Speedweeks 2007 at Daytona next February.

But nerves are something else. Montoya told his Busch Series crew chief Brad Parrott after qualifying last month at Iowa Speedway, that he had never been as nervous in his racing career -- which includes an Indianapolis 500 win, victories in Formula One and an Indy-car championship.

"Yes, it's stressful -- you don't get any second chances," Montoya said Friday. "One of the hardest things I'm getting the handle on is you go out on cold tires.

"It takes forever to get heat in the tires and then it's straight down to business [but] it's pretty cool."

Nerves aside, Boyer, a team engineer who's been leading Montoya's Nextel Cup exploration this fall, said Montoya's very psyche might be one of his best weapons.

"He was pretty calm, actually," Boyer said of Montoya's reaction after he took the checkered flag. "He did a really good job picking up on the second lap and if he wouldn't have, we would have been in trouble -- but Juan did a great job.

"The biggest thing I saw in him today was that he was cautiously optimistic. We were safely in by a tenth-and-a-half at the end of practice and we knew that if we picked up just a little bit that we would be fine.

"He's adapting very well, and these things like [what he experienced] today teach you a lot about yourself. For Juan to come here [and qualify], he probably learned a lot about himself and a little bit about his abilities.

"The more he runs, the more comfortable he'll feel."

After qualifying ended, owner Chip Ganassi said the feat was one more, small step in "seven or eight more we have to make before next season." But in the short term it also sets up what could be Montoya's first "NASCAR double."

Needing to also qualify Saturday on speed for the Busch Series Ford 300, Montoya was 22nd fastest of 52 cars and ninth among the 22 drivers in go-or-go home mode.

Operating in dual garages for the first time was an eye-opener.

"It's been crazy today, going from one car to the other," Montoya said. "My Cup car was really tight -- I got in the Busch car and it was so loose.

"It's really hard to switch from one to the other [because] the wheelbase is different -- the whole car is really different. It worked out pretty good, and I think it actually helped me."

The Colombian has been a pleasant surprise to his teammates for next year, rookies Reed Sorenson and David Stremme.

"I think he's doing good, but I look at he's won in Formula One, he's won in CART -- and he's been under a lot of pressure there," Stremme said. "He's got a lot of experience in racing in general.

"We know he's a real talented driver. I was down talking to him a little bit earlier, trying to help him out, but he does fine -- so I think he's done a great job."

Stremme has no doubt that as time goes by, what Montoya will bring to Ganassi's entire operation will be immeasurable.

"What I tell people is that what he's bringing to the table is that he's a champion," Stremme said. "He knows what it takes to be a champion and I think that he's going to bring a lot of composure to the team.

"I think some of the stock-car stuff -- yeah, we'll be able to teach him. But he's going to be able to teach us a lot in return."

Stremme and Sorenson have a combined 74 Nextel Cup starts. While it'll take Montoya two seasons to accrue that many, Stremme said his team has already begun to see the benefit of its new teammate.

"When I had lunch with him a couple of months ago, he said that was the most time he'd spent with a teammate in six years," Stremme said with a laugh. "So it's just different over here. I guess that is kinda neat.

"But on the other hand, he's a good guy and I think he's going to bring a lot to the team. And I think he'll rely on us a lot at some different places, for set-ups and stuff."

"We just made another step, that's all," Ganassi said as he strode from the garage to a media briefing. "Albeit a big step, it was still just a step."