Montoya's debut went about as expected

Eleventh-place run proves learning curve not steep for open wheeler

Juan Montoya's Busch Series debut on Saturday was as predictable as the sun rising in the east:

• Nextel Cup Series Buschwhackers dominated (again); seven full-time Cup drivers finished in the top 10.
• Pooh-bah 'Whacker Kevin Harvick won (again); he already has clinched the series championship and added his eighth victory for good measure.
• And Montoya was as-advertised; he spent most of the race contending for a top-10 finish.

	Credit: CIA Stock Photo
	Sam's Town 250 Unofficial Results Pos. Driver Make 1. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 2. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 3. Carl Edwards Ford 4. Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 5. Shane Huffman Chevrolet • Complete results, click here • Driver standings, click here NASCAR debutWatch a recap of Montoya's NASCAR debut at Memphis Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

After an 11th-place finish, the learning curve may be flatter than even Montoya imagined: "I could have passed 10 more cars [Saturday] if I would have been more aggressive."

Crew chief Brad Parrot said his hands are full trying to bring Montoya -- a former Indianapolis 500 winner, CART champion and Formula One driver -- up to speed with stock cars, but added this is familiar territory.

"Two years ago, I had Greg Biffle, without Greg telling me what to do [with the cars' setup]," Parrot remembered. "He didn't tell me what the car was doing and we did the same thing on Carl Edwards. I'm used to it. As long as I can keep making [the car] better for [Montoya], we can keep doing our jobs. If we're making it worse, we're not doing our job."

Montoya, who qualified ninth for Saturday's race, said his first NASCAR experience was, "pretty wild, to be honest."

After running in the top 10 for the first 148 laps, Montoya lost the rear of the car entering a turn and was hit by Jason Keller. Montoya spun and after a caution restarted 30th. He meticulously worked his way through traffic before settling for 11th, which for reference sake is a better showing than recent Busch Series champions' debuts -- Martin Truex Jr. (38), Brian Vickers (37), Biffle (23), Harvick (42) and Jeff Green (22).

"You've got to be patient," Montoya said after the race. "A car can be five car [lengths] in front it can take you 20 laps to get to the guys, just driving. You're not going to catch them in two laps. I learned that [Saturday]; you've just got to pace yourself."

Montoya, who finished third in his ARCA debut on Oct. 6 at Talladega, tested at Homestead-Miami Speedway last week. He had the second-fastest time on Wednesday, which had a field of 63 cars.

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It's apparent that he is getting a feel for stock cars and understands the team's goals. "I know it's all about preparing myself for next year," Montoya said Friday at Memphis, "but I want to do well.

"It's not like, 'OK, we have got a top-10 car.' But I don't want a top-10 car. We're here to do a job -- and the job is to win."

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.