Back home, JPM's move struggling for acceptance

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A victory by Juan Montoya on Sunday afternoon would have implications far beyond the boundaries of Daytona International Speedway. Not only would the Colombian complete an unprecedented hat trick of the three biggest events in world auto racing, but he'd also become only the second foreign-born driver -- joining 1967 champion Mario Andretti -- to win the Great American Race.

Would the fans back home grasp the significance of that achievement?

"Probably not," Montoya said matter-of-factly on Friday, when persistent rain drowned out a scheduled practice session for the Daytona 500. "They didn't when I won Indy, and they didn't when I won Monaco, and they probably won't [if I win Daytona] either."

Such is the complicated relationship between Montoya and fans in his homeland. There is no shortage of Colombian pride when Montoya excels, such as at his groundbreaking first Cup victory at Sonoma in 2007, when supporters danced and chanted and waved the country's blue, red, and yellow flag. A similar scene would surely unfold should Montoya claim the Daytona 500 -- a feat not out of the realm of possibility, given his strength on big tracks and his third-place finish in Thursday's second qualifying event.

"Our main goal was to try to get to the 500 with the same car we practiced and qualified with, and we did it," said Montoya, who starts eighth Sunday. "And I think we've got a great starting spot. But it's such a long race, that it doesn't really matter where we start. The big thing is, we have a good car, and I think that goes a long way."

But back in Colombia, things aren't quite that simple. Montoya's following during his Formula One days was huge, to the point where race broadcasts were some of the highest-rated programs on Colombian television. His jump to NASCAR, though, was greeted with disappointment, and he lost many fans as a result. There was virtually no NASCAR following in Colombia when Montoya made the move, with only a small percentage of the population receiving the cable channels that broadcast the stock-car events. Growing up, Montoya himself remembers seeing the Daytona 500 on television only occasionally. (Continued)