Auto Racing Capsules: Montoya on mission to pick up pace and make Chase
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Juan Pablo Montoya followed the numbers on a detailed chart last season, when his crew chief mapped out exactly how the driver needed to finish each race to qualify for his first Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
The plan worked to perfection as Montoya, racing conservatively, improved at nearly every track and earned one of the coveted 12 spots in the Chase field.
It would make sense, then, for Montoya to again rely on crew chief Brian Pattie’s color-coded blueprint to contend for his first NASCAR championship this season. Only problem? All that carefully calculated math went out the window when Montoya finished 34th or worse in four of the first eight races this season.
"He isn’t even looking at the numbers now, I can tell you that," Montoya said. "After (Texas), I asked where are we, he said ‘I don’t know, I don’t care, let’s just go out and try to win some races.’ "
That’s the exact opposite of how Pattie persuaded Montoya to race last season, when aggressive setups and on-track gambles were shunned in favor of smart driving and big-picture thinking. Montoya entered his third season of Sprint Cup racing with a grand total of nine top-10 finishes, and Pattie knew that number needed to increase sharply for the No. 42 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team to have any shot at making the Chase.
And for a small, two-car team like EGR, making the Chase can be as important as winning the championship.
Montoya bought in to Pattie’s plan, and doubled his top-10 finishes to get the No. 42 into the Chase. That’s when Pattie got aggressive, cutting his driver loose to race hard for wins. Although Montoya fell short of Victory Lane — his only Cup win was on the road course at Sonoma in his 2007 rookie season — Montoya flirted with the title by finishing fourth or better in five of the first six Chase races before fading to eighth in the final standings.
The experience of last season and racing in the Chase gave Montoya and his team confidence they’d contend again this year. And if luck wasn’t such a vital part of the sport, he’d probably be sitting comfortably inside the top 10 in points.
Instead, strong cars have been sabotaged by bad timing and bad breaks in what’s shaping up to resemble a "checkers-or-wreckers" season. When Montoya has been able to finish a race incident-free, he’s wound up inside the top-10 four times.
The others?
—An engine failure at California led to a 37th-place finish in a race in which he’d led 29 laps.
—A wreck with teammate Jamie McMurray when both were running inside the top-10 resulted in a 37th at Las Vegas.
—Accidents at Bristol and Texas led to finishes of 26th and 34th, and a tire problem at Martinsville led to a 36th-place finish.
But Montoya has led laps in seven of nine races this season, making his statistics a poor barometer of how strong he’s been.
"It is crazy," he said. "Yes, we have the cars to do it, but, you have to have the luck to be able to get the results. It is kind of frustrating. I kind of understand what Kyle (Busch) went through last year. He won I don’t know how many races (four) and didn’t make the Chase.
"I don’t think it is over yet. We just have to keep working on it and see what happens. I can tell you I am enjoying myself. I would love to be higher in the points, but I mean we have good race cars. And that is worth more than everything."
Montoya made up considerable ground last weekend at Talladega, where he finished third behind winner Kevin Harvick and McMurray. There had been some concern that Montoya did not have enough fuel to make it to the end, but Pattie wouldn’t bring him in for gas.
"The fuel pressure dipped a little when I went wide open," Montoya radioed late in the race.
"Well, we are not pitting," Pattie shouted back. "I’ll run that son of a gun out of gas."
It was an aggressive gamble so out of character for what Pattie had preached last season, but he’s no longer in position to play it safe.
"I don’t need to know about average finishes," he said of his tendency to use charts. "I just need to finish right now. And I want to win races. Bad."
The strategy almost worked, too. If other drivers had drafted a little bit differently over the last two laps, it would have been Montoya and Denny Hamlin racing each other for the victory, not Harvick and McMurray.
Still, Montoya left with that third-place finish and gained considerable ground in the standings. He now heads into Richmond International Raceway this weekend up four spots in the standings to 20th, and he’s only 123 points out of 12th.
As the long summer stretch of racing is set to begin, Pattie understands that the key is preventing his crew from growing discouraged by the rash of bad luck. Everybody knows they’ve got competitive cars — and the No. 42 was apparently the best in the field at last week’s important Indianapolis test — but failure to see consistent results can play mind games with anyone.
"I don’t know that it’s true that we’ve just had bad luck," Pattie said. "I believe you make your own luck, and we’ve just got to keep moving forward and not jump off any ledges. But we’ll be fine. I won’t let it happen."
Montoya is certain there are slip-ups still to come.
"I haven’t screwed up yet and you have got to count that I am going to screw up at least twice," he said, and the first could come this weekend in Richmond.
"I don’t like it," he said of the short track. "I am being honest. It is a pretty tricky track. We never really run that well there. Not one of my favorites."
But he also knows there’s not much room for error going forward.
"If we want to try to make the Chase, we need top-fives and wins. That is only way we are going to make the Chase," he shrugged. "If we start running 10th or 12th every week, there is no way we are going to make it."
Keselowski docked 50 points in Nationwide Series by NASCAR
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR docked Brad Keselowski 50 points in the Nationwide Series because his car failed inspection following his win at Talladega Superspeedway.
Keselowski’s lead in the Nationwide standings dropped from 60 points to 10 after Wednesday’s penalty.
The penalties were 25 points each for an unapproved left-front spring and an unapproved right-front shock when Keselowski’s Dodge was inspected following the victory Sunday. His win stands.
Crew chief Paul Wolfe was fined $20,000 for the two infractions, and Jodi Geschickterm, who is listed as the car owner because of a points swap he made with Penske Racing, was docked 50 points in the owner standings.
Penske Racing president Tim Cindric said the team will not appeal the penalties, but believes part failures contributed to the failed inspection.
"We are confident that there was no intent on behalf of Paul Wolfe, or any other member of the No. 22 team, to circumvent NASCAR’s rules," Cindric said in a statement.
NASCAR confiscated the shock and spring after the race.
IndyCar
IRL still has stars, just not many are Americans
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The glory days of American open-wheel racing were the original reality TV, millions of viewers tuning in each week to see if Foyt could hold off the Unser boys, Sullivan could chase down Mears, Rutherford could best Johncock.
The action was compelling, the actors iconic.
"Those guys were like rock stars," Canadian IndyCar driver Paul Tracy said.
The stars are still there, just not as red-white-and-blue as they once were.
Since the retirement in the early 1990s of the great American open-wheel racers — seemingly all at once — IndyCar has become a not-from-round-here affair.
An influx of talented European and South American drivers, many of them practically covered in sponsors when they show up at the garages, has caused the Indy Racing League to lose the homegrown appeal it once had when A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and Al Unser were bumping tires and trading titles.
Since 2001, the only American driver to win the IRL season title is Sam Hornish Jr., who won his third in 2006. He also was the last American to win the Indianapolis 500, the same year. But Hornish isn’t around anymore; he bolted for NASCAR money three years ago.
Last season was the first time in 100 years an American failed to win an IndyCar race, and this year just two U.S.-born drivers have full-time rides: Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti.
Graham Rahal, who brings plenty of talent and great racing lineage, doesn’t have a full-time gig. Ryan Hunter-Reay, a two-time IndyCar winner and arguably the best American driver, has spent the past seven years bouncing from one team to another. He’s hooked on with IndyCar monster Andretti Autosport, but still doesn’t have a full-season program and is driving with IRL series sponsor Izod on the side of his car.
Sarah Fisher has pieced together a nice team of her own, but not a full season yet, and Ed Carpenter, stepson of IRL founder Tony George, is rideless.
So when the 27 drivers hit the pavement at Kansas Speedway this weekend, five will be Americans, including John Andretti, a stock car driver brushing up for next month’s Indy 500.
"We want the best drivers no matter where they come from, but I think being a domestic sport you need domestic partners and sponsors," George said. "Obviously, Americans have an affinity for American heroes and American talent."
There just isn’t much of it out there right now.
Many of the top IndyCar drivers have left for the money and glamour of NASCAR in recent years, including Hornish, 1997 IRL champ Tony Stewart, A.J. Allmendinger and Robby Gordon. Patrick is racing a part-time NASCAR schedule this year, too.
The IRL is trying to develop talent.
Its new "Road To Indy" program offers a stepladder system for aspiring American drivers to get on a direct road to the IRL, and the series estimates there are 40,000-70,000 eligible go-cart drivers across the country.
They’re just not ready yet.
The Indy Lights series, the IRL’s training ground, is bereft of Americans; two of the 18 drivers at the Long Beach race on April 17 were from the U.S.
Andretti Autosport recently signed go-cart phenoms Sage Karam and Zach Veach, but they’re not old enough to have a driver’s license yet.
"To a certain extent, I don’t think that there’s anybody that has come up through the ranks that really stands out as being someone that is going to be the next star," Rahal said. "I’d love to see more Americans here, but at the end of the day, we’ve always found that there’s been a lot of talent overseas that has given us a run for our money."
The war between CART/Champ Car and IndyCar didn’t help the sport’s popularity here. Even after unification in 2008, some fans still aren’t aware all open-wheel races are under one umbrella.
Overseas, open-wheel racing is part of the culture. Soccer is king in most countries, but sports fans love the nuances of road racing and drivers come up on road courses, becoming more adept at it than Americans.
And because of the backing the sport has, foreign drivers are able to drum up financial support more easily, often arriving with sponsorship deals already in hand. With the recent downturn in the economy and the competition from other sports making sponsorship money harder to come by, it’s not easy for owners to turn them away.
"The U.S. has always been different than other countries because we have so many other sports here: football, baseball, basketball," Mears said. "Sponsorship dollars are always being fought for and I think in Europe, motorsports has always been one of the dominant industries and it’s easier for young drivers to get companies, corporations, sometimes even the countries, behind them, so they end up being able to generate the funds to come over and get the rides."
The TV package here hasn’t helped IndyCar.
While open-wheel racing is shown on one of Brazil’s top networks, 12 of the 17 IRL races this year are on Versus.
In its second season with the series, the network has done a nice job with its telecasts, but it only reaches about half the American households. Five of the races are on still on ABC, including the Indy 500, but that’s not enough to persuade large corporations to part with their money.
"I think Versus is a great channel and I watch it, but it just doesn’t have the audience it takes to generate the sponsorship dollars to run these cars. That’s the bottom line," Tracy said. "When you walk into a boardroom and the first thing you say to a Fortune 500 company is ‘Are you interested in sponsoring an IndyCar, it costs $7 million?’ They ask the ratings and the network, and people have never heard of it."
It’s not like the IRL is starless. Patrick has raised the series’ profile with her crossover appeal, three-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves appeared on "Dancing with the Stars" and two-time champ Dario Franchitti is married to actress Ashley Judd.
There just aren’t many Americans — and the IRL is working on it.
"I think we can do more here in America in our grass-roots program," IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said. "We have to reach these kids in the carting world. We have to create a fan base early on so this is where they want to come."
In other words, get back to the glory days.
-- John Marshall
Auto Racing Glance
NASCAR
SPRINT CUP
Heath Calhoun 400
Site: Richmond, Va.
Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 11-12:30 p.m., 1-2:30 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 4-6:30 p.m.); Saturday, race, 6:30 p.m.(FOX, 6-10 p.m.).
Track: Richmond International Raceway (oval, 0.75 miles).
Race distance: 300 miles, 400 laps.
Last year: Kyle Busch raced to the third of his four 2009 victories, holding off Tony Stewart to complete a weekend Nationwide-Sprint Cup sweep.
Last week: Kevin Harvick snapped a 115-race victory drought, passing Jamie McMurray on the last of 12 extra laps at Talladega Superspeedway. On the third and final attempt at a green-flag finish, Harvick slid inside and drag-raced McMurray to the finish, winning by 0.011 seconds.
Fast facts: Jimmie Johnson has a series-high three victories in nine races and leads the standings. The four-time defending series champion swept the 2007 Richmond races and also won at the track in September 2008. ... Harvick is second in the standings, 26 points behind. ... Denny Hamlin, from nearby Chesterfield, won last September at the track. He has victories this year at Martinsville and Texas. ... The September race at the track will end the run for the 12 Chase spots.
Next race: Southern 500, May 8, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, S.C.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
NATIONWIDE
Bubba Burger 250
Site: Richmond, Va.
Schedule: Friday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 3-4:30 p.m.); race, 6:30 p.m.(ESPN2, 7- 9 p.m.).
Track: Richmond International Raceway (oval, 0.75 miles).
Race distance: 187.5 miles, 250 laps.
Last year: Kyle Busch raced to the third of his nine 2009 victories, taking the lead from Carl Edwards with 22 laps left. Edwards finished second.
Last week: Brad Keselowski won at Talladega Superspeedway, overcoming high carbon monoxide levels after the Sprint Cup race. Pushed back to Sunday because of rain, the race ended under caution on the second attempt at a green-white checkered finish after a wreck that nearly sent Dennis Setzer flying over the fence.
Fast facts: Keselowski, in his first season in Roger Penske's No. 22 Dodge, leads the season standings, 60 ahead of second-place Kevin Harvick. In eight races, Keselowski has seven top-five finishes. ... Harvick has won four Nationwide races at Richmond, one off Mark Martin's record. ... Busch has three series victories at Richmond. ... Edwards won last September at the track. ... Matt Kenseth is driving the No. 16 Ford in place of Colin Braun. Kenseth also will drive the car at Darlington.
Next race: Darlington 200, May 7, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, S.C.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS
O'Reilly Auto Parts 250
Site: Kansas City, Kan.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, qualifying; Sunday, race, Noon(Speed, 11:30-2:30 p.m.)
Track: Kansas Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles).
Race distance: 250.5 miles, 167 laps.
Last year: Mike Skinner gave NFL star Randy Moss his first victory as a NASCAR owner, waiting through two days, two weather delays and a tornado scare to win the rain-shortened race in a Monday finish.
Last race: Sprint Cup star Kyle Busch won the Nashville 200 on April 2 for his first NASCAR victory as a team owner. Kevin Harvick was second.
Fast facts: Timothy Peters, the winner of the season-opening race at Daytona, leads the season standings with 666 points — 82 more than second-place Aric Almirola. Peters is the only series regular to win this year. Sprint Cup driver Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta and Martinsville, and Busch won at Nashville. ... Ken Schrader is driving the No. 2 Chevrolet in place of Harvick, and Brian Ickler will be in Busch's No. 18 Toyota.
Next race: Dover 200, May 14, Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del.
On the Net: http://www.nascar.com
IZOD INDYCAR
Road Runner Turbo Indy 300
Site: Kansas City, Kan.
Schedule: Friday, practice, qualifying; Saturday, race, 1 p.m.(ABC, 12:30-3 p.m.)
Track: Kansas Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles).
Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps.
Last year: Scott Dixon raced to the first of his five 2009 victories, beating Helio Castroneves by 0.71 seconds.
Last race: Ryan Hunter-Reay won the Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 18 for his second career IndyCar victory. The Andretti Autosport driver led 64 of 85 laps.
Fast facts: The series announced Tuesday that it will crown season champions for oval and road courses, as well as the overall points winner. The race is the first of the series' seven oval events. There are nine races on road and street courses. ... Will Power swept the season-opening races in Brazil and St. Petersburg, Fla. The Penske driver leads the standings with 172 points. Teammate Castroneves, the Grand Prix of Alabama winner, is second with 130 — a point ahead of Hunter-Reay. ... Dan Wheldon won in 2007 and 2008 at Kansas Speedway. ... Danica Patrick is 16th in the standings. She was 15th in Brazil, seventh in St. Petersburg, 19th in Birmingham and 16th in Long Beach.
Next race: Indianapolis 500, May 30, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis.
On the Net: http://www.indycar.com
NHRA FULL THROTTLE
AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals
Site: Madison, Ill.
Schedule: Friday, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 9- 10 p.m.); Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 9-9:30 a.m., 6-9 p.m.).
Track: Gateway International Raceway.
Last year: Del Worsham won the Funny Car division, beating Ron Capps in the final. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.
Last event: John Force raced to his third Funny Car victory of the season and record 129th overall NHRA win, beating Tony Pedregon on April 18 in the Spring Nationals in Las Vegas. The 60-year-old Force had a 4.334-second pass at 284.93 mph in the final. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also won.
Fast facts: Force leads the Funny Car standings, 120 ahead of Matt Hagan. Force has an NHRA-record 14 season titles. ... Dixon has a one-point lead over Cory McClenathan in Top Fuel. ... Edwards tops the Pro Stock standings.
Next race: Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, May 14-16, Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Ga.
On the Net: http://www.nhra.com
FORMULA ONE
Next race: Spanish Grand Prix, May 9, Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona.
Last race: Jenson Button gambled on tire strategy to win the rainy Chinese Grand Prix on April 18, beating Lewis Hamilton to give McLaren a 1-2 finish. Button, the reigning world champion, made only two stops.
On the Net: http://www.formula1.com
OTHER RACES
WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car, Saturday, Jackson Speedway, Jackson, Minn.; Late Model, Friday, Fayetteville Motor Speedway, Fayetteville, N.C., and Saturday, Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro, Ga. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com
U.S. AUTO RACING CLUB: Sprint Car, Saturday, Lincoln Park Speedway, Putnamville, Ind. Net: http://www.usacracing.com
