#42 Juan Pablo Montoya

Juan Pablo Montoya's Stats:

Born: September 20, 1975
From: Bogota, Columbia
Lives: Miami, FL
Drives: #42 Target Chevrolet
For: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Teammate: #1 Martin Truex Jr.
Crew Chief: Brian Pattie
Best Year: 2007 Finished 20th in points
Career Wins: 1


Juan Pablo Montoya was born in Bogata, Columbia where he was taught to race by his father. He is perhaps the most well traveled NASCAR driver.

Montoya's racing career began in the Columbian Renault Series at age 17. Montoya's early success led him all over the world as a driver including driving series in the United States, Mexico, Great Britain and the Netherlands.

Some of Montoya's early success' included winning the 1998 Formula 3000 Championship, the 1999 CART Championship, the 2000 Indianapolis 500 and the 2003 Monaco Grand Prix.

Despite all that success and driving in Formula One the pinnacle of open wheel racing, Montoya was not happy and in July 2006 signed with Chip Ganassi Racing to drive a full NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in 2007.

After some negotiations Montoya was released from his F1 contract which left him free to drive in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in preparation for his move to NASCAR full time.

Montoya made his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut in the final race of the 2006 season at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. His race ended in a firey crash just 17 laps short of the finish. He was not hurt and ended up in 34th place.

In his first year (2007) Montoya won on a road course in the Nationwide Series and at the Infineon road course in Sonoma California in the Sprint Cup Series.

In 2009 Dale Earnhardt Incorporated merged with Chip Ganassi Racing to form Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Montoya drove the #42 Target Chevrolet.

Away from the track Montoya has a foundation called Formula Smiles which aims to improve the lives of needy Columbian children with a goal of providing a more promising future.


Montoya's Win

Infineon(1)

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