NASCAR: Juan Pablo Montoya aims for aggressive approach to Chase

RICHMOND - In 2007, Juan Pablo Montoya was on his way to a rookie-of-the year season in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup competition.

But he arrived in Richmond so far out of the Race for the Chase, he couldn’t have gotten into it if he’d zoomed around Richmond International Raceway on the Concord.

Last year, he arrived in Richmond even further back in the points standings.

All he could do was drive for pride. Racing the final 10 races of the season to capture a Sprint Cup title was beyond his reach.

This year, Montoya comes to town sitting in eighth place among the top 12 who compete for NASCAR’s grand Sprint Cup prize over the final 10 races of the season.

Nothing is assured for Montoya. But barring a disaster, he has a good chance of making his first Chase.

He makes no assumptions. He does have hopes. What Montoya wants is the chance to drive with abandon, gambling without fear of the cost.

“First, you’ve got to get the car in,“ Montoya said. “Once you’re in the Chase, I think you can take a few more chances. Whatever happens after that happens.

“I think you can go a little more aggressively. I think your pit calls can be more aggressive.“

Montoya wants to change the philosophy that his team used in a number of races, Michigan for example.

“We played it conservatively,“ he said. “We wanted to have enough fuel to get to the end.

“But I don’t think being in the Chase changes things that much. Once you’ve got the helmet on, you’re still going to drive all out.“

Montoya, 32, has worn a number of different helmets in his racing career.

And while Montoya was a NASCAR rookie in 2007, he hardly was a novice in high-speed, high-level competition.

The Bogota, Colombia native began racing at the age of 6 and made an immediate impression with his success.

He climbed the open-wheel ladder and has made 137 starts in the CART, IndyCar and Formula 1 series. He came to NASCAR with 18 victories, 26 poles, 60 top-five and 79 top-10 finishes.

He won the CART series championship in 1999. He won the Indianapolis 500 and has won races in Formula 1, CART, IndyCar and NASCAR.

And while it’s obvious Montoya can drive just about anything well, his transition to NASCAR did not come without a period of adjustment.

That has been the case for all the drivers who have recently moved from the open-wheel circuit to the NASCAR circuit. Sam Hornish is in his second NASCAR season and sits 27th in points.

Dino Franchitti found his rookie year in NASCAR so frustrating that he returned to the IRL.

The common theme among open-wheel drivers who have come to NASCAR has been the quality of their teams, or lack thereof.

This year, a merger of two teams put Montoya in the Earnhardt Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates stable.

Montoya also got a new sponsor, Target, and revamped the team in the pits. That, combined with Montoya’s driving skills, has made a notable difference in results.

Montoya has not won a race this season, but he has 12 top 10 finishes and has been far more consistent than the previous two seasons.

“We’ve had a change in the focus in the organization,“ Montoya said. “We’ve got good momentum on our side. We’re building good race cars, lighter cars, with better setups, and we’re motivated to run good. This is not about proving anybody right or wrong.

“Last year, there were a lot of disruptions. We had crew changes. We were closing one team, going here, going there. All that stuff really hurts.

“Every crew chief has a way of thinking a team should be run. Engineers have different ideas. A team doesn’t just come together. It takes time, especially if your idea [for success] is completely opposite of other guy. Sometimes both ways can work, but you’ve got to figure out which one to use.“

From the look of the points standings, Montoya and his team have figured things out this year.