2006 season

On July 9, 2006, Montoya announced his plans to compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series beginning with the 2007 season, racing for Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates' NASCAR operation, Chip Ganassi Racing, in the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge. Montoya made his stock car debut in an Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) event at the Talladega Superspeedway on October 6, 2006. He qualified second, led the first nine laps, and finished third when the race was called after 79 of 92 laps. ^[5] Three weeks later he followed this with an 11th place finish after a mid-race spin at the Sam's Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park, his first appearance in NASCAR's second division Busch Series.^[6] He competed in the final three races of the Busch Series season, but did not better this performance. On November 19, 2006, Montoya competed for the first time in NASCAR's premier division, the NEXTEL Cup Series. He qualified 29th in the #30 Texaco Dodge at the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He was running just outside the top 10 when contact with Ryan Newman ended his race on lap 251. His car ended up in the grass engulfed in flames and he was credited with a 34th place finish.

2007 season

Before the start of the NASCAR season 06/07 , Montoya won the 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race with teammates Scott Pruett and Salvador Duran.

Montoya finished 19th at the first race of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup, the Daytona 500, complaining of handling problems with the car.^[8]

On March 4, 2007, Montoya won the NASCAR Busch SeriesTelcel-Motorola 200 in Mexico City. It was his first Busch Series win in only seven starts. He came from 19th position in the final 24 laps to win the event. He had held the lead earlier in the race until an issue with the fuel overflow caused him to have to make an additional pitstop. There was controversy when Montoya tried to make a pass on the inside of his teammate, Scott Pruett. The move resulted in Pruett spinning out and dropping to 17th position. Pruett recovered and finished 5th in the race, but was livid, believing that Montoya had spun him out to win his first race.

On April 24, 2007, Montoya was fined $10,000 by NASCAR and placed on probation for the rest of the season for an "inappropriate gesture" he made during a Busch Series practice session at Phoenix International Raceway the previous weekend. The gesture was captured on live television by the Speed Channel during their coverage of the practice session. Montoya apparently didn't know the camera was being used for live tv, and apologized, saying that it was only meant as a joke to one of his friends.

On June 24, 2007, Montoya won his first NASCAR Nextel Cup race at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma, becoming the first non-American driver to win a Cup race since Canadian Earl Ross in 1974.

Montoya qualified in 2nd spot in the 2007 Allstate 400, with his teammate Reed Sorenson taking the pole position. During the race, he stayed in the top ten the entire time, finishing second behind race winner Tony Stewart.

Improving at the tracks he once struggled at, Montoya used consistency to battle the expected steep learning curve and fend off David Ragan to become the first non-American driver to win Rookie of the Year at NASCAR's highest level.

2008 season

Before the start of the 2008 NASCAR season, Montoya won the 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race for the second consecutive year, this time with a slightly different team consisting of himself, his good friend Dario Franchitti, Scott Pruett, and Memo Rojas. At Talladega, he had a 2nd place finish.

<-- back