Juan Pablo Montoya unsure what to expect in 1st NASCAR start since 2014 at Watkins Glen

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) — He was trailed by a documentary crew, answered several questions in Spanish in his media blitz, and was called a racing hero by drivers still in their teens the last time Juan Pablo Montoya ran a NASCAR race.

Ten years after his last Cup start, it was indeed “Juan’s World” again for the blunt Colombian, who never had the elite level of success in NASCAR as he did in his IndyCar, sports cars and Formula One careers.

He’s back with Michael Jordan’s team for a one-off race Sunday at Watkins Glen International, without the hype and high expectations that followed him when he made his NASCAR debut 18 years ago.

“It’s either gonna be, ’oh, it’s not too bad,” Montoya said, “or I’m gonna, go, ‘oh (shoot!)’ We’ll see.”

That kind of described Montoya’s career arc over the bulk of his seven full Cup seasons, spent driving for Chip Ganassi. There were flashes of greatness -- like a win at The Glen in 2010 or seven top-five finishes in 2009 when he was eighth in the season standings -- but just not enough consistency inside the organization to ever stamp him a true NASCAR championship contender.

Montoya these days is a podcaster, still races sports cars, and is mentor to his teenage son, Sebastián, who is following in his father’s tire tracks and chasing his own racing career.

Sliding back into a Cup car wasn’t in his plans.

“He must have got really bored or something,” cracked driver Martin Truex Jr.

Not quite, though, Montoya had pretty much shut the door on any more NASCAR races until 23XI Racing reached out about having him drive the No. 50 Toyota in support of Mobil 1’s 50th anniversary. 23XI, the team owned by Jordan and Denny Hamlin, had run the third car two other times this season as part of the collaboration. Montoya also had a long friendship with 23XI Racing president Steve Lauletta, an executive with Chip Ganassi Racing back in Montoya’s tenure with the team, which further enticed him to return.

Montoya qualified 34th for the race on Saturday.

“I don't really have any expectations, I just want him to have fun,” Hamlin said. “I think he's going to get better as the race weekend goes on, as he gets more reps. I can't tell you how hard it is to do what he's doing.”

Those who remember Montoya, who turns 49 next week, as one of more talented, brash and successful drivers of his generation were thrilled to have him cameo at The Glen.

“He was the man when I was growing up,” 26-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver William Bryon said.

Mexican driver Daniel Suarez said Montoya “broke the mold” and helped show foreign drivers there was a career path toward NASCAR.

“A lot has changed since he was here,” Suarez said. “A lot.”

He meant far beyond the personal aspect -- Suarez didn’t speak English when he was an up-and-coming driver when he first met Montoya years ago -- but on the track. It’s a new car. There are new stars, too, with few familiar faces from his last race 10 years ago at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch and Hamlin finished second and third 10 years ago at the Brickyard -- but race winner Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Danica Patrick have long hung up the helmet.

Yes, the field is largely happy to see him -- just as long as Montoya kind of stays out of the way.

Watkins Glen is the second playoff race, and the stakes and emotions are raised for drivers chasing a championship. There isn’t a title contender out there that wants to crash out of the race in any circumstance, much less by a road-course ringer such as Montoya.

“Hopefully he’s nice and respectful of the playoff guys,” Byron said.

Montoya said respectful racing “is not that hard.”

“I will be nice and respectful of everyone that is nice and respectful for me,” he said, laughing.

Few drivers outside of NASCAR ever really got to Montoya.

The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner has competed full-time in Formula One, CART, IndyCar, and IMSA. He won the CART championship in 1999, the IMSA championship in 2019 and is a three-time winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Montoya has 12 overall starts at Watkins Glen in four different series. He won the Cup race on the road course in 2010 and has three top-fives, and five top-10 finishes in his seven starts there in NASCAR.

His NASCAR record shows two wins in 255 starts — both victories on road courses. Montoya — who could never solve ovals — was ultimately remembered for the explosive fireball created when he crashed into a jet dryer during the 2012 Daytona 500.

It's not necessarily the final laps in his NASCAR career. Montoya said he wouldn't rule out another one-off with 23XI.

“I would probably say yes," Montoya said, "but it is Saturday morning, so we will see.”

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Dan Gelston, The Associated Press