Former Formula One star Juan Pablo Montoya makes his debut in the American closed-cockpit stock car racing series this weekend at the season-ending oval race of the most popular US form of auto racing.
The Colombian driver will try to qualify a Dodge, car number 30, for Chip Ganassi Racing at the Ford 400 at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval.
Many cars qualify on points accumulated during the season for the 36th and final race of the year but Montoya will have to make it into the field on speed for one of eight spots open to cars not in the top 35 in points.
National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) rivals welcomed the South American F1 legend to the series when Montoya announced in July he was leaving the Grand Prix stage for a US series where cars often bump each other.
Montoya will replace Casey Mears, his Ganassi teammate this weekend, in car number 42 next season in the Nextel Cup Series.
Montoya will compete in a developmental series support race on Saturday, his fourth such event of the year. He finished 11th at Memphis, 20th at Phoenix and 28th at Texas in prior outings.
If Montoya cannot make Sunday's race, his NASCAR debut will come next February at the 2007 Daytona 500, the biggest race on the series' schedule.
Okay... I'll watch. Crappy Neckcar.
