Up and down, right and left – it describes Juan Pablo Montoya’s driving wheelhouse, and his seven-year NASCAR career. There were plenty of highs. The Colombian excited a robust NASCAR fan base, winning twice and making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2009. Of course, there were lows, including championship points finishes outside the top 20 in each of his last three years. No matter the finish, however, he was never bland – a shoving match with Kevin Harvick at Watkins Glen remains a lasting image. These days, Montoya competes in the IndyCar Series, and is currently seventh in points with a podium and three top fives. But he’s back. Montoya will run the No. 12 Ford for Team Penske this weekend at Michigan International Speedway as part of a two-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. He’ll also race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July. In 14 races at Michigan, Montoya scored three top-10 finishes. There’s one factor that may play into Montoya’s hands – speed, something he encounters in abundance while driving in open wheel. Michigan’s Coors Light Pole winning speed has eclipsed the 200 mph mark in three of the last four qualifying sessions – including last August’s record breaking run of 203.949 mph by Joey Logano.
