Reputations Made: Easy Come; Easy Go Lessons Not Learned


Direct TV’s Hotpass at times has its advantages over the regular broadcast television not just due to the enhanced visual and audio set ups that are available for customization but for other reasons as well. Take for instance the race on Saturday,, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. was close to Juan Pablo Montoya,, Jr. radioed to his pits that he was going to ease back cause he did not like being so close to a feller who is known for causing accidents, wrecks, crashes, slides, grinds, and every other car injuring event known to racing, so he did just that until he saw a chance to get around him with absolutely no chance of an occurrence happening. Jr. has good reason and is in good company with more and more drivers choosing to stay far and away from the ‘Columbian Collider’,, a driver who came to NASCAR with some kind of chip on his shoulder Demanding respect just cause he had raced in the IRL, a series I still have no interest in at all. Most of the drivers from that sport think that looks get them father than ability which most do not have,, at least in NASCAR anyway. I t has happened so often that to mention every case or episode would mean posting a lot of crud no one wants to read,, but,, just to mention a few so you can relate,,,


WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. Juan Montoya was as hot and spicy as the gum on his No. 42 Dodge on Sunday when Kevin Harvick threatened to kick his ass for causing a wreck Montoya said was not his fault.


MEXICO CITY - Based on the comments made after the Telcel-Motorola 200, it didn’t sound like Scott Pruett was planning to attend Juan Montoya’s victory party. With an incredible charge through the field despite having to make an extra pit stop to repair his car’s overflow tube, Montoya went from 21st to second in less than 20 laps. It was obvious Montoya’s No. 42 was the class of the field, and it would only be a matter of time before he passed Teammate Pruett for the lead. Montoya spins Pruett en route to first win. Juan Montoya overcame a fuel problem and a spinning Scott Pruett to win the Telcel-Motorola 200 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. Interviewed atop his pit box, owner Chip Ganassi said, ‘There’s only one team order, and that’s ‘don’t crash into each other.’ Little did he know at the time how prophetic his words would be. On Lap 73, Montoya charged up behind Pruett coming down the front straight, and as the two cars entered Turn 1, the Colombian nudged the right rear quarter panel of the No. 41 Dodge, sending the Californian sliding sideways across the track. This is a great day, Montoya said. And it’s huge for the Latin Community. Yet not one word on how it affected NASCAR, good or bad,,, and he broke the team owners one rule!


The 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge was considered humdrum by most fans, however, two drivers gave us all something to talk about. On the first lap of the Nextel Open, Juan Pablo Montoya made an over-ambitious move heading into turn one as he blew by Dave Blaney, and overdrove the turn, sliding into the side of David Gilliland, and wiping out several drivers in the field. Paul Menard, Jon Wood, Joe Nemechek, and Scott Riggs were the ill-fated victims of Montoya’s latest display of impetuosity. None of the aforementioned drivers were thrilled with Montoya’s driving style, and Jon Wood was his loudest critic. ‘I would say the first corner of the first lap was maybe a little early - but the fans boo Juan for a reason and a prime example of that was tonight,’ said Wood. Juan Pablo Montoya accepted responsibility for the incident, well, sort of. ‘The only real guy I wrecked was the 38 (David Gilliland)...I’m the guy that caused the wreck, but get over it.’


Every fan knows,, they have seen it too,, and now we know that the drivers, well they feel that way too,,, they know,, it has probably been the topic of many pre race subjects they have to discuss,, Stay away from #42,, he Will Wreck You,,,, The list is very long,, and yes I know he has some fans,, not many but some,, they will attack and say stuff like he has won,, got rookie of the year,, yea yea yea,, he got it,, he did not earn it,, he knows it too,,, everyone does. NASCAR needed a poster boy and they got him,, Wished they would have taught him how to drive before allowing him a NASCAR track though.


Reputations are hard and easy,, Easy to Gain a Bad One,, and Hard to Escape it once you have it attached to you,, Juan Pablo Montoya has chosen his destiny,, on the track at least,, so it is only fare when other drivers feel the way they feel when they get anywhere close to the Wrigley’s Big Red #42 car and the driver behind the wheel.


Keep the Faith