Juan Pablo Montoya had to work hard to make it onto the 43-car grid in the Nextel Cup NASCAR race at Homestead this Sunday.
Qualifying is a complicated affair, with cars that have a “regular-runner” status being gauaranteed of a start if they qualify top 35. Aside from this, there are seven remaining spots left, which can be contested by any number of racers. However many non-regular runners contesting, only the top seven qualifiers among these land up on the grid.
Montoya was originally placed in the no 42 car which is a regular entrant with Casey Mears at the wheel. Chip Ganassi, however, changed his mind, placing Juan Pablo in the non-regular no 30 car, meaning he would have to qualify to start, not only for posision. According to Ganassi, qualifying this car this would earn him far more respect among the drivers than putting him in a shoe-in car.
Montoya scored the 29th spot and will be racing tomorrow.
DailyF1News.com
