Tony Stewart and Juan Montoya wer involved in several incidents Sunday at Homestead Getty Images/Chris Gray
When people ask, “What is wrong with NASCAR,” everyone’s answer should be the penalty NASCAR gave Juan Montoya for handling his business on the track.
The party line from the NASCAR hauler used to be we don’t need to get involved, the drivers will handle it among themselves on the track. Now days, Brian France will not allow the drivers to settle feuds amongst themselves.
Turning a guy who turned you is to NASCAR what fighting is to hockey. Brain France doesn’t seem to understand that, and after Montoya came back on the track and turned Tony Stewart, he was given a two lap penalty for rough driving. In fact a similar incident happened in the Nationwide Race on Saturday and Denny Hamlin was given a penalty for rough driving.
Let us be clear no other cars were involved in either incident. Tony and Juan had gotten together several times during the race. Tony brushed Juan and cut down his tire causing him to hit the wall. He lost 20 some laps while his team fixed his car in the garage.
When he came back on the track he went after Stewart and turned him, nobody else was involved, it didn’t happen on pit road, and no one was injured. In the end it was a nose for a nose incident that NASCAR should have let go.
For Montoya it capped a second half of the Chase that has been nothing short of disappointing. Through the first five chase races his average finish was 4.6 and in the second half of the chase it was 21. Not good enough for a cup title or the top five in the final points standings.
Juan and his #42 team ended up 6th in the standings with four top five finishes in the Chase, six top 10 finishes, and failed to finally get his first win on an oval. However it the grand scheme of things we must look at his 2009 season as a success.
Comments
I believe he finished 8th not 6th in the points.
NASCAR sucks and Tony was wrong. Juan is on his way to be a champ, if the haters allow him to race without blocking him. Martin blocked him too.
Is no ONES puppet! Love it.
I'm not a great fan of either, but after this season I enjoyed so much watching Juan. I now always look forward to see him race and read news about him LOL. Tony found his match, and he picked on the wrong guy. Tony is lucky that Juan got him on the track, I heard that on a drivers meeting Juan chocked Jackes Villeneuve and had to have 4 guys to take him off of him. Juan is a true racer, I'm so excited watching him race Jimmy, I can guarantee you next year is going to be Jimmy and Juan for the cup and I LOVE IT!!!
Juan started out on fire but fizzled out. It was annoying watching Martin being an obstacle to Juan, I think he should of punted him out of the way.
What BS. You are ingoring the history of what happened at Dallas. Montoya was in the wrong by bumping Stuart to begin with. I suspect this cost Stuart some money by finishing lower in the Cup series than he should have. Monotoya didn't have to start it.
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