Juan Pablo Montoya, with the support of his Texaco/Havoline team, won the 2007 Raybestos Rookie of the Year (ROY) title after collecting one win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Montoya became the fourth driver for his primary sponsor Texaco/Havoline to earn the prestigious honor, and second for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS).
“This season has been a great season for me and the Texaco/Havoline team,” said Montoya. “Earning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title is an honor and it means a lot to me, my team and our sponsors. This title and our victory at Infineon are things to cheer about within the team and the organization. I think more importantly is how the performance of my team and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates elevated through the entire year. It gave me the opportunity to win this award.”
Texaco/Havoline, which just celebrated its 21st year in the sport as a primary sponsor, has adorned the firesuits of four rookie winners. Montoya joins Davey Allison (1987), Kenny Irwin, Jr. (1998) and Jamie McMurray (2003), who have carried the star to a rookie title. Montoya’s Crew Chief Donnie Wingo and his team have led their second rookie to the title in four years. Wingo, along with a majority of the Texaco/Havoline crew, worked with McMurray during his impressive rookie run in 2003. It is CGRFS’ second title in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.
This is Montoya’s second rookie title for Team Owner Chip Ganassi — he captured the 1999 CART rookie title for Ganassi’s open-wheel team. That very season, at the age of 24, Montoya proceeded to set several CART Series records en route to claiming his first and Ganassi’s fourth-consecutive CART Championship. Montoya claimed a record breaking seven wins in his rookie season, including the most consecutive wins by a rookie (three) and the most laps led by a rookie (954).
“I think winning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year was a really nice ending to Juan’s season,” said Team Owner Chip Ganassi. “What he was able to accomplish this season in just his first in a stockcar was nothing short of phenomenal and the great thing is that he is only going to get better. Now I just can’t wait for 2008 to begin.”
Montoya joins an impressive list of drivers who have captured the Rookie of the Year title, and many who have gone on to win the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup title. In addition to the drivers from Texaco/Havoline’s history, Montoya joins Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth who were all past ROY winners. Montoya also becomes just the second driver in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup history born outside the United States to win rookie of the year. Canadian Earl Ross won the title in 1974.
[CGR]
Bookmark to:
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- Montoya will attempt Cup debut at Homestead
- NASCAR pulls Harvick & Montoya into hauler for meeting, tempers still high
- Montoya attempts to make history
BOOOOOOOO!!!
Good job Juan. You have a future in NASCAR as the very good driver you are.
NASCAR is to top heavy now with golden boys its time for new blood to take over…
Give em hell Juan Pablo!! You had one helluva rookie year!!! You’ve earned it!!
Great job Juan! You have really gained alot of respect in the garage area.
He didn’t beat Ragan by much. Ragan flew under the radar this year and did a real good job that shouldn’t go unnoticed.
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Agreed. He was just as impressive as Montoya.
Im NOT Impressed, but NOT surpized by this announcement………..
This driver is among many Rookies that all accomplished the same thing, WRECK !!
OH
OH
OH I do not remember the other Rookies being in so many WRECKS as this driver.
IN other words, why was so much coverage given to this one Rookie when the field had many Rookies ???????????????????????
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
FireBall 33 wrote:
Well to start with he was the best one of the bunch although Regan did an equally good job.
Coverage is given to the best story by the TV jocks and that’s not to say that all the rookies didn’t deserve coverage but Juan was the one who had the championships and the credentials that made him the interesting story.
You don’t have to like the guy to appreciate his talent…
This goof actually wrecked more cars in a season than Rick Wilson ever did. I didn’t think that was possible. Montoya drove like a lawn dart the first half of the season, like Jimmy Spencer the second half. Juan WAS Mr. Excitement. Now that the honeymoon’s over, the Chipster gives us Franchitti for 2008. Oy
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And finishes ONLY 4 spots behind JR in the championship in his first season in doorslammers.