August 11, 2007
By Andrew Brookman

Andrew Brookman

With a second place finish at the famed Brickyard, one has to wonder if Juan Pablo Montoya has at last proven himself a contender among NASCAR fans. Despite winning the Busch Series Mexico race and the Sonoma NNC race, the feeling for some people seems to linger that Montoya needs to win on an oval to prove he belongs in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series.

It’s understandable why some may look to the oval for proof. With an obvious expertise on road courses spanning the globe, it’s almost natural that Montoya would feel at home on any road course; that’s where some fans draw the line. Ovals have always played the role of the beast, comparable to a hurricane trapped in a dome - and not for the faint of heart.

A visit to Victory Lane on one of these tracks can solidify a driver’s career in NASCAR history, while a visit to Victory Lane in Daytona can forever hold their place among Champions.

For a lot of fans, Juan Pablo Montoya is not only proving himself in the sport, he’s paving a path that will likely lead to a Championship in NASCAR’s premier series in seasons to come. Montoya also exhibits the skills and thrive that commonly appear as a trait among such drivers as Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and others. A trait that’s characterized by a desire to go forward until there is nowhere else to go.

Proof can take many shapes in NASCAR. For some it’s wins and attitude, for others it may show within the fiber of the man. In some unique way most every driver on the track has proven himself, and with only a half a season in Nextel Cup racing under his belt, Juan Pablo Montoya has proven he certainly belongs in the series. For a Cup driver in his rookie season, it’s pretty hard to dispute the strides he’s made.

Aside from having not won on an oval, Montoya’s aggressive driving style also plays a part in his acceptance into the Nextel Cup Series. Just about anytime JPM makes ground in the sport, you can tune in TV broadcasts, websites and other outlets that welcome fans an opportunity to voice themselves and find somebody is upset over his ability to drive aggressively without meeting with major disciplinary action. Though these actions and decisions are the sole right of NASCAR to decide, it’s not something new for fans to disagree.

Aggressive driving has often been part of NASCAR, which has played home to aggressive driving skills honed by greats like Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt. One can only imagine it wouldn’t be hard for future drivers in the more aggressive eras to pick up on the often successful trait and even appreciate that which has commonly been part of stock car racing as a whole. Though aggression may not sit well with some, even the sanctioning body of the sport has certainly capitalized on it.

Whether it’s winning on an oval or aggressive driving skills that have kept the question looming around the rookie, it’s obvious if the question is still being asked there is some thought about whether everyone feels he has proven himself. While he came to NASCAR from F1, not very long ago at all, proof of his ability comes in many different forms.

Perhaps his ability is judged with rougher distinction because of his past experience, or the hoopla surrounding his entry into NASCAR, but either way Juan Pablo Montoya has proven himself by a criteria that might find others have yet to prove, themselves more than he.

If I were a bettin’ man, I’d have to say odds are in his favor.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.