Montoya sacked!

[Werner]

A not so surprising statement from McLaren-Mercedes: JPM will be replaced immidiately by Pedro de la Rosa

[Kpy]

Not surprising , as Dodge is owned by DaimlerChrysler 

[Fax]

This will actually help JPM's situation because he's free to do all the testing he wants, getting acclimated to a NASCAR stocker and re-aquainted with high speed ovals after these past years in F1. As I said before, I don't really care for him much as a person, but he's always been breathtaking to watch on superspeedways.  His battle with Michael Andretti for the 2000 Michigan 500 and his Indy 500 win that same year have passed into Indycar racing legend.
Fax

[chop456]

This will actually help JPM's situation because he's free to do all the testing he wants, getting acclimated to a NASCAR stocker and re-aquainted with high speed ovals after these past years in F1. As I said before, I don't really care for him much as a person, but he's always been breathtaking to watch on superspeedways.  His battle with Michael Andretti for the 2000 Michigan 500 and his Indy 500 win that same year have passed into Indycar racing legend.
Fax

Yep.  I remember when racing on the big ovals used to be interesting.  Sigh.

Thanks, Idiotgrandson.   

[Stu]

I don't really care for him much as a person, but he's always been breathtaking to watch on superspeedways.  His battle with Michael Andretti for the 2000 Michigan 500 and his Indy 500 win that same year have passed into Indycar racing legend.
Fax

Careful Fax, thats half a compliment  

[Fax]

But like I also said, he acted like a prick when my ten year old nephew asked him for his autograph.
Fax

[Fax]

Tell ya one other thing JPM's going to have to get used to,
over FORTY races in one year including the non-points races.
His weekends lying on the beach somewhere are over, they only have a couple of off weekends between Daytona in Feb.
and Miami in November.  Better get used to doing PR functions and autograph sessions too.  Act like a jerk to a kid asking for a autograph at a NASCAR event and you'll get a ass-chewing of biblical proportions from the NASCAR brass.
They really know what makes the sport go round, THE FANS!
No fans, no races, no TV ratings...NO MONEY!
Juan Pablo better sign up for that Dale Carnegie course now!
Fax

[Andy Zarse]

Sacked you say? Good!

He had a pretty good record in Indy, but has always flattered to deceive in F1. I reckoned he was a bit of a hothead and a panicker. I still don't really "get" NASCAR but I'm sure it'll be more challenging than F1. Having said that, how will a Columbian fare in with all that overly-sentimental apple-pie-and-mom patriotism nonsense. Heaven forbid there should ever be a coloured or a muslim driver. 

[Fax]

Hi Andy,
Agree completely, I brought that up on another Montoya thread.  NASCAR fans are the biggest collection of Xenophobic, chanting USA! USA!, ultra right wing, Bush supporting Nazi's in this country.  Actually during the last presidential campaign they were saying that Bush's strongest base were soccer moms and NASCAR dads.
He's going to have a difficult time winning over the toothless, shirtless Talladega crowd.  Best thing he could do is get into a crash with Jeff Gordon, get out of the car, go ape-sh**t, and attack the little California-Hoosier. That would win their hearts instantly.
Fax

[Stu]

, how will a Columbian fare in with all that overly-sentimental apple-pie-and-mom patriotism nonsense.

Should that not be oval-ly sentimental

[Andy Zarse]

, how will a Columbian fare in with all that overly-sentimental apple-pie-and-mom patriotism nonsense.

Should that not be oval-ly sentimental

[Andy Zarse]

Fax , quite right. But hats off to the organisers, they are bloody efficient in tapping into a ready market and giving the folks what they want.

Oh, and I'm not quite sure what to make about the new Disney animation, Cars. Am I right to think it's a NASCAR based storyline? Personally, i hate Walt and his evil empire, but there was a cute little FIAT 500 called Toni in my new packet of Shreddies last week.

[Fax]

They do actually have to work for a living twice a year, Sears Point and Watkins Glen.
They're saying now that Danica Patrick's dad is trying to set up a NASCAR ride for her...LOL!
Is her fifteen minutes of fame up yet?! Am I the only person who remembers when she spent forty five minutes in a Prodrive Ferrari 550 at the Petit a few years ago and had to be lifted out of the car? And she's going to spend three or four hours in a 3000lb stocker in the deep south summer heat? She needs to go back to karting.
Fax

[Fax]

Andy,
I'm sure NASCAR jumped all over the opportunity to put a South American household name in a car.  That's a market they see as big & juicy.  I could see a race in Brazil easily.  They already hold a Busch series race at the Rodriguez circuit in Mexico city. 

[Stu]

Apparently he thinking of new sponsorship options already