Juan Pablo Montoya's introduction to stock cars will include the former Indianapolis 500 winner and Formula One star taking part in a Nextel Cup open test next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The test, scheduled Oct. 16-18, is an important one for the Colombian driver, expected to make his Cup debut Nov. 19 in the season-finale at the Homestead track.
``I'm excited to get some more laps in the Nextel Cup car,'' said Montoya, who is driving for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. ``All of my testing so far has been extremely beneficial but, obviously, this will be one of the most important as we prepare to compete full time in the No. 42 Dodge in 2007. This will be my first test with all my teammates present and I look forward to their assistance and feedback.''
Ganassi driver Casey Mears, whose seat Montoya will take after Mears moves to Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season, Reed Sorenson and David Stremme will also take part in the Homestead test, the last of six official tests allowed by NASCAR this season.
Montoya finished third last Friday at his stock car debut in an ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway. His next outing will be Sunday in another ARCA race at the new Iowa Speedway, where he recently tested a Cup car and experienced his first stock car crash.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
