June 29  2008 Juan Pablo Montoya finished 32nd at Loudon

LOUDON, N.H. (June 29, 2008) – Juan Pablo Montoya and the Texaco/Havoline Dodge finished the rain-shortened race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the 32nd position on Sunday.  Montoya and the No. 42 crew had one of the quickest cars of the weekend, but were marred in traffic, blocked in their pits on several occasions and had a late-race run in with the No. 18 car that led them to the disappointing 32nd-place finish.

Montoya was quick in the first practice, but had a bad qualifying draw on Friday afternoon when he rolled off the grid third.  After a rain delay, he ended up earning the 32nd-starting position for the 301-lap event.  Crew Chief Brian Pattie and the No. 42 team gave Montoya a quick Texaco/Havoline Dodge on Saturday as he topped the speed charts in both practice sessions.

Shortly after the green flag waved on Sunday, Montoya told Pattie the car was loose.  He maneuvered his way up to the 28th position before green flag pit stops began on lap 62.  Montoya brought his car down pit road on lap 65 for a wedge adjustment, four tires and fuel.  When the field completed its stops, Montoya was up to the 25th position.

The first caution flag waved on lap 85 and Pattie called for a two-tire stop to gain valuable track position.  Unfortunately, Montoya was blocked in the pits by the No. 01 car so the team also changed left-side tires.  Montoya restarted the race back in the 31st position.  Montoya regained some spots on the track, but again was blocked in his pits on lap 140 and dropped back to 29th.  He would run in the top 25 until lap 214 when the caution flag waved after just seven laps of green-flag racing.  With rain threatening, Pattie told Montoya to remain on the track and would restart in the 16th position on lap 221.

The caution waved again on lap 271 and Montoya had only lost one spot on the older tires.  The team needed fuel to make it to the end of the race if it lasted all 301 laps, so Pattie called Montoya down pit road for right-side tires and fuel.  Eight cars, which pitted on lap 215, remained on the track - so Montoya took the green in the 22nd position.  He was battling side-by-side with the No. 18 of Kyle Busch for position on lap 280 when the caution flag waved.  Montoya and Busch made contact on the track several times before Montoya got into the rear of Busch and they both spun.  Shortly after the incident, the rain came and the race was red-flagged.  After reviewing the incident, NASCAR issued Montoya a two-lap penalty for rough driving and he finished the race in the 32nd position.

Montoya slipped one spot in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings to 20th heading back to Daytona International Speedway for exciting Saturday night racing.