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Montoya, Gordon swap places at Indy Motor Speedway
Indianapolis, June 12: Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon and 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner and Formula One superstar Juan Pablo Montoya traded places at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when they took turns driving laps around the 2.606-mile road course in Gordon`s DuPont Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Montoya`s BMW WilliamsF1 BMW FW24.
Indianapolis, June 12: Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon and 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner and Formula One superstar Juan Pablo Montoya traded places at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when they took turns driving laps around the 2.606-mile road course in Gordon's DuPont Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Montoya's BMW WilliamsF1 BMW FW24.
NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon and Formula One star Juan Pablo Montoya each took a turn in the others ride today, with Gordon driving Montoya's BMW WilliamsF1 FW24 while Montoya turned laps in Gordon's Dupont Chevrolet Monte Carlo around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's infield road-course. This was the first time that Gordon and Montoya will be behind the wheel of a Formula One car and NASCAR Winston Cup car, respectively.
In an event named 'Trading Paint' Gordon, a four-times NASCAR champion and Montoya, fresh off his Formula One victory at Monaco, burned up the 2.606 mile circuit.
Colombian Montoya drove Gordon's Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which had six road course wins, while Gordon jumped into Montoya's FW24 BMW Williams single seater. "I know who got the better of the deal," Gordon joked in a press conference. "I've never seen them (F1 drivers) in person, now when I watch them (on TV) I'm going to have a greater appreciation for them."
When asked to rate Gordon's drive in the Williams, Montoya replied: "I think he did really well. I didn't expect less than that from him.
Montoya complained there was not enough braking power in the stock car. "You need a parachute," he said.
Unofficially Montoya got to within one second of Gordon's time in the stock car. Gordon will attempt to win his fourth Brickyard 400 on Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Speedway. He has competed in 12 events on the Speedway oval: nine NASCAR Winston Cup races and three IROC events. The demonstration laps will be his first laps on the IMS road course.
Montoya, who won the 2000 Indianapolis 500, will attempt to become the first driver in Speedway history to win on both the famed 2.5-mile oval and road course when he competes in the fourth United States Grand Prix on Sept. 28. He is in his third season with BMW WilliamsF1 and has one career win, ten career poles and is sixth in the 2003 FIA Driver's Championship.
Bureau Report
Colombian Montoya drove Gordon's Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which had six road course wins, while Gordon jumped into Montoya's FW24 BMW Williams single seater. "I know who got the better of the deal," Gordon joked in a press conference. "I've never seen them (F1 drivers) in person, now when I watch them (on TV) I'm going to have a greater appreciation for them."
When asked to rate Gordon's drive in the Williams, Montoya replied: "I think he did really well. I didn't expect less than that from him.
Montoya complained there was not enough braking power in the stock car. "You need a parachute," he said.
Unofficially Montoya got to within one second of Gordon's time in the stock car. Gordon will attempt to win his fourth Brickyard 400 on Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Speedway. He has competed in 12 events on the Speedway oval: nine NASCAR Winston Cup races and three IROC events. The demonstration laps will be his first laps on the IMS road course.
Montoya, who won the 2000 Indianapolis 500, will attempt to become the first driver in Speedway history to win on both the famed 2.5-mile oval and road course when he competes in the fourth United States Grand Prix on Sept. 28. He is in his third season with BMW WilliamsF1 and has one career win, ten career poles and is sixth in the 2003 FIA Driver's Championship.
Bureau Report