While Kyle Busch was running away with his third straight Richmond spring race win, the most interesting storyline of the race was unfolding behind him. Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Newman decided to have their own bumper car session.
And was it entertaining.
It was started when Newman, a relatively cool-headed driver, bumped heads—and bumpers—with Montoya early in the race. It was necessarily his fault that Montoya’s No. 42 sliced across his front bumper as the two cars exited the second turn, sending the right rear of Montoya’s red car into the outside wall, crumpling his spoiler and ending all chances he had to be competitive.
Montoya felt Newman was in the wrong, even though Newman sent his spotter down to apologize to Montoya for the perceived aggressiveness. “He crashed himself, basically, Newman told reporters after meeting with officials in the NASCAR hauler. “I don’t know if he thought it was on purpose, but the message was delivered that it wasn't intentional. Either way, he ruined our day at that point and then finished our day off later in the race – on purpose.”
Montoya is widely known for being a hothead. And that’s not just from me.
Last year he told Mark Martin—widely seen as one of the cleanest racers in the garage—that he needed driving lessons after the two rubbed fenders in Chicago, battling for 15th place. “I don’t disagree with him. I need driving lessons,” Martin said.
And was it entertaining.
It was started when Newman, a relatively cool-headed driver, bumped heads—and bumpers—with Montoya early in the race. It was necessarily his fault that Montoya’s No. 42 sliced across his front bumper as the two cars exited the second turn, sending the right rear of Montoya’s red car into the outside wall, crumpling his spoiler and ending all chances he had to be competitive.
Montoya felt Newman was in the wrong, even though Newman sent his spotter down to apologize to Montoya for the perceived aggressiveness. “He crashed himself, basically, Newman told reporters after meeting with officials in the NASCAR hauler. “I don’t know if he thought it was on purpose, but the message was delivered that it wasn't intentional. Either way, he ruined our day at that point and then finished our day off later in the race – on purpose.”
Montoya is widely known for being a hothead. And that’s not just from me.
Last year he told Mark Martin—widely seen as one of the cleanest racers in the garage—that he needed driving lessons after the two rubbed fenders in Chicago, battling for 15th place. “I don’t disagree with him. I need driving lessons,” Martin said.
Mark Martin tells gathered media members about his battle with Montoya on media day at Indianapolis (IMS.com photo)
Montoya and Martin resolved their differences over text message after the event. “We’re good,” Martin said. “Two hotheads that came off the handle. People just didn’t know that I was a hothead... It had 100 percent to do with the circumstances, what happened after the race. Actually I was pleased with my finish in Chicago. I was pleased with my finish and our effort but I lost my temper.”
Montoya and Newman have a history as well. During Montoya’s first race in 2006—the series finale at Homestead—Newman, who was driving for Penske Racing, got spun by Montoya early in the race. Montoya didn’t finish the race because he bounced off of Newman’s bumper, then the wall.
Pictured here with car owner Chip Ganassi, Juan Pablo Montoya, a lightning-rod figure in NASCARAnd at the last Sprint Cup race before Saturday’s event, Newman hit Montoya at Talladega after being turned by Denny Hamlin.
Newman told his team over the radio that he'd "take care of [Montoya] after the race."
Needless to say, there’s not much love between the two men.
Hamlin even chimed in during his post-race press conference. “Every time Montoya has damage, you see who did it, they usually end up getting wrecked. ... I like him, I think he's a helluva driver, but you can't wreck everyone every time you get in an accident,” he told media members.
Montoya ducked past TV cameras waiting near his hauler including FOX’s Dr. Dick Berggren.
Darlington is the track nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame,” but will this weekend’s storylines be centered on the ongoing NASCAR Feud of Montoya and Newman? It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.
And you better hope that your favorite driver is nowhere near these two if they get close to one another, as to avoid your guy becoming collateral damage.
This story is nowhere near being complete, but it added a fiery and fun chapter this weekend. If only every race was filled with such tension.
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