Written by:
Kevin Krefting
09/25/2006
Talladega, Ala.
Montoya gets up to speed in Ganassi's ARCA Dodge at Talladega. (Rusty Jarrett/Gety Images photo)
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Juan Pablo Montoya's long-awaited stock car debut took place on Monday, with the Colombian getting seat time in an ARCA machine at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.
"It was like, 'Oh my God!'" Montoya exclaimed. "I came out of the pits, I went into Three and Four, started listing and said, 'Ah, let's just try it' and I just went full throttle and went through it and went into One pretty fast. They told me [the track is] flat easy, so to try it. I just went for it.
"It went through it and it felt pretty quick, to be honest. The car really moves around a lot more from what I am used to, but after a while you just get the hang of it. It is a lot of fun, and a lot of technique. I think experience will help a lot in the car knowing when to run high and when to run low. I am getting there, but it is going to take a little bit of time."
Montoya posted a fastest lap of 186.667mph, good enough for sixth-best in the 31-car ARCA field testing at 'Dega.
"It's going to be difficult and it's going to be a challenge, but if you work at it and do the right steps, then it's going to be fine.
