Driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet Makes his Second Appearance on Cover of Magazine
CONCORD, NC (March 21, 2012) – Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates driver Juan Pablo Montoya graces the cover of the ESPN Deportes La Revista (the Spanish version of ESPN the Magazine) this month. This is the second time the international driver has been featured in the prestigious magazine; he first appeared on the February 2007 issue just before his first full season in NASCAR. ESPN Deportes La Revista is the most culturally relevant sports magazine for the U.S. Hispanic reader. The monthly publication is the only Spanish-language sports magazine in the U.S. and is currently available at newsstands.
Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Montoya is one of the most popular Hispanic athletes in the world and in 2006, he made an announcement that shocked the motorsports world; he was leaving the F1 ranks to return to Chip Ganassi and race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS). The March issue takes a look into the life of the world renowned driver and what the transition to NASCAR has been like over the last five years. He discusses his passions outside of racing, his goals, social media and the importance of family.
NOTES OF INTEREST:
· NASCAR AT A GLANCE: In 208 career NASCAR (Sprint Cup and Nationwide) starts, Montoya has tallied seven pole awards, three wins, 21 top-five and 53 top-10 finishes. He is the only foreign-born driver to win multiple races in the NSCS and the first Latino, first Formula 1 driver, and first Indianapolis 500 winner to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup where he finished eighth in the standings (2009).
· WITHOUT FENDERS: Montoya has 18 victories and 27 poles in his open-wheel career (CART, IndyCar, Formula 1) with 64 top-five and 81 top-10 results in 135 starts. His most prestigious wins came at the Monaco Grand Prix, the Long Beach Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 – the premier events in F1, CART and IndyCar respectively.
· THE ONE AND ONLY: Juan Pablo Montoya is the only driver to win the CART series championship, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Cars Series in his first attempt.
· NEXT UP: Montoya, who has been featured in countless Spanish language publications and television networks, will be featured in an upcoming episode of Univision’s “Nuestra Belleza Latina” where not only will he put his acting skills to work but will judge the competition. The show is a mix between the Apprentice and America’s Next Top Model where women are vying for a chance to be a host on the Spanish language Univision.
· UP TO THE MINUTE: For insight into the life of Juan Pablo Montoya and his team follow them on Twitter @jpmontoya and @EGRTeams and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/#!/jpmontoya and www.facebook.com/#!/earnhardtganassi
QUOTE BOARD:
Juan Pablo Montoya:
“I’ve been very fortunate to have great fans that have followed me throughout my career and have supported me everywhere that racing has taken me. I hope that my presence in NASCAR has exposed this form of racing to Hispanic fans that might not otherwise pay attention and I think opportunities like this with ESPN Deportes only helps.”
About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four in the IZOD IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Overall his teams have 14 championships and 145 victories, including three Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.
For more information log onto www.earnhardtganassi.com
