MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 30, 2014) – Team Penske announced today that Juan Pablo Montoya will make two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts for the team in 2014.
Montoya will pilot the No. 12 SKF Ford Fusion at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) on June 15 and he will also compete for Team Penske in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) on July 27. The No. 12 car sponsor for the Brickyard 400 will be announced at a later date. NASCAR veteran Greg Erwin will work with Montoya as crew chief of the No. 12 Ford entry.
“Juan is a proven winner in multiple racing disciplines and he is one of the most versatile racecar drivers competing today,” said Roger Penske. “Michigan and Indianapolis are two important races for Team Penske. We know Juan has the ability to race for wins in both of those events while still focusing on his full-time program in the Verizon IndyCar Series.”
A former full-time NASCAR competitor from 2007-2013, Montoya has recorded two wins, 24 top-five finishes and nine pole awards in his Cup Series career. He owns career-best finishes of sixth at MIS and a top result of second at IMS. Montoya will join the winning Team Penske duo of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, both of whom have already visited Victory Lane in 2014.
“It has been a good start to the season with Team Penske in the Verizon IndyCar Series and it will be fun to get back behind the wheel of the Cup car,” said Montoya. “It’s hard to believe, but Roger Penske has never won the Brickyard 400. I think that Brad, Joey and I will give Roger and Team Penske a great opportunity to check that off the list and we should be strong at Michigan as well.”
Since joining Team Penske in 2012, an SKF-sponsored entry has made three NASCAR Cup Series starts. SKF earned its first NASCAR victory with Team Penske and Keselowski in the Nationwide Series last season. In addition to the race at MIS with Montoya, the No. 12 SKF Ford will also compete at Kansas on May 10 and at Talladega Superspeedway on October 19 with Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney.
“Our partnership with Team Penske continues to grow year after year, and adding another dynamic driver like Juan Pablo Montoya to the SKF Racing team is exciting for both our employees and customers worldwide,” said Poul Jeppesen, President and CEO, SKF USA Inc. “Like Team Penske, SKF is committed to the sport of auto racing and the Detroit area, and we look forward to cheering Montoya to Victory Lane at Michigan in June.”
About Team Penske
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced over 380 major race wins, 440 pole positions and 25 National Championships. The team has also earned 15 Indianapolis 500 victories in its storied history. For more information about Team Penske, please visit www.teampenske.com.
About SKF
SKF, the Knowledge Engineering Company, is a leading global supplier of friction-reducing solutions for industrial and transportation applications. Products include bearings, seals, mechatronics, and lubrication systems. The company also offers a broad scope of services that include technical support; maintenance and reliability services; engineering consulting; and training. By combining our expertise in bearings, seals and lubrication, we can increase the fuel efficiency and performance of passenger and commercial vehicle systems, including wheel ends, transmissions and drive trains, for conventional, hybrid and full electric vehicles. Lincoln, an SKF Group brand, specializes in centralized lubrication systems that automatically direct precise amounts of grease or oil to bearings, pins, bushings and other lubrication points, as well as lubrication pumps, hose reels, control valves, used fluid drains, grease fittings and a comprehensive line of grease guns. For more than 100 years, Lincoln has been a preferred brand for car dealerships, fleet operations, independent mechanics and advanced do-it-yourself car enthusiasts. Kadyon Corporation, an SKF Group company acquired in 2013, is an international manufacturer headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan with three distinct business areas: friction control products (including Kaydon and Cooper brand bearings), velocity control products and specialty products, including environmental services. These products and services are utilized in a variety of demanding industries, from medical and aerospace to wind power and mining. Today the SKF Group is present in more than 130 countries, with 15,000 distributor locations worldwide. Annual sales in 2012 were $9.9 billion and the number of employees was 46,775. For more information visit http://www.skf.com
