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Eugene Cernan operating the Lunar rover during Apollo 17

Thirty-two astronauts were assigned to fly in the Apollo manned lunar landing program. Twenty-four of these left Earth’s orbit and flew around the Moon (Apollo 1, Apollo 7 and Apollo 9 were low Earth orbit spacecraft testing missions). In addition, nine astronauts flew Apollo spacecraft in the Apollo Applications Programs Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

Twelve of these astronauts walked on the Moon’s surface, and six of those drove a lunar rover on the Moon. While three astronauts flew to the Moon twice, none of them landed on the Moon more than once. The nine Apollo missions to the Moon occurred between December of 1968 and December of 1972.

Apart from these twenty-four people who visited the Moon, no human being has gone beyond low Earth orbit. They have, therefore, been farther from the Earth than anyone else. They are also the only people to have directly viewed the far side of the Moon. The twelve who walked on the Moon are the only people ever to have set foot on an astronomical object other than the Earth.

Of the twenty-four lunar astronauts taking part in the Moon missions, two went on to command a Skylab mission, one commanded Apollo-Soyuz, one flew as commander for shuttle approach and landing tests and two went on to command orbital shuttle missions. A total of twenty-four Apollo-era astronauts (as well as pre-Apollo astronaut John Glenn) flew the space shuttle.

Project Apollo fatalities[link]

Apollo 1 crew (L–R: Gus Grissom, Ed White, Roger Chaffee)

Although there were no in-flight fatalities in the Apollo program, three astronauts died in a ground test accident while preparing for Apollo 1, which was to have been the first manned mission in a low Earth orbit.

1. Virgil "Gus" Grissom – a veteran of Project Mercury and Project Gemini. According to Deke Slayton, who assigned crews to Apollo and Skylab flights, Grissom would have been his choice to be the first to walk on the Moon.^[1][2]
2. Edward White - a veteran of Gemini who made the United States' first "walk in space".
3. Roger B. Chaffee.

Other fatalities of Apollo astronauts[link]

1. Edward Givens – car accident near Houston, Texas, on June 6, 1967; was on support crew of Apollo 7.
2. Clifton Williams – plane crash near Tallahassee, Florida, on October 5, 1967; was chosen as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 9.

Apollo astronauts who walked on the Moon[link]

Twelve people have walked on the Moon, of whom nine are currently still living. All human landings took place between July 1969 and December of 1972 as part of the Apollo program.

Regarding "the last man to walk on the Moon", Schmitt is the last person to arrive (as Cernan got out of the Apollo Lunar Module first), but Cernan is the last person to leave (after final EVA, Schmitt went inside the module first). Duke was the youngest, at age 36 (+6mo); Shepard was the oldest, at age 47 (+2mo).

James A. Lovell, John W. Young and Eugene Cernan are the only three astronauts to fly more than one lunar mission (two each). Of these three, only Lovell did not walk on the lunar surface. Lovell and Fred Haise were prevented from walking on the Moon by the malfunction on Apollo 13 that resulted in the mission being aborted. Haise was scheduled to walk on the Moon as commander of Apollo 19 prior to that mission’s cancellation on September 2, 1970.

Joe Engle had also trained to explore the Moon with Cernan as the backup crew for Apollo 14, but Engle was later replaced by geologist Harrison Schmitt when the primary crew for Apollo 17 was selected. Schmitt had been crewed with Dick Gordon in anticipation for Apollo 18. When Apollo 18 was canceled, Schmitt bumped Engle, leaving Gordon as the last Apollo astronaut who had trained extensively for lunar exploration without ever getting a chance to fly a lunar landing.

Apollo astronauts who flew to the Moon without landing[link]

Apollo 8 was the first manned mission to reach the Moon (Frank Borman, center)

Twelve more people have been within a few hundred kilometers of the Moon. On each of the missions listed above one astronaut orbited the Moon while the other two landed. In addition, the Apollo 8, Apollo 10, and Apollo 13 missions had a three-person crew and closely encountered the Moon, entering orbit in the case of the former two missions, while Apollo 13 only passed around it. John Young and Eugene Cernan both flew to the Moon twice, each setting foot on it as part of their second journey, while Jim Lovell is the only human to have flown to the Moon twice without landing on it.

Other Apollo astronauts[link]

Dave Scott observes from command module of Apollo 9

Apollo 7 and Apollo 9 orbited the Earth only; therefore these five Apollo astronauts never went to the Moon:

1. Walter Schirra – Apollo 7
2. Donn Eisele – Apollo 7 (was on backup-crew for Apollo 10)
3. Walter Cunningham – Apollo 7
4. James McDivitt – Apollo 9
5. Rusty Schweickart – Apollo 9 (was on backup-crew for Skylab 2)

David Scott from Apollo 9 would command Apollo 15 and thus made a lunar landing.

Backup crew-members who never flew an Apollo flight[link]

Each Apollo flight had a backup crew who trained to carry out the mission if the prime crew member was unable to fly. Only one backup crew member was ever used: Jack Swigert switched places with Ken Mattingly after Mattingly had been exposed to German measles a few days prior to the launch of Apollo 13. (Mattingly later flew aboard Apollo 16). However, shortly before the launch of Apollo 17, Eugene Cernan badly injured his leg playing softball and only just recovered in time for the mission. Had he been unable to fly he could have been replaced by back-up commander John Young, who would have become the only person to walk on the Moon twice and would have done so on consecutive missions.

1. Gordon Cooper – backup commander for Apollo 10 – was replaced as commander on Apollo 14 by Alan Shepard and resigned from NASA in 1970.
2. Joe Engle – backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 14 – lost the primary pilot slot on Apollo 17 to Harrison Schmitt after the cancellation of Apollo 18. Engle later flew on the Space Shuttle Enterprise during the Approach and Landing Tests program in 1977, and commanded STS-2 using Columbia with astronaut Richard Truly in 1981. He also commanded Discovery on STS-51-I in 1985.

Astronauts who flew on Apollo, listed by group[link]

A chart showing astronaut assignments leading up to and during the Apollo era

Astronaut Group 3 - all ten surviving members flew in Apollo missions

From the Mercury Seven (Astronaut Group 1)

Group 1 astronauts flew on Apollo 7 and 14

• Walter Marty Schirra, Jr. – Apollo 7
• Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. – Apollo 14

From Astronaut Group 2

Group 2 astronauts flew on Apollo 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 16; Skylab 2; and ASTP. All of these astronauts had flown on Gemini, including one mission as Command Pilot:

• Neil Alden Armstrong – Apollo 11
• Frank Frederick Borman II – Apollo 8
• Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr. – Apollo 12, Skylab 2
• James Arthur Lovell, Jr. – Apollo 8, Apollo 13
• James Alton McDivitt – Apollo 9
• Thomas Patten Stafford – Apollo 10, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
• John Watts Young – Apollo 10, Apollo 16 (Also flew on STS-1 and STS-9)

From Astronaut Group 3

Group 3 astronauts flew on Apollo 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, and 17; and Skylab 3

• Buzz Aldrin – Apollo 11
• William Alison Anders – Apollo 8
• Alan LaVern Bean – Apollo 12, Skylab 3
• Eugene Andrew Cernan – Apollo 10, Apollo 17
• Michael Collins – Apollo 11
• Walter Cunningham – Apollo 7
• Donn Fulton Eisele – Apollo 7
• Richard Francis Gordon, Jr. – Apollo 12
• Russell Louis "Rusty" Schweickart – Apollo 9
• David Randolph Scott – Apollo 9, Apollo 15

Aldrin, Cernan, Collins, Gordon, and Scott each also flew on a Gemini mission in a non-command role.

From Astronaut Group 4

• Harrison Hagan "Jack" Schmitt – Apollo 17 A geologist, Schmitt was the first of the scientist-astronaut group to fly.

From Astronaut Group 5

Group 5 astronauts flew on Apollo 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17

• Charles Moss Duke, Jr. – Apollo 16
• Ronald Ellwin Evans, Jr. – Apollo 17
• Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. – Apollo 13
• James Benson Irwin – Apollo 15
• Thomas Kenneth Mattingly II – Apollo 16
• Edgar Dean Mitchell – Apollo 14
• Stuart Allen Roosa – Apollo 14
• John Leonard "Jack" Swigert, Jr. – Apollo 13
• Alfred Merrill Worden – Apollo 15

Apollo Applications missions[link]

Skylab

The following astronauts flew on post-Apollo missions using Apollo hardware:

From the Mercury Seven

• Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

From Astronaut Group 2

• Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr. – Skylab 2 (Also flew on Apollo 12, Gemini 5. and Gemini 11)
• Thomas Patten Stafford – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (Also flew on Apollo 10, Gemini 6, and Gemini 9)

From Astronaut Group 3

• Alan LaVern Bean – Skylab 3 (Also flew on Apollo 12)

From Astronaut Group 4 (scientist astronauts)

• Owen Kay Garriott (physicist) – Skylab 3 (Also flew on STS-9)
• Edward George Gibson (physicist) – Skylab 4
• Joseph Peter Kerwin (physician) – Skylab 2

From Astronaut Group 5

• Vance DeVoe Brand – Skylab Rescue (never flown), Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (Also flew on STS-5, STS-41-B, and STS-35)
• Gerald Paul Carr (had been slated for Apollo 19) – Skylab 4
• Jack Robert Lousma (had been slated for Apollo 20) – Skylab 3 (Also flew on STS-3)
• William Reid Pogue – Skylab 4
• Paul Joseph Weitz – Skylab 2 (Also flew on STS-6)

References[link]

• "Human Space Flight - Apollo History". NASA. January 30, 2004. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/. Retrieved 2007-01-08. 
• One Giant Leap for Mankind: 35th Anniversary of Apollo 11, NASA, Michael Makara, accessed July 14, 2006

Edgar Dean Mitchell
NASA Astronaut
Nationality	American
Status	Retired
Born	(1930-09-17) September 17, 1930 (age 81) Hereford, Texas
Other occupation	Test Pilot
Rank	Captain, USN
Time in space	9d 00h 01m
Selection	1966 NASA Group
Missions	Apollo 14
Mission insignia

Edgar Dean Mitchell, Sc.D. (born September 17, 1930) is an American pilot, engineer, and astronaut. As the lunar module pilot of Apollo 14, he spent nine hours working on the lunar surface in the Fra Mauro Highlands region, making him the sixth person to walk on the Moon.

Biography[link]

Mitchell was born in Hereford, Texas.^[1] He was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he achieved its second highest rank, Life Scout. He was also a member of DeMolay International and has been inducted into its Hall of Fame.

Mitchell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial management from Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1952.^[1] The following year he joined the US Navy where he trained as a pilot and flew off the aircraft carriers USS Bon Homme Richard and USS Ticonderoga. He later qualified as a research pilot and taught at the Navy's research pilot school. While on active duty in the Navy, he earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and a Doctor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.^[1] He currently resides in suburban West Palm Beach, FL.

Mitchell is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, and carried one of the order's badges to the Moon; it is now kept at his home chapter of Kappa Sigma at Carnegie Mellon University.

NASA career[link]

Mitchell studies a map while walking on the Moon, February 6, 1971

Mitchell was selected to be an astronaut in 1966 and was seconded from the Navy to NASA. He was designated as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 10, and flew as lunar module pilot on Apollo 14, where he spent nine hours working on the lunar surface in the Fra Mauro Highlands region, making him the sixth person to walk on the Moon.

Apollo 14 was Mitchell's only spaceflight. He remained with NASA until 1972, when he retired from the Navy.

After NASA[link]

Ed Mitchell was awarded honorary doctorates from the New Mexico State University, the University of Akron, Carnegie Mellon University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Edgar Mitchell was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1970 by President Richard Nixon.

On June 29, 2011, the United States Government filed a lawsuit against Mitchell in the United States District Court in Miami, Florida after discovering that he possessed a camera used by the Apollo 14 crew on the moon, and had put the camera up for auction at the British auction house Bonhams. The litigation asked that the camera be returned to NASA. Mitchell's position was that NASA had given him the camera as a gift upon the completion of the Apollo 14 mission. Bonhams has withdrawn the camera from auction.^[2] In October, 2011, prosecutors and Mitchell reached a settlement agreement, under which Mitchell gave up any claims to the camera and agreed to return it to NASA, which in turn would donate it for display at the National Air and Space Museum. ^[3]

Other interests[link]

Mitchell's interests include consciousness and paranormal phenomena. On his way back to earth during the Apollo 14 flight he had a powerful Savikalpa samadhi experience^[4], and also claimed to have conducted private ESP experiments with his friends on Earth.^[5] The results of said experiments were published in the Journal of Parapsychology in 1971.^[6] In early 1973, he founded the nonprofit Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) to conduct and sponsor research into areas that mainstream science has found unproductive, including consciousness research and psychic events.

Remote healing[link]

Mitchell says that a teenage remote healer who lives in Vancouver and uses the pseudonym Adam Dreamhealer helped him heal kidney cancer at a distance. Mitchell said that while he never had a biopsy, "I had a sonogram and MRI that was consistent with renal carcinoma." Adam worked (distantly) on Mitchell from December 2003 until June 2004, when the "irregularity was gone and we haven't seen it since".^[7]

Views on UFOs[link]

Mitchell has publicly expressed his opinions that he is "90 percent sure that many of the thousands of unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, recorded since the 1940s, belong to visitors from other planets"^[8] and that UFOs have been the "subject of disinformation in order to deflect attention and to create confusion so the truth doesn't come out".^[9] Dateline NBC conducted an interview with Mitchell on April 19, 1996, during which he discussed meeting with officials from three countries who claimed to have had personal encounters with extraterrestrials. He offered his opinion that the evidence for such "alien" contact was "very strong" and "classified" by governments, who were covering up visitations and the existence of alien beings' bodies in places such as Roswell, New Mexico. He further claimed that UFOs had provided "sonic engineering secrets" that were helpful to the U.S. government. Mitchell's book, The Way of the Explorer, discusses his journey into mysticism and space.^[10]

In 2004 he told the St. Petersburg Times that a "cabal of insiders" in the U.S. government were studying recovered alien bodies, and that this group had stopped briefing U.S. presidents after John F. Kennedy.^[11] He said, "We all know that UFOs are real; now the question is where they come from."^[12]

On July 23, 2008 Edgar Mitchell was interviewed on Kerrang Radio by Nick Margerrison. Mitchell claimed the Roswell crash was real and that aliens have contacted humans several times, but that governments have hidden the truth for 60 years stating, "I happen to have been privileged enough to be in on the fact that we've been visited on this planet, and the UFO phenomenon is real." In reply, a spokesman for NASA stated, "NASA does not track UFOs. NASA is not involved in any sort of cover up about alien life on this planet or anywhere in the universe. Dr Mitchell is a great American, but we do not share his opinions on this issue."^[13][14]

In an interview with Fox News on July 25, 2008, Mitchell clarified that his comments did not involve NASA, but quoted unnamed sources, since deceased, at Roswell who confided to him that the Roswell incident did involve an alien craft. Mitchell also claims to have subsequently received confirmation from an unnamed intelligence officer at the Pentagon.^[15][16]

Edgar Mitchell, February 2009

Other projects[link]

Edgar Mitchell appears in the documentaries In the Shadow of the Moon, The Phoenix Lights...We Are Not Alone, and The Living Matrix.

Mitchell has written several articles and essays,^[17] as well as two books. In The Way of the Explorer, Mitchell proposed a dyadic model of reality.^[18]

He is currently the Advisory Board Chairman of the Institute for Cooperation in Space, co-founded by Dr. Carol Rosin^[19] and is a member of INREES.

Mitchell is one of the initial supporters of the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly – which would be a first step towards a "world parliament".^[20]

Honors and awards[link]

This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the Polish Wikipedia.

• Presidential Medal of Freedom (1970)
• NASA Distinguished Service Medal
• Navy Astronaut Wings
• Navy Distinguished Service Medal

In media[link]

1998 HBO TV series From the Earth to the Moon – played by Gary Cole

Books[link]

• The Way of the Explorer: An Apollo Astronaut's Journey Through the Material and Mystical Worlds (1996), G. Putnam & Sons, hardcover, ISBN 0-399-14161-8, 2008 paperback edition: ISBN 1-56414-977-3, audio cassette edition: ISBN 1-57270-019-X
• Psychic Exploration: A Challenge for Science (1974), G. Putnam & Sons, ISBN 0-399-11342-8

References[link]

• New Mexico Museum of Space History

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

• Edgar Mitchell's home page
• Apollo Lunar Surface Journal: Apollo 14
• Edgar Mitchell MP3 audio – from Shift in Action, sponsored by Institute of Noetic Sciences
• Samadhi in Space interview with Dr. Edgar Mitchell in ascent magazine
• "Release all information on UFOs & ETs", an interview with Mitchell in Soul Travel Magazine
• Edgar Mitchell, member of INREES Institute for Research of Extraordinary Experiences

Dean Mitchell (born 1957) is an American figurative artist who works primarily in watercolor and oil paint. His subjects, derived largely from African American culture, have been cited for their emotional depth, avoidance of facile sentimentality, and accomplished sense of formal design.^[1]

Mitchell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1957, and raised in Quincy, Florida.^[2] He attended Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, Ohio, supporting himself through the sale of his watercolors.^[3] After working as an artist for Hallmark Cards, Mitchell again earned his living by selling paintings of people, cityscapes, and still lifes.^[3]

Though he has since been honored with numerous exhibitions and prizes, Mitchell said that "In the seventies no one wanted to represent me because I was black."^[3] His inclusion in a 2002 exhibition Black Romantic at the Studio Museum in Harlem led to a full page color reproduction of his work in The New York Times, with favorable commentary by critic Michael Kimmelman, who wrote "Mr. Mitchell's works are subtly tuned character studies with an eye toward abstract form and charismatic light. Mr. Mitchell is a virtual modern-day Vermeer of ordinary black people given dignity through the eloquence of his concentration and touch."^[4] For cultural critic Reginald Gant, Mitchell’s art "comes right out of the African-American experience. It’s the result of an aural construct—‘call and response’—that evolved during slavery (one group of slaves would sing out, and another group would respond). Imperative in these exchanges were issues of faith, trust, and perseverance."^[3]

Mitchell's artwork has been the subject of numerous articles, and is represented in museum and corporate collections, including the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and the Saint Louis Art Museum.^[5] His life is the subject of an illustrated book for children, Against All Odds: Artist Dean Mitchell's Story.

Notes[link]

References[link]

• A Black World Of Ins and Outs, Michael Kimmelman. The New York Times, April 26, 2002
• Former KC artist Dean Mitchell finds a warmer welcome in Florida, Kansas City.com
• Dean Mitchell's soul-satisfying art exhibit now at Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Tampa Bay.com
• Delray Beach exhibit shows works of watercolorist Dean Mitchell, Sun Sentinel.com
• Everything's a Portrait: Watercolors of Dean Mitchell, Broward Palm Beach New Times
• Florida artist puts emotion on canvas, Tampa Tribune
• Biography, Florida Black History Month, 2010
• Biography, Charlotte Street Foundation
• Biography, Autry National Center

External links[link]

• Against All Odds: Artist Dean Mitchell's Story
• [1] The Art of Dean Mitchell

Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán Born (1975-09-20) September 20, 1975 (age 36) Bogotá, Colombia Achievements 1998 Formula 3000 Champion 1999 CART FedEx Championship Series Champion 2000 Indianapolis 500 Winner 2003 Monaco Grand Prix Winner 2007, 2008 24 Hours of Daytona Overall Winner Awards 1999 CART FedEx Championship Series Rookie of the Year 2000 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Rookie of the Year 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Rookie of the Year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career 193 race(s) run over 7 year(s) Car no., team No. 42 (Earnhardt Ganassi Racing) 2011 position 21st Best finish 8th - 2009 First race 2006 Ford 400 (Homestead) Last race 2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte) First win 2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma) Last win 2010 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen (Watkins Glen) Wins Top tens Poles 2 50 7 NASCAR Nationwide Series career 23 race(s) run over 3 year(s) Best finish 36th – 2007 First race 2006 Sam's Town 250 (Memphis) Last race 2008 Ford 300 (Homestead) First win 2007 Telcel-Motorola 200 (Mexico City) Wins Top tens Poles 1 3 0 Statistics current as of May 24, 2012. Formula One World Championship career Nationality Colombian Active years 2001–2006 Teams WilliamsF1, McLaren Races 95 (94 starts) Championships 0 Wins 7 Podiums 30 Career points 307 Pole positions 13 Fastest laps 12 First race 2001 Australian Grand Prix First win 2001 Italian Grand Prix Last win 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix Last race 2006 United States Grand Prix Last updated on: May 2, 2009.

Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (born September 20, 1975) is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating in and winning Formula One and CART race competitions. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He and wife Connie have three children: son Sebastian and daughters Paulina and Manuela.

The highlights of his career include winning the International F3000 championship in 1998, and the CART Championship Series in 1999, as well as victories in some of the most prestigious races in the world. He is the only driver to have won the premier North American open-wheel CART title, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona, all at the first attempt. Montoya is one of two drivers to have won the CART title in his rookie year, the first being Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell in 1993. He has also equalled Graham Hill's feat of being a Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 race winner; Montoya is currently one of only two active drivers (along with Jacques Villeneuve) who has won two legs of the Triple Crown of Motorsport.

Montoya has also become a crossover race winner by winning races (starting in each case in his rookie year) in Formula One, CART, IndyCar, Grand-AM and NASCAR equalling in that respect Mario Andretti's caliber of success (except for the F1 World Championship); And shares honors as well with Dan Gurney in being IndyCar/F1/NASCAR race winner. Montoya is also the only driver to have competed in all three major events at Indianapolis, finishing fourth or better in each event. He finished 1st in the Indianapolis 500, 2nd in the Brickyard 400, and 4th in the US Grand Prix.

In October 2009, Montoya was ranked 30th in a list of the top 50 Formula One drivers of all time by Times Online.^[1]

Early career[link]

He was born in Bogotá, Colombia, where he was taught the techniques of karting from an early age by his father Pablo, an architect and motorsport enthusiast.

Montoya moved to the Colombian Formula Renault Series in 1992, while racing there he won four of eight races and had five poles. The same year, he also participated in the U.S. Skip Barber driving school, and was hailed by driving instructors as being one of the best pupils to ever come through their school. 1993 saw Montoya switch to the Swift GTI Championship, a series he dominated by winning seven of eight races and earning eight poles. The following year, 1994, was a very busy year for the 19-year-old Colombian, as it saw him race in three separate series: the Sudam 125 Karting (he won the title), USA Barber Saab (finished third in points, won two races), and Formula N in Mexico (a series in which he won the title). As his success continued year after year, Montoya came to be known for his uncanny ability to win pole positions (as well as races), in some cases taking 80% of a season's poles (see Career results below). For the next three years, Montoya raced in various divisions, continually progressing upward. He raced in the 1995 British Formula Vauxhall Championship, winning three races and finishing third in the championship. In 1996, he raced in the British Formula 3 with Fortec Motorsport, winning two races, and finishing 5th in the championship points standings, as well as taking part in events in Zandvoort, Netherlands and Silverstone.

F3000 Career – F1 Testing[link]

1997[link]

Montoya got the opportunity to advance in his motor racing career when he was hired by the RSM Marko, Formula 3000 team in 1997. In the ten races during the season, Montoya had three wins and three pole positions. He finished his rookie season, second in the championship points standings, just 1.5 points shy of taking the overall season title. During this time, Williams noticed his potential and invited him to test with the team at Jerez, Spain along with three other drivers. Montoya was the fastest of them all and he and Max Wilson were signed by WilliamsF1 to be test drivers for the following season.

1998[link]

Alongside his Formula One testing duties for Williams, he competed again in F3000 and took the title in a close contest with Nick Heidfeld who was driving for McLaren's F3000 team. During the 1998 F3000 season, Montoya opened the season up with a record four straight pole positions. He also achieved another record that year by being the first driver to lap the entire grid at the race in Pau. Montoya finished the 1998 F3000 season with four wins, seven pole positions, and nine podium finishes in twelve races.

CART career[link]

1999[link]

Renault, Williams' engine supplier for most of the 1990s, left Formula One at the end of the 1997 season. With no major engine suppliers available, Williams were forced to sign a contract to run customer engines for the 1998 and 1999 seasons. In 1998 the team failed to win a race for the first time in a decade. For the 1999 season, in the hope of attracting more investors to the underperforming team, Frank Williams agreed to a driver swap with CART team owner Chip Ganassi, in which Ganassi's 1997 and 1998 CART champion driver, Alessandro Zanardi, would return to Formula One and Montoya would take his place in the competitive American series.

While Zanardi had a miserable year in Formula One, Montoya, with Honda power and a great Reynard chassis at his disposal, took the American motorsport scene by storm. He took the 1999 title in his rookie year, something accomplished six years earlier by former Formula One Champion Nigel Mansell.

The season that saw Montoya crowned as the youngest ever CART FedEx Championship Series Champion at the age of 24 was closely fought, especially with Dario Franchitti who led the championship going into the final race in California. Both drivers finished the season with equal number of points but having won seven races to the Scotsman's three decided the title in the Colombian's favor. However, the CART rookie also attracted criticism—notably from Michael Andretti and his team for his aggressive style of driving.

Montoya still had a contractual relationship with Williams and after his impressive rookie season the Grove-based team were keen for him to drive for them in Formula One. However, the young Colombian decided to race in the US for one more year.

2000[link]

In 2000 the Ganassi team switched to Toyota engines and Lola chassis. The package was strong for ovals and high speed tracks, but was less well suited to street and most road circuits. Toyota’s engines were not yet reliable and often failed the team. Despite this, Montoya led more laps than anyone else and took the maiden victory for a Toyota engine in the series. He was also the most popular driver, but in a season where he failed to finish in 40% of the races, he was out of contention for the championship.

The Ganassi team also competed in the prestigious Indianapolis 500 race, part of the rival Indy Racing League series using a G-Force(Panoz) chassis and a Comptech-tuned Oldsmobile Aurora engine. Media and drivers were critical of the way Juan Pablo approached the Brickyard, many IRL drivers labelled him as reckless and predicted an early retirement from the race. The media activity around the event was intense, with Montoya and his CART teammate Jimmy Vasser being the first CART drivers to "cross-over" to drive in the Indy 500. Despite public warnings from two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser, Jr. claiming that if a driver does not respect the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the place "will bite you - hard" Montoya shrugged off the advice claiming that all four corners were exactly the same and that the track required less attention than the road courses in the CART series and in European racing.

In the event, the Colombian star led 167 of 200 laps and claimed top honours at the end of the 500-mile (800 km) race, taking an easy victory on his first attempt. He was the first to do so since Formula One World Champion Graham Hill in 1966 and was the first Colombian winner. His compatriot Roberto José Guerrero had previously finished twice as runner up.

Montoya won the next week the Miller Lite 225 at The Milwaukee Mile. That victory marked his eighth and Toyota's first win in the CART (Champ Car World Series) series.

Formula One career[link]

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2008)

Over the weekend of the 2000 Indianapolis 500, Williams-BMW announced a two-year deal for Montoya to partner Ralf Schumacher starting in 2001. During the first half of his Formula One career, he consolidated his position as a fast driver and a race win challenger; Montoya became a title contender during 2003 but the hopes of fighting for the title gradually faded as his cars lacked pace and stronger, more consistent, challengers arrived on the scene.

Montoya was voted top Latin American driver at the Premios Fox Sports awards in 2003 and 2005.^[2][3]

Williams[link]

2001[link]

Montoya made his Formula One debut for the BMW-powered Williams team in the 2001 Formula One season at the Australian Grand Prix. In that race, he qualified 11th and went off in the first corner and went further down the order but, with a good drive and a high rate of retirements, he went up to fifth until he retired with an engine failure.

The second round was the Malaysian Grand Prix and Montoya qualified better in sixth place but stalled on the grid and had to start from the back. He only lasted for three laps before retiring after spinning off in a rain shower.

Less than a month after his debut, in the Brazilian Grand Prix, he had his best qualifying, a fourth place finish. He got up to second on the first lap and there was a safety car due to an incident in the first corner. On the restart, which was on the third lap, Montoya shocked the F1 world by passing World Champion Michael Schumacher into the first corner. He held off Schumacher, who was on a two-stop strategy compared to Montoya's one stop strategy until Schumacher's first stop. Montoya now seemed to have the race in his pocket as he had a five-second advantage over eventual winner David Coulthard. However, while he was lapping Jos Verstappen, the Dutchman accidentally rammed into the back of him, taking Montoya out.

After his performance in Brazil, expectations were high going into the fourth round, the San Marino Grand Prix. Montoya qualified in seventh, and was well set for points in the race but more bad luck, this time due to a brake failure which took him out of fifth place, leaving him without a point after four races.

Round 5 was the Spanish Grand Prix and Montoya needed a good result but did not look like getting it, so, after another poor qualifying, Montoya found himself down in 12th place. He made up for it by making a quick start by gaining five places and was up to sixth in the first corner (David Coulthard was starting from the back of the grid after stalling on the formation lap). He got ahead of Jacques Villeneuve in the second round of pitstops. He stayed on the track and climbed up to second due to a high attrition rate. The second place finish was just what he needed after the four retirements.

In the next race, the Austrian Grand Prix, Montoya finally outpaced his teammate Ralf Schumacher in qualifying and took a career-best second. It looked better and better for him as he took the lead at the start and pulled away, with second-placed Ralf holding up a string of five cars behind him. But, after 10 laps, Ralf retired with brake failure. It was proven that even Montoya was struggling with the same problems, and Ralf was told to hold the others up so Montoya can build a gap. With Ralf out, the five drivers, led by Michael Schumacher began to zero in on Montoya at over a second a lap. Soon Schumacher was right on Montoya's tail and tried to pass him around the outside at Remus Curve. Montoya kept on the inside, braked late, locked up and went to the gravel. Schumacher was also forced to go to the gravel to avoid Montoya. Montoya rejoined seventh, just behind Schumacher. Montoya went for an early stop which solved his problems. He was set for one point in sixth until he stopped on the track with a hydraulic failure. After the race, Schumacher said that 'all Montoya was doing was to try to take Schumacher out with himself off the circuit'.

In the Monaco Grand Prix, Montoya did not reproduce his previous form and had to be satisfied with qualifying seventh. In the race, he made 1 position at the start. He then tried to pressurize teammate Ralf Schumacher to make a mistake, but it was he himself who made the mistake, by sliding into the barriers on the Swimming Pool section on lap 3. That was the end of the race for him.

Montoya went into the Canadian Grand Prix desperately needing some points, after having had only 6 points from seven races. His qualifying did not help the cause at all though, as he qualified way down in 10th. He gained one place at the first corner but then could not keep the pace of the cars in front. He came under pressure from a charging Rubens Barrichello, and pushed his car too hard and retired after crashing into a wall while trying to both fend off Barrichello and catch up with the cars in front.

The ninth round of the season was the European Grand Prix and Montoya held pole for most of qualifying only for both Michael and Ralf Schumacher to bump him down to third in the final seconds. At the start of the race, he kept third and ran three seconds behind the two leaders. After the first round of stops, the two leaders came ahead of the one-stopping David Coulthard but Montoya came behind. He was stuck there for five laps and it cost him three seconds. He was forced to settle for third and that became second when Ralf was given a ten-second, stop-and-go penalty for a pitlane infringement. Montoya finished in second, and the result gave him more confidence than ever.

Montoya only finished six races, but he nevertheless won three pole positions and stood on the podium four times, including his maiden Formula One victory at the 2001 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

2002[link]

In the 2002 Formula One season, Montoya was the best of the rest as Ferrari's dominance left available no better place than third. Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello won 15 of 17 races. Although he did not win a race, unlike Coulthard and his team mate Ralf Schumacher, Montoya was one of the few drivers to compete with Schumacher on the track. As in 2001, he stood out for his forceful overtaking moves on the World Champion, although several times he lost places through clashing with the German. For qualifying, the BMW WilliamsF1 FW24 could be set up to use its tires more effectively than its rivals and generate more grip. With this weapon, Montoya was able to achieve seven pole positions, usually setting his pole time in the very last seconds of the session. He set the fastest-ever average speed over a lap during the qualifying session of the 2002 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

2003[link]

Montoya at the 2003 French Grand Prix, a race in which his Williams team finished first and second.

Although the 2003 chassis was built by the team specifically for Montoya's driving style, the machine needed time to be developed. Problems with oversteer were still present, often resulting in 360° spins in front of the crowd, in addition to reliability problems with the BMW engine.

From the Monaco Grand Prix, the FW25 proved to be the class of the field, allowing Montoya to take victory at Circuit de Monaco from Kimi Räikkönen. During the 2003 French Grand Prix, after a misunderstanding with the pit crew, there was a vocal exchange of expletives between the Colombian and his team. This was followed by a formal letter of reprimand from the BMW Williams F1 team.^{[citation needed]} McLaren-Mercedes announced that they would take on his racing services from 2005 at an end of season announcement, although it was believed that Montoya had already decided to leave immediately after the French GP.

Bad luck for rivals and excellent on-track performances from the Colombian meant he was a title contender, particularly after a key victory at the German Grand Prix. Williams, however, were unable to keep pace with the latest developments from Ferrari, coupled with a midseason amendment to tyre regulations that forced the Michelin-shod Williams, among others, to quickly make a new design to avoid being disqualified. With that, the Bridgestone-shod Ferraris returned to form. Montoya failed to claim another victory that year. A drive-through penalty at the United States Grand Prix after a collision with Ferrari's Barrichello ended his title chances in the last race he would finish in 2003. He was leading the final race of the season in Japan when he had a hydraulic failure.

Juan Pablo Montoya driving for Williams at the 2004 US GP.

2004[link]

2004 was a disappointing year for Montoya. His relationship with the team was strained throughout the season since both parties knew he would be leaving for the McLaren team at the end of the year.

Early season promise faded as the radical looking ‘tusked’ Williams FW26 initially lacked pace and both drivers were frequently left struggling to score points. However, the car was significantly overhauled during the season and the radical nose designed by a former Ferrari aerodynamicist was finally replaced with a more conventional one for the final stages of the season. Montoya left the team on a high note by winning his last race with them, the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix, which was closely contested with future team mate Kimi Räikkönen.

McLaren[link]

2005[link]

After driving for Williams for four full seasons, Montoya found the McLaren Mercedes car unpredictable, often claiming it felt like the steering wheel was not "attached" to the rest of the car.^[4]

Having been criticised in previous years for his lack of fitness, Montoya began a training program under the direction of McLaren personnel but all the effort was lost when, just after the Malaysian Grand Prix, he injured his shoulder while in Spain. After missing two Grands Prix he made an early return before he was completely healed. In fact he was often seen with his arm almost motionless for the remaining five Grands Prix even while in the paddock for the British GP.^{[citation needed]}

In practice for the Monaco Grand Prix Montoya was penalized to start from the back by race stewards for brake-testing his former Williams team mate, Ralf Schumacher, causing a four car collision. At the Canadian Grand Prix Montoya was in contention for the win, but he was disqualified after leaving the pitlane under a red light. As a Michelin runner, Montoya did not start the US Grand Prix (see 2005 US Grand Prix). The Colombian was on track for a possible podium finish at Magny-Cours when his hydraulics failed. He retired from the lead of the Hungarian GP due to a broken driveshaft. His team mate had a similar failure 8 GP before, which shows the differences in suspension geometry between both McLarens as the torsional forces are carried out in different manner.

During the year Montoya suffered even more from oversteer than he had at Williams.^{[citation needed]} On several occasions he spun during practice. More seriously he spun in his return from injury at the Spanish Grand Prix and most notoriously at the last corner during qualifying for the German Grand Prix. On that occasion he made up for it by climbing from 20th to 8th after the first two corners eventually finishing in a respectable 2nd.

Juan Pablo Montoya qualifying in the 2005 US GP.

Montoya worked with the team during the year to identify suspension geometry and aerodynamic problems that were making the car unpredictable. It is said^{[by whom?]} that he helped the team to improve the car a lot, benefiting both himself and his team mate.

He had to learn how to cope with a very nervous and 'oversteery' car,^{[citation needed]} in these conditions and after bad luck for his team mate, he scored his first victory for McLaren Mercedes in the British GP and in the same conditions at Monza.

For most of the season Montoya's major concerns were the ongoing problems with backmarkers. Both Tiago Monteiro and Antônio Pizzonia collided with him, as had Jos Verstappen in 2001, and Jacques Villeneuve forced him off the track in one of the final races of the year. These incidents prevented Montoya from completing his main task for the team; stopping Fernando Alonso and Renault F1 from increasing their lead in the standings.

In the final stages of the season it was clear that Montoya and his car were finally adapted to one another.^{[citation needed]} The Colombian has often attributed this to the greater effort made by the McLaren-Mercedes Team than by Williams to tune the car to his driving style.^{[citation needed]} In the last 7 grands prix Montoya finished, he scored 3 wins, 2 poles and 5 podiums, as well as setting a track record(fastest lap) of 1:24.770,^[5] which stands today still, at the 2005 Turkish Grand Prix. At the Brazilian GP, Montoya led home McLaren's first 1-2 result in years, ahead of newly crowned world champion Fernando Alonso in third. It was his last finish of the year. In Japan he was forced off the track by Jacques Villeneuve on lap one, while in China a loose drain cover rose up and hit his car, damaging the engine.

Montoya testing for McLaren in early 2006

2006[link]

Montoya started his 2006 season learning that the 2005 F1 Champion Fernando Alonso had been contracted by McLaren-Mercedes for the 2007 season. At the same time McLaren did not take up their option on Montoya for 2007, while his teammate Kimi Räikkönen remained a free agent, although it was later revealed that Räikkönen had signed with Ferrari for 2007 before Alonso had signed his McLaren deal.

During the first three races, Montoya consistently underperformed on the track, not managing to improve his position from the start at the Bahrain and Malaysia Grands Prix. Problems with his engine mapping also contributed, resulting in poor straight line performance.

At the Australian Grand Prix, he drove an excellent race but with a few mistakes. His car spun near the end of the warm-up lap, caused by too much throttle while warming the tyres, and if Fisichella had not stalled his Renault before the start of the race and triggered another formation lap, Montoya would have started at the back end of the grid. He did manage to regain his grid position though, which angered other team managers. His race ended when towards the end of the race he hit a kerb on the exit of the final corner, while chasing Ralf Schumacher hard for third place. The impact triggered an automatic electronic device in the McLaren MP4-21, shutting down his engine as it went into safety mode.

In the San Marino Grand Prix, Montoya was forced to use the team spare car for the qualifying session when it was learnt that his car had a fuel pressure problem. McLaren fitted his engine into the team spare car, thus saving Montoya from a 10-place grid penalty. He managed to qualify in seventh place ahead of Räikkönen. The race however was very undramatic for him and a steady performance saw him finish third, earning his first podium finish of the season.

The races at the Nürburgring and the Circuit de Catalunya, however, were very disappointing for Montoya. He qualified in 9th position for the European Grand Prix but then was stuck behind traffic for almost the whole race before his engine failed a few laps from the end. Catalunya saw Montoya failing to qualify in the top 10 for the first time in the season. He qualified 12th in an underperforming McLaren. He was heavily fuelled and was on a one-stop strategy for the race but he spun and his car got stuck on a kerb and his race was over. Montoya had a solid race at Monaco, inheriting second place 14.5 seconds behind championship leader Fernando Alonso after Räikkönen and Mark Webber went out with engine problems on lap 50. Once again, though, he appeared to be somewhat off his team mate's pace.

Montoya at the 2006 Canadian Grand Prix.

The Canadian Grand Prix saw Montoya pull off a stunning overtaking move on Michael Schumacher on the opening lap, but contact with Nico Rosberg on the next lap and a mistake at the last corner resulted in Montoya bracing the wall and damaging the car, leading to retirement.

The US Grand Prix also brought further disappointment to Montoya's season. An 8-car crash on the first corner saw him retire from the race, yet again taking no points. This crash also involved team-mate Räikkönen, and as one of the main instigators of the crash, this cast further doubt upon Montoya's future in Formula One.

Montoya's Formula One career effectively came to an end on July 9 when he announced in a public press conference from the US that he had signed a contract to run in the NASCAR series from 2007. On July 11, 2006, McLaren-Mercedes announced that Montoya would stop racing for the team with immediate effect. This ultimately confirmed Montoya's exit from F1. However, in the press conference on July 14 at the French Grand Prix, Ron Dennis stated that Montoya was still under contract with McLaren-Mercedes and he would remain in contract with the team until the expiration of the deal. Following further speculation that he could start racing in the NASCAR series as early as 2006, Dennis publicly offered Montoya an early exit from his contract with McLaren-Mercedes, provided that he resigned from receiving any payout to terminate his contract.^[6][7]

NASCAR[link]

2006 season[link]

Juan Pablo Montoya practising for the 2007 Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

On July 9, 2006, Montoya announced his plans to compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series beginning with the 2007 season, racing for Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates' NASCAR operation, Chip Ganassi Racing, in the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Car. "I'm looking forward to racing in the Nextel Cup Series for Chip Ganassi in the Big Red Car. I think I will learn a lot from my teammates and other drivers around me. It will be tough though to get used to the difference in the cars." Montoya made his stock car debut in an Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) event at the Talladega Superspeedway on October 6, 2006. He qualified second, led the first nine laps, and finished third when the race was called after 79 of 92 laps.^[8] Three weeks later he followed this with an 11th place finish after a mid-race spin at the Sam's Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park, his first appearance in NASCAR's second division Busch Series.^[9] He competed in the final three races of the Busch Series season, but did not better this performance. He would later run 17 Busch Series races on a part time schedule the following year. On November 19, 2006, Montoya competed for the first time in NASCAR's premier division, the NEXTEL Cup Series. He qualified 29th in the #30 Texaco car at the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He was running just outside the top 10 when contact with Ryan Newman ended his race on lap 251. His car ended up in the grass engulfed in flames due to his fuel cell erupting during the crash and he was credited with a 34th place finish.^[10] Finished 71st in series points.

2007 season[link]

Montoya's 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup car at Texas

Montoya visited victory lane three times across three different racing series in 2007. He kicked off 2007 with a win in his first Rolex 24 At Daytona race in the Grand American Road Racing Association. Then, in just his seventh-career Nationwide Series race, Montoya took the checkered flag in Mexico City to earn his first win in a stock car. His abilities on the road course were evident to his competitors when he captured his first Sprint Cup victory after qualifying 32nd at Infineon Raceway. Montoya and his No. 42 crew went on to amass one win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes during the 2007 Sprint Cup season. Montoya also earned the honor of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2007 Rookie of the Year and finished 20th in series points.

2008 season[link]

In 2008, Montoya and the No. 42 team amassed two top-five, three top-10 and seven top-15 finishes which include a runner-up finish at Talladega Superspeedway. In addition, Montoya became the first driver in history to win in his first two starts in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, which he won with teammates Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Dario Franchitti. Montoya ended the season 25th in the points standings, 5 spots lower than in 2007. On November 14 it was announced the Ganassi team would merge with Dale Earnhardt Inc., Montoya was confirmed to drive the #42 as the team switches from Dodge to Chevrolet.^[11]

2009 season[link]

It was announced in January that Target would take over as Montoya's primary sponsor for the 2009 Cup season.

Montoya ran in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and finished second after a thrilling duel with David Donohue. Montoya's Lexus did not have the speed that Donohue had in the Porsche he was driving, and when Montoya was slowed by lap traffic in the chicane, Donohue was able to pass Montoya and hold him off to take the victory, denying Montoya his third straight 24 hour win. The margin of victory in the 2009 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona was 0.167 seconds, making it the closest finish in Rolex 24 hour history.

Montoya finished 14th in the Daytona 500 and finished 11th at Auto Club Speedway.

On April 25, he won his first career pole at the Aaron's 499 at Talladega. After going a lap down Montoya finished 8th at the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway. He followed this up a week later with a 6th place at the Lifelock 400 at Michigan International Speedway. After racing in the top 10 all day Montoya got his third top 10 in a row with a 6th place at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. Montoya got his best ever finish at Daytona International Speedway in the Coke Zero 400 where after going a lap down twice he battled back to 9th. Montoya dominated Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in Indianapolis on July 26 after starting from second position. It was the first time in his NASCAR career that he scored bonus points for leading the most laps in the event, however he was penalised with pass-through after his last pit stop for speeding in the pit lane. His healthy 5 second advantage over the rest of the field was gone and he ended up finishing 11th. After a pit lane error Montoya slipped back from his top 10 spot at the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. However, a good pit call meant Montoya pitted prior to a caution which meant he started the next restart in 4th. After slipping back to 5th he made up good ground to pass Bowyer second. He went after leader Hamlin but could not catch him. The second place finish was his first top 5 of the year and joint best on an oval. At the Carfax 400 at Michigan, Montoya posted the 3rd quickest qualifying time just 0.087 seconds off of the pole. In the race Montoya gradually slipped back and grew frustrated with crew chief Brian Pattie as the car was getting tighter and tighter, Kasey Kahne and Montoya made contact when the 9 car got loose and its splitter touched the 42's right rear tire. The contact resulted in Montoya's right rear going flat and he lost a lap on pit road fixing the minor body damage. However he shortly got the lucky dog and raced up to 20th before dropping back to 23rd, Montoya gained 4 positions on the last lap as others ran out of fuel, resulting in a 19th place finish which at least kept Juan 7th in points.

Montoya finished the first 26 races in eighth place in the standings, which made him the first foreign born driver to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He began the Chase in 11th place after reseeding, and was placed as high as 3rd during the Chase before finishing the year in eighth place.

On October 24, 2009, Montoya was the victim of a racial stereotype during ESPN's coverage of a college football game between Ohio State and Minnesota. During a break from the action, announcers Chris Spielman and Bob Griese were discussing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Spielman remarked on Montoya's poor performance in the chase, and in response, Griese said: "He's out having a taco." Griese later apologized at the conclusion of the broadcast. Nonetheless, ESPN suspended Griese for one week.^[12]

2010 season[link]

Montoya ran in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona for Chip Ganassi in the #02 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley with NASCAR teammate Jamie McMurray and Indycar champions Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti. The team led for around four hours and completed 249 laps. However, the car was forced to retire after 8:29:58 due to an engine failure, robbing the team of a potential victory. The Ganassi #01 entry then took the lead before Action Express Racing ultimately took the checkered flag.

Montoya began his NASCAR season with Daytona Speedweeks; the first race was the Bud Shootout exhibition race in which he finished 10th. Montoya had earlier posted the fifth fastest time in Daytona 500 qualifying but the unique qualifying system during Speedweeks meant Montoya would start P2 in the 2nd Gatorade Duel on Thursday the 11th to race for starting position in the Daytona 500 on the 14th.

Montoya during the 2011 Coca-Cola 600

Juan Pablo Montoya started the 2010 edition of the Watkins Glen race in 3rd place and led 74 of the 90 laps to win his 2nd career Sprint Cup Series race. This made him the first foreign-born driver to have multiple wins in NASCAR Sprint Cup history. Montoya did not make the Chase for the Sprint Cup and ended up 17th in points with six top-fives and fourteen top-tens. Montoya also won the pole for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301, the Brickyard 400, and the AMP Energy Juice 500.

2011 season[link]

The 2011 season started well for Montoya. Montoya, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, and Jamie McMurray drove the #02 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW Riley to start 5th and finish 2nd in the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona. The #02 team finished behind their team mates driving the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW Riley.

Montoya started the 2011 NASCAR season on a high note finishing 6th in the Daytona 500 and 5th in points. He was involved in two wrecks, both involving Jamie McMurray, his teammate. No serious damage occurred to either of the cars; they both ended up in the top ten. Two weeks later in the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Montoya, in a blue Clorox scheme led seven laps and finished 3rd. Montoya won the pole for the Auto Club 400 and the Crown Royal 400. It was announced that his crew chief since mid-2008, Brian Pattie, would be replaced by Jim Pohlman.

2012 season[link]

Montoya has re-signed with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing to remain in the #42 car in the Sprint Cup Series in 2012.^[13]

During the 2012 Daytona 500, during lap 160, Montoya's car spun out and collided with a track support vehicle with a jet dryer in tow due to a rear suspension mechanical malfunction, causing leaking vapors from the dryer to catch fire, leading to a lengthy red flag. The driver of the support vehicle and Montoya were both cleared medically after the accident.

Helmet design[link]

Montoya's helmet was silver (or white) with red and blue arrow designs on the sides with yellow lines on the arrows' center and the yellow mouthplate area,^[14] some of the helmets (such as the silver one with the flaming Colombian flag) were winning entries of Échele Cabeza al casco de Juan Pablo Montoya contest.

Racing record[link]

Complete International Formula 3000 results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

CART Championship[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Indianapolis 500 results[link]

Complete Formula One results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)