Juan Pablo Montoya believes he can be a strong contender at Watkins Glen, which is why he has decided to pursue the opportunity presented by 23XI Racing. The team, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, has made some surprising choices in terms of drivers in the past. Now, they have added another legendary driver to their roster in Montoya.
At 48 years old, Montoya hasn’t raced in NASCAR for over a decade. However, he will be driving the No. 51 car with Mobil1 sponsorship as part of the sponsors’ anniversary celebrations. In a recent interview with the media, Montoya expressed how 23XI Racing convinced him to return to the premier stock car championship at this stage of his career.
When 23XI Racing president Steve Lauletta approached Montoya about racing at Watkins Glen in the No. 50 car, Montoya didn’t need much convincing. He saw it as a cool opportunity that he wasn’t ready to pass up, especially since it would be on a track where he has always performed well.
Montoya is familiar with Watkins Glen due to his previous experience racing there. He sees this return as a fun and exciting opportunity, and he believes he can still be competitive at the track. With that in mind, there was no reason for him to turn down this chance.
As a former Formula 1 and IndyCar driver, Montoya will be hoping to recapture the magic he once had at Watkins Glen during his prime years. It will be interesting to see how the veteran driver performs during the race week at Glen.
Photo from Juan Pablo Montoya Instagram
