NASCAR Cup

Dover: Montoya - Saturday media visit

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Dover International Speedway and discussed racing at Dover, season to-date, All Star race and racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway and other topics HOW IS YOUR CAR? "I ...

Edited: May 16, 2010, 2:17 AM

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JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Dover International Speedway and discussed racing at Dover, season to-date, All Star race and racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway and other topics

HOW IS YOUR CAR? "I think in racing we will be fine. In qualifying yesterday we did a lot of race trim, I think we made a mistake. We didn't go back on some of the changes during practice and we did for qualifying and we just missed balance by a mile. It is ok. I'm sure we'll be fine. We normally run good here."

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE WHAT BRIAN VICKERS IS GOING THROUGH? "No. I talked to Jimmie Johnson yesterday; I know he talked to Brian a lot. It really sucks for him. Hopefully he gets better and he gets back here pretty soon. But for me, no."

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF BRUTON'S (SMITH) $20 MILLION DOLLAR OFFER IF YOU WIN BOTH INDY 500 AND COKE 600? "I probably still wouldn't do it. You still have to win both. I haven't won on an oval yet here and I have been close, still have that to do. You still have to win both. I don't know. I'm not going to say no, but right now, today, very unlikely."

DO YOU THINK IT WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHER DRIVERS TO DO IT? "The problem is, you still have to find a good team. I'm lucky enough that our Indy team is really really strong. Target Team in Indy runs really well. You have to beat those two guys who do it all the time. It would be interesting but I think if you did it, it wouldn't be for the money, it would be more for the challenge in itself."

THERE ISN'T EVEN A CHANCE TO DO IT WITHOUT A SCHEDULE CHANGE: "No. Right now I have to focus on this. Today it is more about finishing the races, scoring good points. We gained a lot of points the last few weeks. We just have to keep doing that and see what happens."

WHY DO THE FANS STILL BOO YOU DURING DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS? "I ask the same question about Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson or Kyle Busch. I don't know. I would rather get booed than get ignored to tell you the truth. To tell you the truth, I don't really care. It is funny, I find it really entertaining."

TALK ABOUT POCONO RACEWAY: "Last time we were there, we ran really well. It is race track that normally hasn't been that good for me but, I have changed a lot of my driving style the last year and that has helped me a lot. Hopefully we can go back there and get some good results."

DOES YOUR ROAD COURSE EXPERIENCE HELP? "No, not at all. It is an oval, it isn't a road course."

HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR DRIVING STYLE? "Just everything. How hard you drive the car. Just racing smarter and understanding better what the car needs."

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ALL STAR AND RACING YOUR WAY IN OR THE FAN VOTE? DO YOU LIKE THAT TRACK AT CHARLOTTE? "We normally run pretty good there. I really don't pay too much attention to that race. The way I look at it, it is good practice for the week after. If we get in, good. If we don't, we have to really focus on the race (Coca Cola 600) and get some points for the Chase. That is the most important. It should be fun. I know our guys are in the Pit Crew Challenge and I am going to try and go out there and cheer them on like I do every year. Should be fun. It is always a fun weekend because there is no pressure."

HOW MUCH MOMENTUM DO YOU TAKE FROM YOUR GOOD FINISH LAST WEEK? "We've been really good everywhere. Everywhere we have run, even when we have wrecked or had engine problems, we have been in the top-10. I think we are a top-10, even top-five car every week. We just have to keep doing what we are doing. Score the points and move on. At the same time, if they wreck in front of you and you don't have anywhere to go and you hit them and you are out of the race and you finish 30-something again. You have to be smart about how you race and see what happens. Right now it is not so much about making points but not losing points. If you have a good weekend, you can score big points, good. We have been so close to winning, we run up there every week. I'm sure it is going to happen pretty soon, but it is kind of frustrating sometimes."

DO PEOPLE MAKE TOO MUCH OF THE LAST 100 MILES AT CHARLOTTE? "It is just long. It is like 500 miles around Darlington, I think that is harder than the 600. You have to work on your car, keep working on your car. If you lose two or three places with a bad change, it doesn't matter. You come back in, make it better. You just have to be in the right place at the right time and see what happens."

-source: gm racing

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