CASPER
New member
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—Brian Pattie doesn’t really come to mind when listing NASCAR’s best crew chiefs, a distinction probably reserved for guys like Chad Knaus, Greg Zipadelli, or maybe even Alan Gustafson.
Pattie doesn’t have their wins, championships or reputations. He doesn’t have their big budgets or their unlimited resources.
What Pattie does have is Juan Pablo Montoya, and on Sunday, he might have single-handedly saved his season.
Montoya had the field covered at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he led 116 laps while building a five-second lead over the competition. Then he was caught speeding on his final pit stop of the day, and the penalty with 35 laps to go ended his chance at a monumental victory at The Brickyard.
Simply put, Montoya melted down.
He ranted and raved, insisted he wasn’t speeding and directed his missives directly at NASCAR. He blamed president Mike Helton for an errant call, criticized chairman Brian France and moaned that he should simply park his car and call it a day.
Pattie doesn’t have their wins, championships or reputations. He doesn’t have their big budgets or their unlimited resources.
What Pattie does have is Juan Pablo Montoya, and on Sunday, he might have single-handedly saved his season.
Montoya had the field covered at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he led 116 laps while building a five-second lead over the competition. Then he was caught speeding on his final pit stop of the day, and the penalty with 35 laps to go ended his chance at a monumental victory at The Brickyard.
Simply put, Montoya melted down.
He ranted and raved, insisted he wasn’t speeding and directed his missives directly at NASCAR. He blamed president Mike Helton for an errant call, criticized chairman Brian France and moaned that he should simply park his car and call it a day.