Motor racing-Montoya tries out NASCAR fo
( 2003-06-12 09:22 ) (Reuters)

Motor racing-Montoya tries out NASCAR for a day

Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon were grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats after swapping cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday.

In an event named 'Trading Paint' Gordon, a four-times NASCAR champion and Montoya, fresh off his Formula One victory at Monaco, burned up the 2.606 mile circuit.

Colombian Montoya drove Gordon's Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which had six road course wins, while Gordon jumped into Montoya's FW24 BMW Williams single seater.

"I know who got the better of the deal," Gordon joked in a press conference. "I've never seen them (F1 drivers) in person, now when I watch them (on TV) I'm going to have a greater appreciation for them."

When asked to rate Gordon's drive in the Williams, Montoya replied" "To get where we are we've driven a lot of (cars)."

Montoya complained there was not enough braking power in the stock car. "You need a parachute," he said.

Unofficially Montoya got to within one second of Gordon's time in the stock car.