Montoya pleased with winning rookie year.

The car number may be different, the team may be different and the driver may certainly be different but to many NASCAR fans the site of the distinctive red Texaco star on the hood of a NASCAR Cup Series racer evokes a set of memories that have gone a long way towards making Juan Montoya something of a fan favourite this year.

The legacy of the late Davey Allison means that many NASCAR fans hold a soft spot for the Texaco/Havoline backed entry whether it is on the #28 of Robert Yates Racing or the #42 of Chip Ganassi Racing. The company also has a proud track record with rookie drivers, one that Montoya continued this season.

In addition to winning his maiden Nextel Cup Series race at the Infineon Raceway in June Montoya also claimed the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title, the fourth Texaco/Havoline sponsored driver to do so.

"I think it went pretty good," said Montoya of a rookie NASCAR season that included his Infineon win but perhaps more importantly, five other top ten finishes on ovals. "I think that everybody at Ganassi did an amazing job. It's one of those deals, you know, I think it was more ours to lose than win. So I think came out pretty good. I think more importantly, we had a race win. And I think, you know, for record books and stuff, it's pretty good that I won the best rookie of the year."

In addition to his Infineon victory Montoya was the runner-up in the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis and earned his first top ten finish on a short oval in September at Dover. Although there were several lows during the season, notably four accident related DNF's and an ugly spat with Kevin Harvick at Watkins Glen the 32 year-old ended the year 20th in the driver standings and comfortably ahead of the next best placed rookie, Roush-Fenway Racing's David Ragan.

"I've been the rookie before in a lot of series," continued the former Champ Car Champion, Indy 500 winner and multiple Formula One race victor. "But being a rookie with the experience I had, is very different. I had no stock car experience, but from my Open Wheel background, you know, I've raced about everything you can race in. I think it's pretty cool. I think it's good for the team. It's something to cheer about with the team. I think more important is how the performance of the team came up through the whole year. Where we started and where we finished was a big difference."