Indycar | Montoya has swagger back, but also shows softer side

There was a time when the edge to Juan Pablo Montoya was evident everywhere he went. His arrogance was on display as he walked through the paddock, his confidence in a race car clear with every fearless move he made.
But when the success stopped, the great JPM was no longer the intimidating force he had once been. His abrupt departure from Formula One, followed by seven subpar seasons in NASCAR, made him just another driver in a crowded field of also-rans.
Then he got a chance at a do-over. Offered a job to return to open wheel racing with Roger Penske, Montoya’s career was given the fresh start he so badly needed.
Now, after his win in the IndyCar season opener Sunday through the streets of St. Petersburg, it was clear that the old Montoya was back — but with a twist. He’s got his old swagger back, his drive and determination are at levels he’s not had in years, but that callousness he used to carry everywhere has softened.
As fans crowded the fence near victory lane on Sunday chanting his name, waiving Colombian flags, desperately trying to get close to their hero, Montoya stopped what he was doing to sign autographs and pose for pictures.
That’s a common courtesy for most top drivers, but not one a younger Montoya would have likely done.
Tony Kanaan, who raced against Montoya during his first stint in American open wheel, doesn’t think Montoya has ever changed his personality. But age and three children may have softened Montoya a bit.
“We all grow up. We have kids. I think we kind of change a little bit in a way,” Kanaan said. “Seeing Juan celebrating with the fans the way he did (Sunday), I can assure you that wouldn’t have happened 15 years ago. But that was Juan back then. I think you go through experiences in life to learn.
“I think he got probably a pretty big wake-up call when he moved to the other side, to NASCAR, and he was just one more, right? Then when he came back here, he was a little bit of a different person.”
Montoya doesn’t speak poorly of his time in NASCAR. He notes he’s the only driver in Chip Ganassi Racing history to qualify for the championship playoffs, and thinks his struggles in a stock car had more to do with an underperforming organization than with his talent level. AP