Juan Pablo Montoya to return to NASCAR

Juan Pablo Montoya is set to return to NASCAR for the first time since 2014, driving for 23XI Racing at Watkins Glen International next month.

23XI, the team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, announced on Friday that Montoya would be piloting the No. 50 Toyota to celebrate Mobil 1’s 50th anniversary.

This marks the third race for the car this season under the partnership. Kamui Kobayashi drove it at Circuit of the Americas in March, and Corey Heim took the wheel at Nashville Superspeedway in June.

Montoya, who was a NASCAR regular from 2007 to 2013, will be making his first NASCAR Cup Series appearance since the 2014 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The two-time Indianapolis 500 champion has competed full-time in Formula One, CART, IndyCar, and IMSA. His accolades include winning the CART championship in 1999, the IMSA championship in 2019, and being a three-time victor of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

With 12 starts at Watkins Glen across four different series, Montoya won the Cup race on the road course in 2010 and has three top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes in his seven NASCAR starts there.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in a Cup car and racing at Watkins Glen — a track I really enjoy and had the chance to experience earlier in my career,” said Montoya. “The Mobil 1 brand was one of my first sponsors when I started racing, so to represent the brand again as they celebrate this milestone will be so special. I’m also excited to work with 23XI and experience what the team is building.”