Juan Pablo Montoya is set to make a highly anticipated return to the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time in over ten years.
Montoya will be behind the wheel of the No. 50 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing at Watkins Glen, N.Y., on September 15. This marks his first Cup Series race since the 2014 Brickyard 400 and the final race of the season for 23XI’s part-time third entry.
The No. 50 car has previously been driven by Kamui Kobayashi at COTA and Corey Heim at Nashville earlier this season. Mobil 1 will continue its sponsorship for Montoya’s car, celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary, just as they did with Kobayashi and Heim.
Montoya has a successful history at Watkins Glen, having claimed victory there in the 2010 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, where he beat competitors Kurt Busch, Marcos Ambrose, and AJ Allmendinger. This win was one of his two Cup Series victories, with the other occurring at Sonoma in 2007.
This time, Montoya will be driving one of the best cars he has ever had at the Cup Series level. His previous full-time stint with Chip Ganassi Racing from 2007 to 2013 saw him win two races and make the Chase once, but he often struggled with mechanical issues and less competitive cars.
Montoya will join the rest of the Cup Series field at Watkins Glen on September 15 for the Go Bowling at The Glen, with the race set to begin shortly after 3 p.m. ET. Coverage will be available on USA Network, MRN, the NBC Sports App, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
