[KenP]

Hummm...

Everything changed last year when Indy 500 and F1 winner Juan Pablo Montoya announced he was rejoining Chip Ganassi Racing to race in NASCAR.

Montoya's switch to stock cars was followed closely by the worldwide motorsports media and, more importantly, by drivers around the world, who saw Montoya as the litmus test for whether NASCAR was a real racing series or just "rednecks driving in circles."

The former open wheel racer's comments about stock car racing, which he called "very tough" and "competitive" -- all the while adding that he was having fun doing it -- raised eyebrows among those racing elitists.

More importantly, for the drivers around the world, it sent a clear signal that stock car racing was legitimate.

And the floodgates opened.

Now it seems that a day doesn't go by when there isn't some kind of news about a driver from a racing series other than stock cars who is looking to make his or her mark in NASCAR.

Last weekend in Michigan, it was American F1 driver Scott Speed who made headlines as he walked the garage at Michigan. And there was also news this week of Indy 500 winner and current IRL points leader Dario Franchitti's desire to explore a career in stock car racing after it was revealed that he has had discussions with Richard Childress about testing a stock car.

The list now includes Montoya, A.J. Allmendinger, Indy 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr., Aussie supercar champion Marcos Ambrose, Speed, sports car champion Andy Pilgrim, sports car phenom Colin Braun (who has signed with Roush Fenway Racing for 2008), Franchitti and now Jacques Villeneuve.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/...n=nascar,42891