Grapevine: Montoya and Gordon Have Fun Swapping

Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon were grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats after swapping cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday.

In an event named 'Trading Paint' Gordon, a four-times NASCAR champion and Montoya, fresh off his Formula One victory at Monaco, burned up the 2.606 mile circuit.

Colombian Montoya drove Gordon's Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which had six road course wins, while Gordon jumped into Montoya's FW24 BMW Williams single seater.

"I know who got the better of the deal," Gordon joked in a press conference. "I've never seen them (F1 drivers) in person, now when I watch them (on TV) I'm going to have a greater appreciation for them."

When asked to rate Gordon's drive in the Williams, Montoya replied: "I think he did really well. I didn't expect less than that from him. To get where we are we've driven a lot of (cars)."

Montoya complained there was not enough braking power in the stock car. "You need a parachute," he said.

Unofficially Montoya got to within one second of Gordon's time in the stock car.

Montoya and Gordon drove six and seven flying laps respectively â€" plus in- and out-laps - on their own on the 4.192 kilometres Indianapolis road circuit which consists of parts of the legendary oval and a very winding infield. For a final they both drove a parade lap side by side. For both of them it was the first time they sat behind the wheel of a NASCAR car or F1 car respectively but also both the drivers clocked impressive lap times.

27-year old Montoya was the first one to do his laps during the warm and sunny noontime with the 1600-kilogram and approximately 800-bhp powerful Chevrolet of 31-year-old Gordon.

"This was so much fun, I really enjoyed myself," Montoya later said. "The NASCAR moves around a lot more than the F1, it is much more active, but it also gave me a very good feedback. Once I underestimated the weight of the car when I saw a corner and thought I would make it, but I was braking too late and ruined a tyre.

"Also I found the power of the engine impressive. Although at high speed, Jeff might confirm that now, there is nothing you can compare with the BMW F1 engine."

Gordon said after his laps with the last year's Formula One car FW24, in which the BMW engine offers up to 900 bhp for a total weight of just 600 kilograms: "I really cannot describe the great feeling I had. The corners come up so fast, and the car brakes so well and turns so well, and at the exit of the corners it grabs it up and just goes.

"It is unreal, like slot car racing. I drove full throttle on the straight and got pressed into the seat much more than I would have imagined. My neck is sore after only a few laps."

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen also made a stopover at Indy on his way to the Canadian Grand Prix. "It was a fantastic event for the two teams and the fans around. And if you look at the drivers' faces it must have been like Christmas for them.

"It was great watching these two professionals getting familiar with each other's machines. Both had an approach full of curiosity and circumspection. I think it was a brilliant idea to bring together Formula One and the most popular US racing series."