Montoya has eventful Iowa race

Montoya had started third and, as the green flag waved he overtook second placed Joey Miller, chasing then pole-sitter Steve Wallace, son of NASCAR legend and Cup Champion Rusty Wallace.

As soon as lap 5, Montoya overtook Wallace into turn one and opened a small gap. Soon, the Colombian got into traffic and while he started lapping backmarkers, Wallace caught up with him again.

On lap 19,  Wallace was trying to go on the outside of Montoya coming out of turn 4, and just after crossing the start/finish line, Wallace clipped the right rear corner of the number 4 Texaco/Havoline Dodge.

Montoya's car turned into the wall, sustaining heavy damage to the right front suspension, which forced him to pit for repairs. He eventually had to stay in the garage for nearly 25 minutes, losing any chance of a good result.

Meanwhile, Wallace pitted under caution, changed a damaged tyre and had the left front of his car fixed, while staying on the lead lap. He went down to 24th but steadily climbed his way up to the lead, which he never surrendered again.

Montoya went down to P41 and after rejoining the track with the only aim of getting some experience of short track oval racing, and he eventually finished the race in 24th.

Wallace took victory in dominant fashion, doing the honours of winning at the track owned and designed by his father and mentor.

Series champion Frank Kimmel had a difficult afternoon, retiring from the race with an overheating engine on lap 131, having cliched the title before the race started.

With the ARCA season now over, Montoya is expected to race in the NASCAR Busch Series. His debut could be as early as the Sam's Town 250 at Memphis on October 28.

The Colombian will be testing this week at Homestead with the rest of the Nextel Cup grid for the first time. Chip Ganassi Racing have plans for him to debut at the same track on NASCAR's top division, at the season finale on November 19.