$5 mil challenge is on Sunday, Nascar racing on Saturday night in Charlotte

[I am evil Homer]

A quuck driver is a quick driver. Put Alonso, Hamilton or Vettel in a Ganassi or Penske and they'd be on the pace come race day. But then it's not going to attract that calibre of driver sadly.

[garyshell]

A quuck driver is a quick driver. Put Alonso, Hamilton or Vettel in a Ganassi or Penske and they'd be on the pace come race day. But then it's not going to attract that calibre of driver sadly.

On an OVAL? Especially a smaller one like Las Vegas? I'd take that wager, there is no way any of them would be on pace. They are all three great drivers, but have never so much as turned a wheel on an oval. Not saying they could not eventually get up to pace, but not in one weekend.

But you are right, we'll never see this.

Gary

[garyshell]

Totally forgot about Montoya...he'd be fantastic.

Yep! He and Ganassi would be NUTS if they didn't try this. With $5 million on the table and the cars being obsolete after the checkers fall, why not go for it?
The more I think of it the more I think this is very LIKELY to happen.

Gary

[SarahFan]

History proves you wrong Gary ....all three of those guys would be a legitimate threat in a equally prepared penske or TCGR car

[garyshell]

History proves you wrong Gary ....all three of those guys would be a legitimate threat in a equally prepared penske or TCGR car

What history? They have never been on an oval track in this type of car (if at all). I am not taking anything away from any of them. They are all three great drivers. But it would take more than a two practice sessions and a qualifying run, to compete on an oval. Now if we were talking road course, I would agree 100%. Wasn't to Schummie who made some comment a few years ago at Indy during the F1 race that he would not ever want to try the full oval? Wish I could remember his exact quote. But he was giving props to the oval drivers when he said it, as I recall.

Gary

[Anubis]

History proves you wrong Gary ....all three of those guys would be a legitimate threat in a equally prepared penske or TCGR car

I don't doubt they'd be quick, but I tend to agree it would take more than one event. Granted it was a different era, but Mansell took a few races to get fully bedded in on the ovals. As opposed to embedded in them, which he did at Phoenix!

As for Montoya, I was going to say "they'd have to fit him in the car first", but that would probably be unfair.

[Chris R]

I suspect in the current Indycar on the "cookie cutter" las vegas oval that any of the previously mentioned driver would be capable of winning the first time out in the proper car... I am not saying they will - but it is not that far fetched......

[chuck34]

As for Montoya, I was going to say "they'd have to fit him in the car first", but that would probably be unfair.

Same goes for Tony Stewart ... although he did look a bit "slimmer" at Daytona, a sign of him getting ready????

[Chris R]

Given the amount of time, the amount of money and the fact that both are professional athletes who presumably have the ability to invest the time, effort, and money it would take to do such things, I suspect both Juan and YTony could easily be fit in the Indycar by the time they need to if necessary.... It is not like either one of them are a fat as me (and honestly, if you told me I could drive a Ganassi car in the Las Vegas race at the end of the season, I'd find a way to lose the weight and be in shape by then too!!!)...

ooo, and I just thought - if Juan does it, can you see him showing up at the Indycar shop in a Target commercial with a Snipe in a bag?? "ok guys, I have been all over the world and I finally found a Snipe, can I have my car back???" now that would be wroth it right there....!!!

[Lee Roy]

If Randy wants a top level NASCAR star he might want to reconsider his $5M chump-chage offer.

http://www.forbes.com/2011/02/23/nas...nascar-11.html

Such is life for Nascar's most popular driver eight years running and the scion of the seven-time Sprint Cup champ known as the Intimidator. Despite his lack of success in recent years on the track, Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains Nascar's highest-paid driver, earning $29 million in 2010.

Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon follows Earnhardt in the Nascar money standings with earnings of $25 million last year. DuPont ( DD - news - people ), which has sponsored Gordon's car for 18 years, cut back its commitment this year to 14 races, but the AARP Foundation picked up 22 races to promote its Drive to End Hunger campaign. Gordon partner Pepsi ( PEP - news - people ) will be the primary sponsor for two races for the No. 24 car. Gordon has racked up $117 million in race winnings during his career.

It is a clean sweep for Hendrick at the top with five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, the third-highest-paid driver at $24 million. In its collecting of high-priced talent, Hendrick is like the New York Yankees of Nascar. 2010 is the third year in a row that the team has boasted the three highest-paid drivers in the sport. Furthermore, Kasey Kahne, No. 8 on our highest-paid list, will join the squad next year, replacing 52-year old Mark Martin in the No. 5 car.