Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman Post-Richmond Fireworks Fizzle Out

Oh yeah. This was gonna be good.

Forget UFC 129. NASCAR was going to have UFC 130 right in the Richmond International Raceway garage.

After Ryan Newman unintentionally got Juan Pablo Montoya loose and into the wall early in Saturday night’s NASCAR race, Montoya paid him back just past the halfway point with an intentional spin.

So Newman keyed his radio and told his team, “I’m going to take care of it after the race.”

A NASCAR brawl in the garage? Awesome! Meet you at the No. 42 hauler.

But after the race, the expected fireworks fizzled. Montoya got out of his car and quickly walked toward the track exit before Newman could even park.

The two actually passed one another while Montoya was on his way out. Newman spotted the Target firesuit and swerved toward the driver; Montoya didn’t seem to flinch and kept walking.

Reporters chased Montoya, but he wanted nothing to do with staying in the infield even a moment longer. The former F1 driver put his hand on the shoulder of FOX’s Dick Berggren and said, “Not right now” when the veteran journalist asked for a comment.

Meanwhile, Newman did an interview with FOX and then made a beeline for the NASCAR hauler – stopping only to lean in team owner Tony Stewart’s window along the way.

Once NASCAR President Mike Helton and the rest of the race officials arrived, Newman spent at least 20 minutes inside the hauler looking for answers as to why Montoya wasn’t penalized.

Newman eventually emerged from the NASCAR hauler and started walking quickly away as about 10 reporters chased. He said he didn’t get many answers and said he was “just really disappointed in the way everything played out.”

“I was obviously crashed,” he said. “Unintentionally the first time and intentionally the second time.”

Newman said “now wouldn’t be a good time” for him to talk to Montoya. He was clearly still pissed, the adrenaline still flowing.

“He crashed himself, basically,” Newman said. “I don’t know if he thought it was on purpose, but the message was delivered that it wasn’t intentional. Either way, he ruined our day at that point and then finished our day off later in the race – on purpose.”

Newman then cut off any further questions by saying, “I’m good” and walked away into the darkness of the garage.

For the sake of controversy and headlines, it’s a shame Montoya wasn’t there waiting for him.