It had been 10 years since he last competed in NASCAR, but Juan Pablo Montoya returned to the fold at Watkins Glen in a one-off appearance this September.
The 49-year-old has spent much of the past few years mentoring his son Sebastian, through his junior career.
The younger Montoya has just completed his second season in Formula 3 but is yet to announce whether he will graduate to Formula 2.
His father delivered a sensible performance for 23XI Racing at Watkins Glen, finishing 32nd after qualifying in 34th.
Juan Pablo Montoya shares NASCAR training regime
Finding fitness after a racing absence is a very tough task for some drivers, especially those who have experienced extended spells on the sidelines.
Montoya raced in the 2022 Indianapolis 500, but that was two and a half years ago – a lot can change in that time period.
Speaking on the Missed Apex Podcast, the Colombian revealed how he prepared ahead of stepping back into a NASCAR in September.
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“I go to the gym every time I’m home, an hour and a half every morning I’m in the gym,” he said. “I do a lot of shifter karts.
“The shifter karts are killer, that thing will tear you apart and it’s good fun. I do take off walking and I do quite a bit.
“I’ve always been a big guy. I’m not 25 anymore, when I was 25 everyone said I was big, so what do you expect at 48.”
When did Montoya’s NASCAR exploits reach their peak?
Montoya made his NASCAR debut the same year that he quit being a Formula 1 driver for McLaren – in 2006.
He took his first win the following year at Sonoma, but but had to wait three more years before his second and last win at the Watkins Glen track he just raced at.
2009 was his best championship finish – with eighth over the course of the championship, but by 2014 he had left the grid.
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After that he went over to IndyCar where he immediately enjoyed more success, finishing as runner-up in the single-seater series in 2015.
He took his last win in 2016 at St Petersburg and that remains his last non-endurance racing victory to this day.