Porsche Power; BRUMOS RACING WINS THE ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA.(NEWS)

Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA IS A MAN OF many talents, but one we perhaps were not aware of before the 47th-annual Rolex 24 at Daytona was his ability to bring down a room.

After his Chip Ganassi-owned Riley-Lexus finished second to the Brumos Riley-Porsche brought home by driver David Donohue, Montoya and his team declined to participate in victory-lane activities. Then he told the crowded press room that his team never really had a chance, given the Porsche's muscle.

"The amount of power they have on the straight? he said, shaking his head. "I'm actually surprised we were able to finish second.

Then his teammate, Scott Pruett, piled on. "It is a little frustrating. When guys just drive by you, it doesn't seem right.

Given the fact that Montoya finished 0.167 second behind Donohue after driving 735 laps, or 2,616.6 miles, it might seem as if the Lexus wasn't down much on horsepower. But since Montoya was going for his third-straight Rolex 24 win and his Ganassi team for its fourth in a row, he obviously is not used to getting passed in Grand-Am competition.

Moments later, when members of the Brumos team, who had heard every word Montoya and Pruett said, were invited to the microphone, there was a moment of rather stunned silence before Donohue, who had just driven the race of his life, offered his view.