ESPN broadcaster Bob Griese has been suspended one week for a remark he made about NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya.
ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz says Griese will not be working a game this week.
Krulewitz says ESPN has spoken to Griese and "he understands the comment was inappropriate."
During ESPN's broadcast of the Minnesota-Ohio State game Saturday, a graphic was shown listing the top five drivers in NASCAR's points race. Fellow analyst Chris Spielman asked where was Montoya, who is Colombian.
Griese replied he was "out having a taco."
He has twice apologized on air for the remark.
Montoya is declining to comment on Griese's suspension. He brushed off the remark Sunday, and said he'd never heard of Griese.
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ESPN broadcaster Bob Griese apologized for his comment about NASCAR star Juan Pablo Montoya at the end of Saturday's Ohio State-Minnesota game.
Earlier in the game, as a promotional preview of ABC's coverage of the NASCAR Chase for championship aired, a graphic listed the top five drivers in the Chase standings. When analyst Chris Spielman asked where the Colombian driver was, Griese quipped: "He's out having a taco."
As the broadcast came to a close, Griese apologized for the remark, saying "You know, he's one of the best drivers in NASCAR."
CONCORD, N.C. -- For the past two days, one driver after another took the podium in the press room at Lowe's Motor Speedway and made his case that NASCAR's Chase for the Championship was far from over. Sure, Jimmie Johnson had taken the points lead last week and looked every bit the postseason form that won him the previous three Sprint Cup championships.
But the Chase wasn't even halfway over yet, we were reminded. And no way could anyone maintain a finishing average less than five in the most pressure-packed time of the year.
Jeff Gordon gave Jimmie Johnson a handshake in victory lane to congratulate his teammate on yet another win, but really, it just symbolized what most NASCAR fans have to be fearing -- it's time to throw in the towel yet again at the feet of King Jimmie.
Johnson led 126 of 250 laps in Sunday's Pepsi 500 in Fontana, Calif., and overcame a dramatic final 20 laps that saw him bounced from the lead by Gordon. No matter. Johnson shot back by just a few laps later and then ran away from the field for the win.
It wasn't a surprise, really, that Johnson won. But it's a surprise to realize that pending crazy circumstances, there's not a team in NASCAR that can top the No. 48.
Lost in all the geriatric hope of 50-year old Mark Martin's incredible run at his first NASCAR championship and the possibility of Jimmie Johnson producing a historic fourth Sprint Cup Series title is the biggest stunner of the postseason. Or maybe not.
Juan Pablo Montoya is 65 points away from leading the championship standings.
The Colombian-born open wheel star wasn't a shoo-in pick to make the Chase for the Championship. The newly merged Earnhardt Ganassi team hadn't exactly established itself a Hendrick-slayer in the regular season and Montoya only clinched a spot in the 12-driver playoff field during the last possible race to do so.
Two races into the Chase, however, Montoya is ranked third and leading the likes of regular season champ Tony Stewart and one of NASCAR's all-time greatest Jeff Gordon.
If you believe a certain Sacramento sportscaster, Juan Pablo Montoya might be hearing some harsh words in a few weeks from California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger when the Sprint Cup Series visits California.
KTXL-TV's Jim Crandell -- the "Scoopmeister," if you ask the Sacramento Bee -- was scheduled to interview Montoya prior to last weekend's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway via satellite. Montoya, however, ducked out on the interview just prior to recording the segment with Crandell.
Crandell, obviously peeved at Montoya, later took the footage of Montoya walking out to craft a segment slamming NASCAR for declining popularity and drivers that Crandell thinks are a little too full of themselves. Catch the video below.
We promise to throw a caution with ample time to slow down in the event of a spinning car on this Chase edition of Notes & Quotes.
Pressure? What pressure? Juan Pablo Montoya's run into the Chase for the Sprint Cup is quite the enviable position for most other drivers simply because of the expectations that the former Formula 1 driver has on his back.
Or, make that the lack of expectations.
"I mean, what's the pressure? We made the Chase," said Montoya after his third-place finish. "From now on, anything about that, it's a balance. Come here, first Chase race, put on the pole, finish second. Can I ask for anything else? Not really. A win would be nice, but that will come."
A.J. Allmendinger's car sat quiet across the frontstretch of New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the white flag waving as he flipped the car's starter, trying to crank the engine.
Meanwhile, leaders Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin and Juan Pablo Montoya scrambled for position on the final lap through turns 3 and 4 as the flagman prepared to wave the checkered flag. In a flash, it looked like the finish of the first race of the Chase was going to end in a crushing fashion as Allmendinger sat helplessly in peril.
At the last possible second, NASCAR threw the caution to avoid the collision but also provoked a new topic of discussion for the coming week: when exactly is the best -- and safest -- time to put out the yellow flag on a race's final lap?
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- When a young driver isn't sure how to approach an on-track situation, they often ask themselves "What would Mark Martin do?''
With a championship on the line, Martin fooled the competition and won.
The 50-year-old driver held off Juan Pablo Montoya on a three-lap sprint to the finish Sunday to win the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. After, Montoya accused Martin of holding him up at the start of the second lap.
"What he did, not cool at all,'' Montoya radioed his crew. "I could have wrecked him.''
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- Juan Pablo Montoya will have a hard time playing the role of darkhorse if he keeps driving like this.
The former Formula One star will make his debut in NASCAR's Chase for the championship from the pole after setting a track record at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday.
Montoya turned a lap at 133.431 mph on the 1.058-mile oval, breaking the mark of 133.357 set by Ryan Newman in 2003. It's a good way to start the 10-race Chase, but Montoya cautioned it's just a start.
"If it was a 10-lap shootout, I'd say 'Hey, we're pretty good,'" Montoya said.
ESPN broadcaster Bob Griese has been suspended one week for a remark he made about NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya.-1255844684.jpg)
CONCORD, N.C. -- For the past two days, one driver after another took the podium in the press room at Lowe's Motor Speedway and made his case that NASCAR's Chase for the Championship was far from over. Sure, 
Lost in all the geriatric hope of 50-year old 
If you believe a certain Sacramento sportscaster, 
We promise to throw a caution with ample time to slow down in the event of a spinning car on this Chase edition of Notes & Quotes.
A.J. Allmendinger's car sat quiet across the frontstretch of 
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- When a young driver isn't sure how to approach an on-track situation, they often ask themselves "What would 
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- 
