Daily NASCAR

Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet, stands in the garage during practice at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Montoya starts today’s race in third place. (Photo: Getty Images)

HAMPTON, Ga. - The tension between Earnhardt Ganassi teammates Juan Montoya and Jamie McMurray has abated but not entirely been brushed off the table, or at least that’s the impression one could draw from Montoya’s remarks.

Montoya and McMurray crashed early in the Feb. 28 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Montoya excoriated McMurray afterwards.

According to Montoya, it’s time to move on, but he didn’t seem all that forgiving.

"He sent me a text saying ‘la-la-la-la-la,’ and he was sorry about the whole thing," said Montoya of McMurray, "and I said ‘don’t worry about it.’ He asked if I wanted him to call me, and I said ‘don’t worry about it.’ It happens. It’s racing. Move on.

"Really, I was really (ticked off) at the time because we had a DNF (’did not finish’) the week before with an engine problem. And (the next) week, being taken out by your teammate is something that you don’t really expect, but it happens. It’s part of racing and move on."

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FOR NAUGHT- Greg Biffle, who had been impressive in the day’s first Cup practice session, crashed in the latter and will have to forfeit the 13th starting position by going to his backup car.

"I just got a little bit loose running the top," said Biffle. "The back end touched the wall and sucked the nose over right where they stopped the SAFER barrier. I hit right in the worst spot, where the wall was kinked out. I touched and it turned the car into where I hit the part of the wall that was jutting out. and it just killed the car."

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HE’S QUIRKY– Ryan Newman has a fine sense of humor, but it’s a beat apart from the norm.

That’s why a NASCAR teleconference ended the way it did last Tuesday. After Newman answered the final question, according to the transcript, the final questioner said, "Thanks a million."

Newman’s reply? "You’re welcome, times a billion."

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STRAIGHT-LINE REASONING– Kurt Busch, a longtime drag-racing fan, is taking his 1970 Dodge Challenger to the Gatornationals next week. With the Sprint Cup Series taking a week off, Busch has entered his Challenger, which he purchased in 2008 and has been restoring since, in the Super Gas class, one of seven being contested at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway.

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Relax, Ryan. You don’t have to push that red button just yet. (Photo: Getty Images)

HAMPTON, Ga. - Remain calm. All is well.

That’s the gospel being preached by those for whom the first three Sprint Cup races have not gone so well. Their words are strung together by lots of "ifs," "ands" and "buts."

They’re right, of course. The Kobalt Tools 500, at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, is only the season’s four Sprint Cup race. A year ago at this point, Bobby Labonte was 10th in points.

Here’s what gets lost by those who prematurely panic. From now through the season’s 26th race, the point system governing the strategy in Cup isn’t one designed to be in first place. First place doesn’t matter until the Chase. The regular season is about being 12th because the top 12 make the Chase.

So, in other words, the standings list Ryan Newman as being in 32nd place, 281 points behind leader Kevin Harvick. That’s a lot, even now. Kyle Busch is in 12th place. Newman’s only 150 points behind him.

"I think it’s real early to be talking about a comeback," said Newman.

Jeff Gordon is two points out of 12th. Jamie McMurray trails Busch by 13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is 18 shy of the top 12.

Oh, my gosh. That means that, over the next 23 races, Jeff Gordon won’t make the Chase unless he can keep up a pace of gaining .087 of a point in each and every race. OK, that’s a joke, but for 32nd place Ryan Newman, the math says he can make the Chase if he gains an average of 6.6 points on 12th place, whomever happens to occupy it at any given time.

They hand out five points for leading one lap under caution.

Drivers don’t like to get off to a slow start. Their fans don’t like to see it.

However … a year ago at this point, Newman, who is now 32nd, was 33rd. He made the Chase.

"We rebounded pretty quickly last year," he recalled. "I don’t know when we were first in the top 12 after being 33rd three races in. (He reached the top 12 after the 10th race). I know there’s plenty of potential, and there’s a lot of the season left.

"The law of averages works out for everybody except Jimmie Johnson."

The winner of four straight championships is apparently above the law.

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Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, and Jamie McMurray, driver of the #1 McDonald’s Chevrolet, spin out of control after an incident on track that eliminated each other during the Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 28. (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)

Juan Pablo Montoya vs. Jamie McMurray: The Earnhardt Ganassi Racing teammates eliminated each other in a Vegas crash, and Montoya took direct aim at the Daytona 500 winner afterwards. "He’s not doing himself any favors," said Montoya of McMurray. "I’m sure (McMurray) is going to say, ‘Oh, I didn’t mean that.’ … He is just trying to prove to people he can drive a race car, and I guess he isn’t doing too many favors on this team." McMurray, taken aback, suggested that Montoya’s remarks were made in part because, in the heat of the moment, he was frustrated.

My take: To paraphrase the country song, who picks up the pieces every time two teammates collide?

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Yes, yes, yes, there have been only three races and there are 33 more.

The available evidence, however limited, is that very little has changed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Jimmie Johnson’s already won twice. The surprises of Daytona have predictably faded back to obscurity. Attendance is still down, and, for more than three months, Danica Patrick isn’t going to be around to hype and magnify.

Surprises? What surprises?

Kevin Harvick won the Budweiser Shootout? He did that last year. Jamie McMurray won the Daytona 500? He won the previous restrictor-plate race, too. Johnson winning two in a row? Oh, that’s only happened seven times since the Era of Jimmie began in 2002.

Hendrick Motorsports is on top. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is at the bottom of the top. Gibbs and Roush Fenway are in merry, if so far insubstantial, pursuit. Juan Montoya hasn’t won. He and McMurray are squabbling. No one’s seen Teresa Earnhardt. Nothing kills the momentum of Daytona like the apparent apathy of Southern California.

The season has seen one legitimate surprise to date. Richard Childress Racing has improved, throughout and across the board. That’s significant.

Richard shouldn’t ever have tried to run four Chevys in the first place.

It’s time for someone to step up. Gordon tried to close the deal but didn’t have the rubber. Harvick has finished second in the last two races, which would seem more significant if Johnson hadn’t finished first in both.

Tony Stewart! Carl Edwards! Matt Kenseth! Yes, Junior, by gosh! Montoya! Kasey Kahne! Denny Hamlin! Joey Logano! Somebody! Anybody!

Nothing against Johnson and Chad Knaus, but that story’s getting old. I mean, I’ll keep writing it. I’ve got it down. Johnson, Knaus and Rick Hendrick don’t actually say the same things after each victory, but it sure seems that way sometimes.

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Kevin Harvick is the current points leader even though he’s winless. Chevvies are doing better than any driver so far, finishing at least 1-2 in all races so far. (Photo: John Clark/NASCAR This Week)

- There is no truth to the rumor that Toyota handles the electronics for Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s caution lights.

- Chip Ganassi’s got a couple feuding drivers - Juan Montoya and Jamie McMurray - on his hands, and he’s probably going to be pretty grumpy about that.

- McMurray made a good point, though, when he said not much stock should be taken in what an angry Montoya said as he climbed out of the car. As Kyle Petty said on Speed, "Juan’s … never going to hold back."

- Well, Jimmie Johnson didn’t win either of the Atlanta races last year. In fact, Dodge drivers (Kurt Busch and, at the time, Kasey Kahne) won both.

- Once again, television told us a race was sold out when it obviously wasn’t. It’s actually reached a point where a race is a sellout because many of the seats aren’t … for sale.

- The biggest race of the week might be the ratings battle between the NASCAR in Las Vegas with the Olympic hockey finals.

- Why’s Kevin Harvick the point leader, even though he’s winless? He’s finished seventh, second and second in the three races. Johnson’s finishes are 35th, first and first.

- Tony Stewart fans, take heart. He started out the 2009 season almost exactly the same way.

- Jeff Gordon’s never been a "sour grapes" kind of guy, but there have to be times when he remembers recommending Johnson’s hiring to Rick Hendrick and thinks to himself, "What was I thinking?"

- Chevrolet drivers have finished at least 1-2 in all three

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