SOMONA, Calif. -- He thought the lap was a good one, maybe within a few tenths of a second of the pole. Then Juan Montoya zoomed across the start/finish line at Infineon Raceway, and learned he was nowhere close.

The former Formula One star's first Nextel Cup event on a road course got off to a shaky start Friday when the Colombian qualified 32nd for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350. He'll start near the back on a 1.99-mile, 12-turn road course where passing is notoriously difficult, and no driver has come from further than 13th to win.

"We're actually looking at everything," he said after debriefing with his crew. "We lost a little of everything. We were actually sliding around a little bit more. I don't know what to tell you. We braked the same place we braked in practice. We thought we were going to be about three- or four-tenths [of a second] from the pole. I don't know."

The day started promising enough for Montoya, who posted the13th-fastest practice time in the day's lone session. But he couldn't find as much grip in qualifying, sliding through turns and losing time. His speed of 90.976 mph was well off the pole-winning lap of 92.414 mph turned in by Jamie McMurray (watch video). It was a tough afternoon for all three drivers in Chip Ganassi stable -- Reed Sorenson qualified 29th, and David Stremme posted the slowest time of the 50 drivers who made an attempt.

"Our cars seem to be really off the pace," Montoya said. "In practice, we were about two- to three-tenths [off], and in race trim we were about two- to three-tenths. We just made our lives a lot harder starting back there, but that's where we're going."

He can always ask for a little help from his friends. In NASCAR, so many things are kept secret -- except the best way to get around a racetrack. Drivers within this traveling community readily share advice with brethren who are struggling, even if they have to try and beat them the next day. Road-racing specialists ask regular Nextel Cup drivers for tips on how to get around ovals, who in turn seek suggestions for navigating a road circuit like Infineon.

"There are a lot of people out there who will teach you a lot, if you're willing to listen," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. (Continued)