Montoya will have to work way through field at AMS

HAMPTON, Ga. -- For Juan Montoya, the next two Cup Series races are about two things: being smart and avoiding trouble. In the first instance, that's something he can control. But it's the second case that worries him the most.

After scoring a solid top-10 finish at Watkins Glen, Montoya was seventh in the standings, 154 points ahead of Kyle Busch and 192 in front of Brian Vickers. But flat tires at Michigan and Bristol led to finishes of 19th and 25th -- and heading into Sunday night's Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Montoya is now ninth, leaving both Busch and Vickers, not to mention Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth, within striking distance.

"To be honest, right now, where we are right now is OK," Montoya said Saturday before qualifying. "We can't change that we had two flat tires the last two races and it cost us a lot in the race results. It is part of racing. We do everything we can and we still do. Coming here, we think we have a good car. We have to make it to the end and get a good finish and see what happens."

Montoya certainly knows the quick way around Atlanta. He finished fifth in his first visit to the 1.54-mile quad-oval as a rookie in 2007. However, that success has been somewhat short-lived, at least when it comes to finishing position. Since then, his best finish was 16th -- and despite starting fourth in March, Montoya battled an ill-handing car to wind up 27th, five laps down to eventual winner Kurt Busch.

After practicing near the front of the field earlier in the day, Montoya was unable to find similar speed in qualifying. His lap of 181.301 puts him 22nd on the grid for the first Cup night race in AMS history. On the other hand, Kahne, who like Montoya has been slipping precariously toward the Chase bubble spot, posted a lap of 183.497 and will start on the front row alongside polesitter Martin Truex Jr. Busch qualified fifth and Vickers eighth, putting them ahead of Newman, Biffle, Montoya and Kenseth -- at least when the green flag drops.

"I just look at tomorrow night as going for it as hard as we can," Kahne said. "Bringing the car home in one piece and getting all the points we can and hopefully it handles and things go well. No mistakes."

Like Kahne, Montoya would like to avoid a miscue or two. And rather than play it safe, he'd rather play it smart.

"It isn't about being conservative, it is about being smart," Montoya said. "Everything we have done this year, is making smart choices, when to race, when to get out of the gas, a lot of the give and take and it makes life a lot easier."

Even though his cushion on 13th and 14th place has shrunk significantly the last two races, Montoya believes he has little reason to panic. If the team was struggling with performance issues, that might not be the case. But in his opinion, his recent troubles are more about bad luck than bad equipment.

"The last two weeks, at Michigan we didn't run as well as we wanted but at Bristol I was running second when I had a flat tire," Montoya said. "I think we are there. We are very close to getting wins and we are very close of being there every week. So, I don't see any reason why we are going to go out here and run 25th."

In any case, Montoya's not letting the pressure of the Chase get to him, and he's hoping the team has the same mindset.

"It is pretty easy, I am not really thinking about it," Montoya said. "It is what it is. As a team, everybody on our team just needs to keep doing what we have been doing every week and hopefully it is enough. You can't change things; you can't try to make up in two races what you haven't done in 24. I think we have done a good enough job and we are going to keep doing the same thing."

Sunday night could have a major effect on Montoya's chances of making the Chase, but it won't be a make-or-break situation. However, that might not be the case a week from Saturday at Richmond, when the 12-car field is set.

"Whether it is good or bad, we are still going to Richmond," Montoya said. "What it is, is what it is. Whether it is secure or not secure, we have got to go to Richmond and do the best we can, as well.

"It is not a matter of 'We have to win here so we know.' If all we have is a 15th-place car here, then make the car finish 15th here and see what you have to do in Richmond. We bring home a fifth place, great. If we bring home 30th, it is 30th, you can't change it."