How will team orders play with bubble mates at RIR? (cont'd)

Juan Montoya, a multiple Formula One race winner with Williams who experienced team orders first hand, spoke in a separate media briefing. His experience aside, he said being a good teammate would rule his decision.

"If you're a team player you would [let Busch by], wouldn't you?" Montoya said. "What's wrong with that [laughing]? I think you're going to an extreme there. I don't know. There's always a line where I think a teammate can help -- but one thing is helping the other is hurting somebody trying to help [and] I think that's crossing the line.

Sound Off

• Greg Biffle
• Denny Hamlin
• Jimmie Johnson
• Tony Stewart
• Brian Vickers

"If Kyle Busch needs to go by Hamlin and Hamlin is winning the race and if Kyle needs to win the race and get into the Chase you would think they are going to tell Denny to get out of the gas to help his teammate, wouldn't you? I guarantee you, that's been talked in the team. It would be crazy if they haven't. We'll see. Hopefully it doesn't come down to that."

Montoya was asked if he was ever asked to do something he didn't want to do, but the team said he had to.

"I don't think they put it that way -- I think they just said for the benefit of the team we need your help," Montoya said through a grin. "It's not an order but at the end of the day it's supposed to be at your discretion -- but if you like doing what you're doing, you better obey [laughing]. Yeah, I was asked."

Edwards said there was no question what he would do if it came down to helping Roush Fenway teammates Greg Biffle or Matt Kenseth, who are 68 and 20 points, respectively, ahead of 13th place Brian Vickers.

"I've already thought about that in regards to my teammates and if there's anything I can do to help my teammates, I'd do it," Edwards said. "This is a team sport and especially at this point in the year, having more of your teammates in the Chase is good. I don't know about everyone's team in particular, but if I can help Matt and Greg, then that's what I'm gonna do."

Edwards, who led the league with nine wins last year but has yet to win this season, said giving up a win would be "a tough call."

"It's not the 10 [bonus] points, it's the win," Edwards said. "If that's what it took and that's what had to happen, then that's what I would do."

Edwards did say taking either Vickers or Busch out wouldn't be on his agenda under any circumstances.

"You can't take somebody out because you're not just taking that person out, you're taking out their team and their sponsors and all that stuff, so I don't think it'll come to that," Edwards said. "I think that would be an ugly way to have the season shape up."

Kenseth said he was unfamiliar with any type of clandestine team orders and had never received any direct instructions over his radio.

"Not in the way that you're insinuating," Kenseth said. "Teammates help you during the week, and they help you at testing, where you get their information and feedback, and I'll get their help [Friday] in practice, as far as what worked on their cars and what helped it.

"But as far as on the race track, very seldom do you see teammates 'help' each other. What are they going to do, because they're out trying to finish as high as they can and so are you. (Continued)