Montoya turning it on in Chase, but still needs a win (cont'd)

2. Is it a big deal that the teams of Chase leaders Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson were warned by NASCAR for being too close to tolerance limits?

Joe Menzer: To me, that story was much ado about nothing. Now I'm not saying it shouldn't have been reported and that we in the media should not have sought reactions from all those in and around the garage, who seemed to have differing opinions about it. That was warranted. But in the end, they were legal.

David Caraviello: Welcome to the runaway candidate for Most Overrated Story of the Year. Seriously, in almost every sport, officials give warnings to teams. Heck, even the Highway Patrol will give you a warning every now and then. But only in NASCAR is this a major story, with hordes of media hunting down the principals. A complete non-issue. They're either legal or they're not. And they were legal. Oh, and they were legal again Tuesday, according to NASCAR, which took the 5 and 48 cars back to the R&D Center post-Kansas for a second look.

Dave Rodman: They were legal, but they were warned. I dare say -- though I have no direct knowledge -- that this was how the really badly offset standard cars started. Also, how the cambered rear-end snafu began, too.

Joe Menzer: What? By crew chiefs and teams pushing the tolerance limits? No kidding. But that's NASCAR, folks. It always has been and always will be. Give the kids a box to play in, and they soon will be testing how far they can push out on the edges to build more speed into it. That's the way it should be. And that's why my reaction to the how 5/48 deal is, good for them. That's why they run up front all the time. Their teams are pushing the envelope the most.

Dave Rodman: The fact NASCAR specifically stepped out of the envelope and took those two cars, again, this week was significant -- if only as a wake-up call. It's hard to believe anyone could get themselves in a position of running afoul of the rules with this car, but they were close. Hell, they were probably even closer than they wanted to be. Well -- maybe not!

Joe Menzer: Did Junior Johnson push the envelope back in the day? Heck, he obliterated the envelope! And has been celebrated for skirting the rules. That's why I find it hard to swallow when folks want to paint Chad Knaus as some evil villain these days! He is doing what he's paid to do. Pushing it as far as he can to gain as much of an edge as he can.

David Caraviello: I think it shows some of the myopia of the NASCAR community that "warnings" are a big story. Heck, how many times are Major League Baseball pitchers warned about throwing too far inside, or throwing at somebody? Happens all the time. How often do football and basketball coaches get warnings? All the time. But only in NASCAR is a "warning" considered a story on a par with the Pentagon Papers, with people spinning conspiracy theories worthy of the X-Files. Goodness, some people need to take off the blinders.

Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin have survived the Claw to race another day.

Dave Rodman: Walking that minefield that's known as the gray area is where it's at. But again, it'll be interesting to see how the 5 and 48 end up this weekend. I think that will put it to bed once and for all.

Joe Menzer: No, it won't! You know there are some who won't let this go! And next time one of them wins, there still will be whispers. But until they're found to be illegal -- and not just getting close -- it should be a non-issue. I guess the one aspect of this we should note is that I believe I was told that NASCAR warned them not to bring those cars back to the track in the same state. But if that's true, then I don't get it. Either you're illegal or you're not. Being close does not constitute being illegal.

David Caraviello: Dave, if you're referring to inspection, let me repeat: NASCAR says they were legal after Kansas. Why on earth would NASCAR suddenly let Chad Knaus slide when they've hammered him over and over again through the years? Oh, but there's a championship at stake, people say. Yeah, just like there was in 2005 when Mark Martin got 25 points taken away with two weeks to go. None of that makes any sense.

Dave Rodman: If you listened to [Sprint Cup Series director John] Darby's explanation, it was kind of fascinating, like, "don't take for granted your close-to-tolerance measurement is going to match ours." I can't imagine the Gazaway brothers, God bless 'em, being that benevolent. Then again, the whole rules package then was almost rule of thumb anyhow, so apples to pineapples, that comparison is.

David Caraviello: Joe, that No. 48 car from Dover will be back at Charlotte. Knaus said so last week. I'm sure the black helicopter crowd will be a aflutter when it happens.

Joe Menzer: Yes, but probably not quite in the same exact state as it was. Then again ... who knows?

Dave Rodman: The Claw knows.

Joe Menzer: The Claw?

Dave Rodman: The template package.

David Caraviello: That was Rodman's nickname as a standout linebacker in high school. Everyone feared the Claw!

Related
• With Knaus, it's time to stop assuming the worst (Continued)