NASCAR's precise system keeps fine line on pit road (cont'd)

"We're all taking it right to the edge. And when you take it too far to the edge, you're going to get caught. I'd rather be consistent and a little bit conservative than get caught speeding because it can obviously ruin your day."

Carl Edwards was repeatedly cited for speeding violations in a Nationwide Series race earlier this season at Nashville Superspeedway, actually the event Gordon cited as possibly error-plagued.

"I can definitely relate to Juan's frustration there -- it's very tough [but] it's my opinion that the way NASCAR determines pit-road speed, it's way better than it has been -- way better than guys up there with stopwatches," Edwards said. "It's still complex enough, there's enough moving parts there and potential for error that that can be improved, and I think NASCAR will improve it.

"They've got to look at the things that have happened this year. It's just like anything: If you take out the option for argument, if it's a good enough system in place, then it's harder to question and it's accepted more. I think that there's still [more] that could be done so that we all believe that pit-road speed is exactly what it's supposed to be."

Jimmie Johnson did offer a possible improvement to NASCAR's system, which uses electronic timing "loops" embedded in the race track and on pit road to monitor each car's speed at all times.

"You try to get as much as you can [and] if you think of the distance of pit road, that small one-tenth of a mph can add up to a second or so, if not more, depending on the length of pit road," Johnson said. "It's an important part of what we do. I was thinking about this over the week, a way to eliminate any questions about pit road, in my opinion, would be to provide a channel like they do with timing and scoring for all the crews to have on their pit box to watch -- it's live as it takes place, a name pops up in red or however the system works, everybody can see it at the same time.

"Because right now there's a question that's in the tower and no one else has access to it. You get printouts after the fact; it just leaves room for people to have concern or to draw up some questions. I think their system works. Those timing loops work great, it's simple, it's electronic. Make a channel for everybody to look at, have one in here for [the media] to look at and you can watch during the race.

"If somebody pops up in red, to pit road they go for a pass-through [penalty]. I think that would eliminate a lot of issues moving forward."

Matt Kenseth's among virtually every driver that's been penalized at some time in their career.

"As competitive as it is, everybody tries to take most of that 5 mile-an-hour cushion," Kenseth said. "You always try to get all you can, and there are times when you're not focused on your [tachometer] quite as much as you should be because you're looking up for traffic or looking through pit stalls or whatever -- but again, that's why they give you that 5 mile-an-hour cushion -- and I think that's more than generous for NASCAR to give us that.

"It's just that we all take what we can get and try to get closer to that. I've been caught speeding before, not paying enough attention or trying to get all you can get or what have you. It's cost me races before."

Mark Martin has experienced a wide range of disappointments in his career and, while he thinks the system is fine, he understood Montoya's disappointment.

"The pit-road speed thing works well -- it is what it is, it's electronic -- but the system works," Martin said. "It's just really devastating when you have one of the races of your life slip through your fingers. I don't blame [Montoya] for being upset."

Two-time Pocono winner Kurt Busch expressed mock dismay in his Friday afternoon media briefing, when asked about the system.

"I've been caught speeding hundreds of times on pit road and never got asked about it -- I don't know why it's such a big issue right now for some other guy," Busch said. "There's a pit-road speed. You're supposed to stay under it, don't go over it. There's a huge consequence when you're caught speeding on pit road. It's not worth it."

That's another thing Montoya probably wouldn't argue.