Montoya call right choice, just didn't work out

1. Did Juan Montoya and crew chief Brian Pattie make the wrong call by taking four tires on the final pit stop at Indianapolis?

Joe Menzer: Duh. Obviously. Even team owner Chip Ganassi admitted as much when he was asked in the post-race media roundup what he would tell the obviously disappointed pair. He said, "I would tell them they should have taken two."

Duane Cross: Of course, in hindsight -- but I couldn't argue the call at the time. Who knew you could hold off the pack on two tires at that distance? I'm sure Brian slept well, knowing he made the four-tire call with the info he had at hand.

David Caraviello: It's easy to say yes, given the outcome, and that teammate Jamie McMurray won by taking two. But in that situation, how can you not take four tires? You're leading the race, you've got the best car, and it's not exactly a sprint to the finish. Like a baseball manager, the No. 42 team went with the book. They became the proverbial sitting duck as a result. But that doesn't mean the thinking behind the call was incorrect.

Joe Menzer: I really thought they were going to be OK. There were, what, 19 laps still to go? And he came out in seventh, with the six cars in front of him on two tires. I thought he would have plenty of time to make up the ground, but he almost immediately started struggling and going backward instead of marching to the front like I thought he would.

David Caraviello: Brian was crushed. He's usually among the most accessible crew chiefs in the garage area, and for him to issue just a three-sentence statement spoke volumes about how badly he was beating himself up. But there were plenty of laps left. I can't believe they didn't think they could get back up front. Of course, they probably also didn't expect so many teams just to take two.

Duane Cross: If Juan had won, the talk would be, 'What a call the 42 team made!' Amazing how the media works at times. And, with the way Juan likes to drive the wheels off a car, no one would have made the two-tire call with him in the driver's seat.

David Caraviello: I can't disagree there, Duane. You look at what's happened to this team the past two years, though -- the car is untouchable up front, struggles in traffic. I have no idea how you try to improve that, or if you even can, given that I don't think you can replicate Indy traffic conditions on a seven-post or in a wind tunnel. One of those things where you don't know how your car is going to react until it's there.

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Joe Menzer: Well, we can sit here and say we don't blame them for making the wrong call all we want. But the fact is, in this situation, it obviously turned out to be the wrong call. I think it's another example of how track position is everything, especially at a place like Indy where it's hard to pass. It should be duly noted that Greg Biffle also took four tires, and he was able to at least work his way back up to third.

David Caraviello: Of course, Greg didn't hit the wall trying too hard. And really, third for Montoya would probably have been about as unfulfilling as where they ended up. That was a win-or-bust effort there Sunday afternoon.

Joe Menzer: Then I would argue that he should have taken two and made certain he stayed out front.

Duane Cross: No doubt JPM, Brian and everyone on the team was cussing that ol' track on Sunday night. That's two years in a row he's seemingly had the field covered only to lose it on pit road. This year, four tires was the call -- but, like Joe said, it didn't help in passing back to the front.

David Caraviello: I know crew chiefs scan radios in that situation trying to guess what everybody else is going to do, but really, the leader is in a no-win situation at that point. Not even two tires would have necessarily guaranteed them anything. You're playing a hunch at that point, and Pattie had to look at how good his car was on four tires and go with that call. It's really hard to disagree with him there.

Duane Cross: And that's the bottom line, David -- Brian knew how good the car was on four tires and he figured there were enough laps to make up the difference on the drivers who took two tires.

Joe Menzer: Well, of course there are no guarantees. There never are in racing -- and you're absolutely right that the leader is in virtually a no-win situation there. If they had taken two and someone behind them had taken four and they had lost, we'd be having a debate about that, too. But in retrospect, they simply made the wrong call this time.

David Caraviello: And how about Chip Ganassi, splitting his strategies there, playing his two cars against one another to try and guarantee himself a win? Sly. Though you wonder how the 42 team feels about that.

Joe Menzer: McMurray took two and took off, and then held everyone else off. End of story. He made the right call, the 42 team made the wrong one. No matter how it may have seemed at the time.

David Caraviello: That Menzer is a heck of a crew chief -- when it comes to the Windstar.

Joe Menzer: With a cracked windshield, no less.

David Caraviello: Ouch. That can't help the aerodynamics. Get that thing in the wind tunnel and have a look at it.

Duane Cross: Joe Menzer, crew chief of the 20/20 Hindsight Chevrolet!

2. NASCAR is unveiling a multi-vehicle qualifying process Saturday morning when the Trucks visit Pocono. Will it work?

David Caraviello: Who knows. But it might be fun to watch. This is how most racing series handle qualifying, with multiple cars on the track at the same time, so you don't really know who's on the pole until the end of the session. Surely it will spice up a Saturday morning in Pocono.

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Duane Cross: At Pocono, it can't hurt. Nationwide Series uses it on road courses, so why not at Pocono for the Truck Series? Certainly will cut down on waiting for the trucks to get around that beast.

Joe Menzer: I'm still trying to figure it all out -- but I do like the idea of running a 125-mile race, which translates into a 50-lap shootout. As for inverting the qualifying order from practice times and sending them off in 25-second increments, not sure what all that really is going to mean.

David Caraviello: Ah, somebody's doing their research. We're already hearing questions about whether teams will sandbag in practice, which will be used to set the qualifying order. At essence, though, this reminds me of what the Truck series used to be -- kind of a laboratory for rules tweaks that might affect other series. Wasn't it the Trucks that first brought us green-white-checkered? On second thought, maybe that's not a good thing ...

Duane Cross: G-W-C is a good thing; the Cup Series is a good thing on too much sugar.

Joe Menzer: I like the G-W-C, too. Just not sure I like having three of 'em.

Duane Cross: Truck Series has been the best racing in the national series for a while -- this wrinkle just adds to it. I hope it goes over well and we see more of it down the line. And if someone sandbags, so be it -- the race will be rock 'em, sock 'em, like always. I say drop the green and let's go!

Joe Menzer: I do have what I think is a legitimate question: what if someone wrecks during qualifying and the next guy already has started his run. I guess with the 25-second interval, there is plenty of time to react. But it could become a mess. Then again, if it eliminates the 24 hours of qualifying at Pocono it will be a plus.

David Caraviello: I wonder how race fans are going to react to this. As we know, they often don't like change, and this promises to be a stark departure from the kind of single-vehicle qualifying runs they've been used to on big ovals. I wonder if people will be confused, seeing multiple trucks on track at once, and wonder what's going on. But I also hope they give it a chance, because it could be more interesting than the format we have now.

Duane Cross: I think the fans will keep up just fine -- and will embrace it. Change, for lack of a better word, is good -- in some cases. This is one of them, especially so at Pocono. Maybe NASCAR learns something from the Truck race and we see some changes to the Cup races in 2011.

Joe Menzer: Here's the key to this whole deal, and it doesn't have much to do with qualifying: the fact that they will race 125 miles, or 50 laps. That's gonna be cool. No time to waste getting up on the wheel and getting after it. That's a lesson that the Cup could learn from as well.

Duane Cross: Yes, Joe -- the Cup side would benefit from racing changes, no "elimination" in the Chase (or the Chase itself). If the racing is better, the fans are excited, TV ratings benefit and the tracks benefit, Lost in this whole "racing recession" is that there are too many races with too many laps and not enough of the time-is-now mentality for these guys to wheel it like they stole it.

David Caraviello: Can't disagree. And we have seen innovations from the Trucks matriculate into other series over the years. They're probably doing this here to see the reaction, and get an idea how warmly it might be received on other circuits. If it bombs, hey, it's Saturday morning Truck qualifying at Pocono. You move on. Speaking of moving on ...

3. Saturday's race at Iowa marks the third consecutive standalone Nationwide event. With fewer Cup racers in the field, which Nationwide regulars have stood out the most over that stretch?

Duane Cross: Justin Allgaier -- the list starts and ends there.

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Joe Menzer: Can't disagree too much with that one, although I might add Trevor Bayne. The kid is the real deal and will make a fine Cupper in the near future.

David Caraviello: First off, let me say that I really enjoy these Nationwide standalone events. I like seeing the different tracks, I enjoy seeing different drivers run up front. I know sponsors want the Cup guys in the cars and all, but I really wish we had more of these, so NASCAR could spread the wealth to more facilities and give more drivers a chance to run up front.

Joe Menzer: Well, thank you for the politically correct response, Caraviello. Obviously there will be no fine from NASCAR for you today. But please now answer the question that was asked.

David Caraviello: That said, you're both wrong. Although Allgaier has been the breakout star of the Nationwide Series this year, no Nationwide regular has looked better over the past two weeks than Trevor Bayne. Fourth at O'Reilly Raceway Park and third at Gateway? The kid can wheel it. Michael Waltrip might have trouble keeping that guy in the fold.

Duane Cross: You know, T. Bayne may be the next star in the Nationwide Series. He's well-spoken and is a talent behind the wheel. He can take the mantle for a couple of years while Justin is making waves in the Cup Series.

Joe Menzer: I think you also have to mention that Brendan Gaughan has run well of late. And as reluctant as I might be to admit it, because I have not been big fans of theirs in the past: Steve Wallace and Reed Sorenson have run well lately, too. And, um, didn't I mention Trevor Bayne first -- long before you DC twins started barking about him?

David Caraviello: Steve Wallace has done more than run well lately. Tenth at ORP, and fifth at Gateway. Those are good numbers for somebody who hears a lot of snickers about wrecked race cars. If the guy can keep it in one piece, he can drive a little bit. And don't forget about Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who's run ninth and 11th in the last two events. Then there's Aric Almirola, who is fast in almost anything he drives, and was third at ORP in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car. Isn't it about time to give that guy a quality Cup ride? What else does he have to prove?

Joe Menzer: Trevor Bayne is more than a talented up-and-coming driver. He's also a potential sponsor's dream. Great kid, and funny. I did a 1-on-1 feature with him earlier this year and the whole time he was eating these brownies or cupcakes -- and by the end, he had chocolate all over his face but didn't know it until a nearby crew member handed him a towel to wipe off. "Have to do this stuff all the time for him," the guy deadpanned. And all Bayne did was laugh and join in the poking fun at himself. Gotta like that.

Duane Cross: Yeah, he's funny now -- but wait until the Cup handlers get their hooks in him. He'll be as flavorful as vanilla ice cream. Y'all can have your Team Trevor club, I'm sticking with Justin. He's going to make the jump to Cup and the transition will be pretty smooth. He's got an owner who has his house in order and the rest will be up to Allgaier. The kid's gonna be alright.

Joe Menzer: Having said all that, Bayne hasn't yet won a Nationwide race. Allgaier, whom I should add also is very personable, has a win under his belt and has contended a number of other times. He's the more polished driving talent out there right now.

Duane Cross: Sorry, dude -- no room on the bandwagon!

David Caraviello: Nobody doubts Allgaier, but where is Roger Penske going to put him? That team is a sponsor short as it is, and RP loves Sam Hornish, who last week said he thought he'd be back. We're already hearing about a lot of Cup driver moves for next year, and rather than continue to shuffle the same guys around, isn't it time to bring in some new blood? Why people aren't banging on Almirola's door baffles me.

Duane Cross: Aric has snuggled up to Hendrick Motorsports, dude -- and we know how well that's working out for Kasey Kahne, or Mark Martin depending on who you're pulling for in that tug o' war.

David Caraviello: Man, there is a loooong waiting list to get in there, boss. Like the velvet rope line at Butter.

Joe Menzer: Well, Almirola supposedly is "in the mix" for the full-time Nationwide ride at JR Motorsports. That would be a good place for him to land, and maybe it would be good for him to do that before jumping all the way back to Cup again in a ride that would be suspect. As for Allgaier, one more year in Nationwide, where he could win some more races and perhaps a championship, might not be a bad idea before jumping to Cup, either.

Duane Cross: OK, so looking ahead -- JR/Hendrick Motorsports puts AA in the Nationwide car. Another couple years, the JR/HM team makes the jump to Cup and he's the driver. Problem solved -- right?

David Caraviello: Wow, that seems so tidy. Maybe you should help Rick with his little Kahne/Martin issue while we're at it?

Duane Cross: Oh, that's right -- where do Dale Jr. and Danica fit into that mix? What a web we weave ...

Joe Menzer: Could be. Could be. Although in talking recently to Kelley Earnhardt, they will be very careful before ever making that jump to Cup.

Duane Cross: Well, unless Junior starts winning some races, that may be his only Cup ride option. The sponsor dollars tend to dry up without victories -- even for someone as personable as Dale. Look at Mark Martin. He hasn't sniffed Victory Lane and Kasey Kahne is beating down the door to the No. 5 shop!

David Caraviello: And where might Martin end up? Hey, he is the king of the Busch/Nationwide Series ... might make those standalones more interesting next year!

Joe Menzer: Listen, I know how these owners feel. My eldest daughter just got her driver's license and now I'm one ride short for all the licensed drivers in the house. I like it, though. For once, I'm truly in the driver's seat here.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the participants.