NASCAR Chase: everyone-is-human edition

November 9, 12:59 PMDetroit NASCAR ExaminerJosh Lobdell

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Montoya and team look over his #42 chevy after a lap 176 wreck Getty Images/Rusty Jarrett

On lap three of yesterday’s race, Jimmie Johnson proved that even he is a human being (and many of us NASCAR writers had begun to question that fact). Later, on lap 176, Juan Montoya proved that he too was human after Carl Edwards got beside him and Juan wrecked and wound up finishing 37th.

Regardless of where Juan ends up in the final points standings, he has received an education in what it takes to win the Chase. That list includes 4 wins, an average finish in the top five, and only one mulligan.

For Juan yesterday was his second, but he and his team can still reach a few milestone goals in the final two races of the year. A top five finish in the points now has to be the focus, getting himself on the podium and delivering a great speech at the Sprint Cup Awards banquet legitimizes Juan as an elite NASCAR driver.

Beyond a strong point finish Juan and his #42 EGR Team could reach for a race win on an oval. With the two races reaming his best chances for that could be in two weeks at Homestead where Juan has an average finish of 16th.

Other than that Juan has taken great strides in his three years in NASCAR, if he can continue that improvement, and if his team wisely invest the big points fund payday they have coming it seems likely he could be a legitimate contender in the years to come.