What are the odds that the most drama we'd see in Vegas would take place between teammates?
Then again, you can always bet on a little "friendly competition" to keep things interesting.
Just ask Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Greg Biffle and A.J. Allmendinger.
Montoya provided the most interesting sound bites of the day, bar none, when he lit into his Earnhardt-Ganassi teammate after Jamie Mac clipped him, sending the No. 42 to the garage.
Though still livid, Montoya's televised comments were a bit toned down compared to his intial reaction on PRN radio, during which Montoya reportedly did a McMurray impression in a high-pitched voice. Of course, the pair does have a history.
McMurray did apologize for getting into Montoya, but something tells me Juan Pablo won't forgive and forget this one so easily. Just read his offical comments, released by Team Chevy -
"He (McMurray) runs straight into my (rear). He nearly ran me into the fence in (Turn) 2 as well. I don't know. He's not doing himself any favors.
"I'm sure (McMurray) is going to say, 'Oh, I didn't mean that.'
"Just Jamie (McMurray) plain and simple just wrecked us. Every time I am around him, he wants to run the (expletive) out of me. I don't know if it is ok to say that but I just did (LAUGHS). On the restart I was inside of him, I think he got tight and never lifted, I didn't hit the fence because ... it was a miracle.
"Then I arced it in to 3 and he just plain and simple just wrecked us. I'm sure on the radio it was 'Ah, I didn't mean that.' He is just trying to prove to people he can drive a race car and I guess he isn't doing too many favors on this team."
It's safe to say the team meeting at EGR this week is going to be more exciting than the race at Fontana.
Meanwhile, Jeff Gordon is probably experiencing a mixture of frustration tinged with possible regret that he ever introduced Jimmie Johnson to Rick Hendrick. After taking only two tires on his last pit stop, the driver of the No. 24 could only watch as his one-time protege roared past him to a second consecutive win.
Jeff's loss might be easier to stomach if he hadn't led more than 200 laps. But it all came down to Letarte's two-tire call, compared to the four Goodyears taken by the No. 48 crew.
Finally, in the category of almost-teammates, Greg Biffle now has a bone to pick with A.J. Allmendinger. Though Biffle is a Roush man and The Dinger drives for Richard Petty, they both are members of team Ford. And The Biff let his frustration fly on Twitter after the race, tweeting "Another good day for us!! Had a top 5 car but had to go to the back because of getting blocked by a teammate!!"
And, also via Twitter, Biffle's spotter Joel Edmonds cleared up all ambiquity about who said teammate was, "The Biff drove his ass off 2day. Had a 3rd place car got blocked in the pits by the DINGERling. Finished 10th. Headed home on BIFFLE AIR"
Fans love a good feud - even between family. Let's hope it continues in Atlanta...
Photo info: Teammates Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya in happier days, via Fox Sports
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