Some drivers give teammates a brake to aid in Chase

RICHMOND

A driver allowing his teammate to pass him is one thing, but what if a driver slowed so his teammate could win tonight's race at Richmond International Raceway and secure a spot in the title Chase?

"What's wrong with that?" Juan Pablo Montoya asked.

Maybe nothing. Or maybe everything.

Understand that Montoya's perspective is based on his experience in Formula One, a circuit in which team orders have determined winners. Even drag racing saw it happen this past week at the U.S. Nationals, when John Force was accused of losing a round to a teammate to assure the teammate's spot in NHRA's version of the Chase.

If that kind of thing has been happening in NASCAR, is certainly hasn't been as blatant as the NHRA incident. Yet, with 10 drivers vying for eight spots in this year's title Chase, all scenarios are being examined and debated.

And for good reason: Miss the Chase and a driver, team and sponsor can be all but forgotten by the media for the rest of the season. Make the Chase and along with having a shot at the points title, a team's publicity increases. No sponsor will frown on that.

Millions of dollars could be at stake.

Those 10 drivers looking to make the Chase represent eight teams, and all will have teammates in tonight's race. Thus, the question is: How far will a driver go to help a teammate make the Chase?

"If Kyle Busch needs to go by (teammate Denny) Hamlin and Hamlin is winning the race... Denny will know that he needs to get out of the gas to help his teammate," Montoya said. "I'll guarantee you that's been talked about with the team. They'd be crazy if they haven't."

Call them crazy then.

Hamlin said Friday afternoon he wasn't aware of any such conversation taking place at Joe Gibbs Racing.

So, would Hamlin give up a victory at his home track, a track where he desperately wants to win, to help Busch make the Chase?

"Not a win," said Hamlin, who clinched a spot in the Chase last weekend. "I'd give him second if I was second but not a win for sure.

"If I were leading, I don't think (the team) would even bring it up. They would never put me in that position; there's no way."

Busch enters tonight's race 14th in the standings, 37 points behind Matt Kenseth for the 12th and final transfer spot. Brian Vickers is 13th, 20 points behind Kenseth.

Ryan Newman, who is ninth in the points, said he wouldn't be surprised to see a teammate help another in the race.

"There are always teams manipulating things," he said. "It's been going on ever since the first teammate back in the day. It's part of racing, whether it's NASCAR or NHRA, Indy-Car."

Carl Edwards knows what he'll do if one of his Roush Fenway Racing teammates - Greg Biffle is 11th in the points and Kenseth 12th - needs help tonight.

"If there is anything I can do to help my teammates, I'd do it," he said.

But again, that begs the question: Would you even be willing to give up a win?

"That's a tough call," Edwards said. "If that's what it took and that's what had to happen, then that's what I would do."

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon each have clinched a Chase spot, but both could be in position to help teammate Mark Martin, 10th in the points, also make it. Johnson, though, isn't sure the team would order one of its drivers to allow Martin to win.

"I think if we drew something for Mark, I think Mark would get out of the car and whoop some (rear)," Johnson said. "He wants to go in there and earn it on his own. I don't think he would tolerate something like that."