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SONOMA, Calif. -- Juan Pablo Montoya confesses he'll focus on the points race Sunday at Infineon Raceway.

"Surprising, isn't it?'' says the driver with a road-course pedigree that includes victories in Formula One and Indy Cars.

Hold on.

Before anyone moans about one of the sport's hardest chargers on a road course backing down for a Sunday drive through wine country, understand that Montoya won't drive that way.

"I'm going to run hard,'' he said moments after his points-racing declaration. "It's just avoiding stupid mistakes. Avoiding stupid wrecks. There's always people taken out. I was a victim last year of that. It doesn't mean you're not going to try to win.

"Worse-case scenario you're probably going to finish fifth.''

So, yes, plan on Montoya, who starts 17th, being at or near the lead Sunday. His only Cup win came at this track in 2007, his rookie season. When the series races either here or at Watkins Glen, the circuit's other road course, he's one of the favorites. On ovals? Not so much.

He's trying to change that perception. Four top-10s in the last six races help. Better equipment helps. More time with crew chief Brian Pattie helps.

All of that has Montoya 14th in the season standings -- the highest he's been this late in the season in his Cup career. He's 43 points out of 12th, the last spot for the Chase.

Even when results don't show improvement, Montoya's competitors see it from him.

Points leader Tony Stewart says that Montoya struggled with how to race competitors early in his Cup career. Stewart notes that in Formula One, drivers are aggressive because they have so few chances to pass.

"If there was an opening, he'd go for it,'' Stewart says of Montoya. "That was just an adjustment he's had to learn over time."

That isn't a problem in Cup races, which are longer and provide more chances to pass.

"As you run up front with the guys that run up front consistently and have shots at winning the championship, you kind of pick up on how they're doing things and why they're doing it,'' Stewart says. "The thing about Juan &ellipses; he learns very quickly.''

This weekend could be pivotal to Montoya. Fail to score a top-five finish and that's points lost as he attempts to make the Chase for the first time.

Montoya's average finish for the next two weekends at New Hampshire (22.7) and Daytona (27.0) are not impressive. Thus, the need to score as many points at this track as possible.

"Honestly, it's all about finishing better than where we are in the points,'' Montoya said. "That's our goal every week.''

Mark Martin is confident Montoya can do that. Martin considers himself a Montoya fan. Sunday will be Martin's first chance to race Montoya on a road course. Martin had skipped those events the past two years while running a partial schedule.

"One of the reasons I wanted to stick around, Juan Montoya was coming to NASCAR,'' Martin says. "I wanted to be around to see that and &ellipses; be able to race with him.

"To do what he's done &ellipses; every week is pretty spectacular.''

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com