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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Juan Pablo Montoya yelled, pleaded and swore.

Jimmie Johnson celebrated.

"I got the trophy," Johnson said.

Montoya got heartache.

Johnson might not have scored his third win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in four years had NASCAR not penalized Montoya for a pit road speeding violation 36 laps from the finish Sunday.

Even with the dominant car eliminated, Johnson needed a bold move to take the lead from Mark Martin and then held off his teammate to earn his third victory of the season.

Until the penalty, this looked to be Montoya's biggest moment since leaving Formula 1 for NASCAR in 2006. He led 116 of the first 124 laps. With tires not a factor like last year's race, he lulled the 180,000 fans with his red-and-yellow Chevrolet cruising along each lap.

"Juan was in a league of his own most of the day,'' said third-place finisher Tony Stewart.

Montoya was set to become the first driver to win at this historic track in an Indy car and stock car until what could become one of the largest penalties for speeding. Instead of winning, Montoya finished 11th and earned nearly half the $448,001 that Johnson collected for the victory. Plus, Montoya fell a spot to 10th in the season points. If he misses the Chase, the difference in points from first to 11th could prove to be the difference.

Points, though, mattered little to Montoya when he was told of the penalty. It was the win he wanted.

"Thank you NASCAR for screwing my day,'' Montoya said in a measured tone on his radio.

Told to relax, Montoya fired back, his mood more agitated: "What do you want me to relax, dude? We had this in the bag, and they screw us because I ... WAS ... NOT ... SPEEDING."

His team tried to get him to refocus but Montoya was furious.

"Dude, I guarantee you," Montoya said on the radio. "I swear on my children and my wife, I was not speeding."

Montoya's criticism lasted throughout much of the eight-lap caution period and he blistered NASCAR further on the radio: "We're not going to win the race from here. I cannot believe they did this to me because I swear on anybody that I was not speeding.

"It's unfair. It's a rip-off. It's absolutely a rip-off. You know what I mean? It's incredible. I hope (NASCAR President) Mike Helton is listening to this because you should double-check what just happened because I got robbed."

Afterward, John Darby, Sprint Cup series director, said that NASCAR's electronic timing caught Montoya speeding in two of the eight timed zones on pit road. The speed limit on pit road was 55 mph. NASCAR allows drivers to exceed the limit by 4.99 mph, meaning drivers could go as fast as 59.99 mph Sunday without a penalty.

Darby, reading from a sheet with pit road speeds on it from the race, said Montoya went 60.06 mph in one zone and 60.11 mph in another zone before reaching his pit stall.

After the race, Montoya climbed from his car, helmet still on, and walked past reporters for a private meeting with crew chief Brian Pattie beside the team's hauler. Montoya returned to speak briefly to reporters, his criticism not as sharp but his disappointment just as deep.

"Once it happens, it's pretty frustrating," Montoya said, his voice calm. "You can't change it."

Or the fact that Johnson again is a champion at Indy and could be again this season. Seven of the last 11 winners of this race have gone on to win the title in the same season. Johnson did it last year.

"It doesn't mean much to us," Johnson said of the statistic. "But I certainly hope that it makes people think and wonder and worry, especially the guys in the garage area. That would be helpful for us."

They should have been as awestruck with his winning move 24 laps from the finish. Johnson, aligned next to Martin on a restart, passed Martin by Turn 2 on the outside. Such moves are rare because these heavy cars run better on the low groove where there's more traction.

"I just didn't manage to get a good enough jump," Martin said.

Johnson, though couldn't pull away. Martin closed the gap a few times late but couldn't make a move.

"Drove my heart out," Martin said.

Montoya felt the same way, but there was no consoling him.

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