Good isn't good enough in Chase

FONTANA, Calif. - Jeff Gordon and Juan Pablo Montoya found considerable comfort in knowing they couldn't have gotten any more out of their race cars Sunday in the Pepsi 500.

And yet, they remain frustrated that good isn't good enough against Jimmie Johnson.

The defending three-time series champion dominated the race at the Auto Club Speedway, making another late-season surge that shows no sign of weakness. He took the lead in the Sprint Cup Series championship with the victory, and in the process he left his competitors baffled by his ability to control the playoffs.

"Well, the only thing to me that's bittersweet is that we finished second, and I felt like we were like in a second-class category," Gordon said. "That's the only thing that bothers me a little bit. We're just not good enough. We're good, but we're not good enough."

Johnson now has won 16 races in the Chase since NASCAR went to its playoff system in 2004. Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards have the second-most wins during the Chase with six each.

"Yeah, they have something magical about the final 10 races," Gordon said. "You know, these 10 tracks really suit them. They do an incredible job. What else can you say? They're the best out there. They've won the last three championships. They're going to be hard to beat for this one. Really, unless they make a mistake, I don't see how they lose it."

Johnson led 10 times for 126 laps at California, including the final seven. He was 50 yards ahead of Gordon at the finish.

Montoya was third, followed by Mark Martin in fourth, Tony Stewart in fifth and