Track Smack: Bristol

Bristol is the unofficial track of Track Smack. Should be some even better topics next week. If y'all got any ideas, drop us an email.

Will Steve Park and Tony Stewart have any problems completing 500 laps at Bristol?

Tim Packman: I think Steve will be fine with the whole thing. Yes, it's a grueling track and can take a lot out of driver from the physical standpoint. But, the temperature is supposed to be in the mid-60s this weekend at Bristol. That will help him and the others a great deal.

Dave Rodman: Steve's problem may be that even though he is in shape, he might not be in "race shape." I'm not into physiotherapy enough to know how you would prepare for the g-load at Bristol, but being out of the car for as long as he has been has to be a slight concern.

Ryan Smithson: Stewart will be fine. As far as Park, it will get interesting. This is obviously one of the tougher tracks to drive as far as relying on your spotter and staying out of trouble. If Park does well, you know he is back for good.

Marty Smith: Park sure as hell picked a tough part of the schedule to come back in, didn't he? I think both of them will struggle, but for different reasons. Steve's in great shape, but Bristol would put a whoopin' on Lance Armstrong. As for Tony, I think he might struggle with being uncomfortable. And 500 laps around that beast with a sore booty can't be fun.

Tim Packman: Stewart, on the other hand, will have it tougher if he's still having lower-back pain. Being tossed and jostled on that track gives no time to rest in the seat.

Dave Rodman: With Park running a minimal number of competitive laps at Darlington and then going to Bristol, I really don't know.

Marty Smith: Tony took one helluva hit -- one that scared the crap out of everyone and one that will take some time to recover from. He's such a competitor though; I wouldn't be surprised if he wins the race.

Tim Packman: It could depend on a few long runs in practice to see if they are going to be good to go for the whole race. Steve is probably even more determined to run well after last week, too.

Ryan Smithson: Dave's right. We really don't know. Park was fortunate not to run in too much traffic until he wrecked. They don't run 50 laps in practice anymore.

			Steve Park Credit: ASP

Dave Rodman: I think Tony's mental toughness is gonna serve him in pretty good stead. He is a Cale Yarborough kind of guy -- stubborn, tough and he is not gonna get out of his car for anything or anybody. I think he might be hurtin' but I don't think he'll budge from the seat.

Marty Smith: Good call, Dave. I agree 100 percent about Tony. If he's even 50 percent, pulling him outta that car will be like taking Packman's beer.

Tim Packman: Hey now, that is not funny!

Marty Smith: Packman likes beer.

Ryan Smithson: You need to start drinking light beer, Tim.

Dave Rodman: Mentally, Steve won't have any problems, I don't think, but he still needs to get his race sharpness back. Bristol is a tough place to wonder about whether you're making the right move. You can't even think about it.

Tim Packman: Especially coming from you, Marty. I usually have to race you for the head of the line at the bar.

Marty Smith: I box out well, Pack, hold my ground.

Dave Rodman: I'd rather wrestle a steering wheel away from Tony than try to take Pack's beer.

			Geoffrey Bodine Credit: ASP

Tim Packman: Oh Ryan, you are so funny. Why work here when comedy comes so natural to you.

Ryan Smithson: Useless fact No. 977: Park became the second Winston Cup driver to qualify fourth in his return, repeating Geoffrey Bodine's feat.

Tim Packman: Yep, you said it. Useless.

Marty Smith: Statboy is back. May God grant us patience.

Ryan Smithson: Great year for weird stats already. Darlington stats said Shawna's ignition box failed. Two of 'em fail? How does that happen? I want a serious, informed answer on this one.

Marty Smith: You're asking journalists to tell you how a part fails. You will NOT get an informed answer. I bet Rodman knows. He probably installed Tim Flock's first ignition box.

Ryan Smithson: I guess when tires cost $1,500 a set, it's cheaper to just park the damn thing. Rodman was a great Hudson mechanic back in the day.

Which drivers get left out when it comes to media coverage?

Marty Smith: The entire Craftsman Truck Series. There are some killer stories in the Trucks, and no one cares.

Ryan Smithson: Pretty well said, Marty. I'd probably say the same thing about the Busch Series.

Tim Packman: At times, the media seems to be a product of "top-10 syndrome" where only drivers doing well get the ink.

Dave Rodman: With all the new fans comes a massive sea of ignorance. They think the Winston Cup Series is the only thing in NASCAR.

Ryan Smithson: I don't know, Tim. Sometimes the media tends to latch onto backmarkers who actually give them the time of day.

Marty Smith: Most publications these days put their entire stock in the Cup cars. For what reason? That's where the flow is. I love interviewing guys from Busch and Trucks, they keep it real all the time.

Tim Packman: No kidding. Ever have someone ask you if you ever cover NASCAR when attending a stand-alone Busch race?

Dave Rodman: When you look at the thousands of race drivers competing around the country -- the few dozen that are competing in NASCAR's three national series are pretty unique, and if you have the time there are some awesome stories there.

Ryan Smithson: My dad only watches the Busch Series. He says they drive a lot harder.

Marty Smith: Harder? Not too sure about that one, Ryan. The Cup boys are just as relentless as any other drivers.

Tim Packman: The Craftsman Truck stories are pretty interesting this year. They seem to suffer from racing only once a month in the early part of the year whereas the Cup and Busch guys are grabbing the coverage spaces.

Kenny's sign ain't using very good grammar. It ain't spelled right either. Credit: ASP

Ryan Smithson: I think quiet guys like Ryan Newman and Scott Wimmer will cheat themselves out of a lot of exposure because of the type of guys they seem to be. Jimmie Johnson looks really comfortable in front of a camera, and that is huge.

Marty Smith: The vast majority of the Cup boys get the media shaft, for that very reason, Ryan. The old school boys just wanna race. They could give a damn about being on TV.

Tim Packman: Ryan Newman has a good sense of humor. He's just a very laid-back guy still finding his way through Winston Cup. As a rookie, you don't want to come out and let your mouth race for you.

			Kevin Harvick

Dave Rodman: But Jimmie Johnson's running well, too -- running better than well. If he was running 25th to 35th, I bet hardly anyone would know or care what he was doing.

Ryan Smithson: Obviously Harvick is going to get the opportunity to say his piece -- I am sure the TV producers love him.

Marty Smith: Sure they do. He says what he feels. In today's public relations-driven domain, that's rare. I love it -- hearing ol' Kev get pissed off.

Ryan Smithson: Harvick is a TV producers' dream, that's for sure.

Tim Packman: Speaking from the cuff, with care however, is what gives drivers character that fans latch on to.

What is the weirdest thing you heard on a driver's frequency during a race?

Tim Packman: Heck, you can't repeat most of what I've heard that was memorable.

Dave Rodman: I can't comment on that since I virtually never use a scanner.

Tim Packman: But, Ray Evernham always used to ask Jeff Gordon during a race, "Hey man, how's your hot rod."

Marty Smith: My scanner sucks -- bad. I'm forever getting interference from the grounds crew or the kitchen attendants or somebody that I don't care about.

Ryan Smithson: I think it's pretty neat that they start cussing before they even get halfway through the wreck.

Marty Smith: I love listening to Ward Burton. You wanna laugh your can off, listen to that cat -- no pun intended -- during a race.

Tim Packman: Tony Stewart was zipping through the competition one time at Pocono and as he would pass one guy he'd say, "OK, who's next?" As he'd pass them, he'd say, "Pitch aaannd roll" as he went by them. Showed how comfortable he can be behind the wheel.

Marty Smith: I guess the funniest thing I've ever heard was my buddy Hank after he hit the wall a ton at Chicago. But, like Pack said, you really can't repeat that stuff.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, give us the edited version.

Marty Smith: I can't. He hurt himself where men don't wanna be hurt.

Ryan Smithson: All I needed to know.

Tim Packman: Someone took his wallet?

Ryan Smithson: I remember when you told me that story about Parker Jr. For some reason, it brings back baseball memories. I guess drivers don't wear banana cups.

Marty Smith: Would you wear a cup with all those belts tugging at you? Lord almighty. They'd probably do much more bad than good.

Predictions for Bristol?

Dave Rodman: Jeff Gordon will prove a champion's focus remains sharp when he wins this weekend.

Marty Smith: I agree with Dave. Gordon's going to win.

Ryan Smithson: Dale Jarrett pulls off mild upset.

Dave Rodman: But he'll have to waylay Rusty to do it, and that is not gonna be an easy task. That boy is hungry and then some.

Tim Packman: Damn, this is one tough place to try and pick one. Rusty is almost always good there, Sadler showed you can go 100+ laps on one set of tires and with Stewart being slightly injured now it may take away from his ability some.

Ryan Smithson: Tim ruins it with 43 picks for the winner.

Tim Packman: You know what, Dave? You're right. I'm going with Wallace as the winner this weekend at Bristol. Good place for him to get back in the Winner's Circle.

Marty Smith: I'd love to see Elliott win again. That was the most awesome Victory Lane speech ever. "Now we in tha Weeanston, and we gone win that one, too."

Tim Packman: "Bologna Burgers for everyone!"

Ryan Smithson: I admit that I am still reeling in shock about that race. 70 laps to go, and I am convinced he won't even get a top 10 outta it.

Marty Smith: I told you, fool. And you didn't listen.

Ryan Smithson: Not at all. He done good.

Tim Packman: Ryan, not listen? Never.

Ryan Smithson: I don't know which win shocked me more -- Sadler at Bristol, or Nemechek at Loudon.

Dave Rodman: Too bad the champ doesn't get to pick the menu for awards celebration -- I would root for ESad until he wins the title just to get Baloney Burgers on the ticket.

Marty Smith: Those jimsons are good. Not so good for you, though.

Ryan Smithson: 16 baloney burgers is about 8,000 calories.

Marty Smith: Fat just rolls off those mugs.

Track Smack appears every Wednesday on NASCAR.com and the opinions expressed here are solely those of the participants.