Track Smack: Sonoma

Dave Rodman didn't speak up until the second question because he thought Britney Spears was the name of the Queen of England's summer residence in Scotland.

Britney Spears in a NASCAR movie? They are kidding, right?

Marty Smith: If they need someone to play the dude she has a crush on, I'm game. I could play Cole Trickle's younger brother Peter. I'd be the lead foot who wrecks everything. And she digs it.

Ryan Smithson: God help us. Let's pray it's not a movie with the typical racing genres -- old driver returning to help young driver and they both get hooked on the same woman.

Tim Packman: I don't really know what the gist of the movie is, but you can bet there will be some Pepsi in there. I just hope it's not Days of Thunder turned to Days of Blunder.

Ryan Smithson: I know her ex ain't going to act in it. Justin Timberlake's arms aren't big enough to steer a 3,400-pound stock car.

Tim Packman: He already got a DNQ to be in the movie.

Marty Smith: Days of Thunder was hysterical. Those boys got awfully dirty inside those cars. You'd have thought Cruise was portraying Sammy Swindell.

	Marty Smith's idol Credit: AP

Tim Packman: Marty, you would have to keep the gel out of your hair. The spikes would not allow you to put a helmet on to race.

Marty Smith: This is true, Pack. My gel is level 10. "Super Sport Hold."

Ryan Smithson: Britney looked really out of place last year at the Pepsi 400. I am sure a movie would be worse.

Marty Smith: I have a feeling her driver's suit wasn't fire retardant.

Tim Packman: Well, we all saw how well her movie debut went over. What was the title of that straight to video production?

Ryan Smithson: Crossroads.

Tim Packman: I knew you would know!

Ryan Smithson: I went to the world premiere. Getting a flight to Fargo was tough.

What is up with all these cautions flying for "debris?"

Tim Packman: I believe Mark Martin said it best at Pocono when he called it a "mystery" caution.

Ryan Smithson: I know one thing -- if I were a driver, I'd keep trash in my car and throw it out right when Dale Jarrett was about to put me a lap down.

The dreaded yellow Credit: ASP

Dave Rodman: Very simple. When there is trash on the race track -- they put out the yellow flag.

Marty Smith: You know you could look at that two ways. 1. NASCAR wants a shootout to the checkers instead of a boring finish. Or, they're just adhering to the wishes of their competitors. If there are 15 drivers screaming "debris" on the radio -- especially at a place as fast as Michigan -- they have to check it out.

Tim Packman: I guess it's a nice way to bunch up the field and make for a more interesting race. I'm not saying there isn't always debris out there, but the timing can be pretty good, it seems.

Dave Rodman: Jimmy Spencer did that once at Michigan, I believe. He got caught. Penalized severely.

Tim Packman: Who was the one that allegedly tossed some roll bar material out of the car to bring out a caution a few years ago?

Dave Rodman: I am thinking it was Mr. Excitement -- but my memory is failing me.

Ryan Smithson: Old age, I tell you.

Elliott Sadler roars out of the pits. Credit: Autostock

Tim Packman: Yeah, I think Jimmy was the one who supposedly dropped the padding out the window for the caution.

Marty Smith: Seriously though guys. Put yourselves in NASCAR's shoes. If there IS debris out there, and the leader hits it and slams the wall....

Ryan Smithson: Leader hits 20-ounce bottle, hits wall.

Tim Packman: Well, at Sears Point I don't think you'll hear about that much about water bottles. Maybe, a fan's wine bottle.

Dave Rodman: NASCAR cannot pull any crap in the electronic age -- there are a million and one people scanning them -- including all the race teams.

Marty Smith: Good call, Dave. You're right.

Tim Packman: That, and there are three times as many cameras around the track as there were before. So, nobody should miss anything.

	Jimmy Spencer Credit: Autostock

Dave Rodman: It is actually hilarious -- without fail when certain guys are about to get lapped you hear their inspector saying, "Tower, 40 crew chief says there's liquid in Turn 3."

Ryan Smithson: I don't know. It's inconsistent though. I see guys spin out and barely get off the track, yet it stays green.

Tim Packman: And, there are guys that brush the wall and don't put down debris and they toss the yellow.

Ryan Smithson: I guess we are seeing this problem because we have not had a short-track race in five weeks, coupled with the fact that Michigan and Pocono can be boring if one guy is running really well.

Marty Smith: It's a judgment call. Hell, all of NASCAR is a judgment call if you think about it. Sure there's templates, but at the end of the day it's NASCAR call every time.

Dave Rodman: The rulebook is very carefully worded to make just about anything NASCAR wants to do, doable. In the end, "the show" is most important and that's not all bad.

Are we seeing Sterling Marlin falter a little bit?

Dave Rodman: Maybe so -- but everyone goes through stretches, even in their championship seasons -- where they are down. I think the reason he is in a really crappy slump and is still 110 points head speaks volumes for how good his season's been.

Marty Smith: I don't think Marlin is faltering at all. He may not be winning, but I wouldn't call it "faltering" either. He finished fourth at Pocono and he's still 110 points up. Gordon's surging like a bat out of downstairs, but that doesn't mean Sterling's faltering.

Ryan Smithson: These next four races will tell us a lot. Sterling is decent at road courses but not great. At Daytona, anything can happen. Chicago is still a new track, and at Loudon, Sterling has never won.

Sterling new (unlucky?) scheme Credit: Autostock

Tim Packman: He had his worst finish of the year, 21st, at Michigan. I wouldn't say he's faltering, I'd say he's just not winning and getting the top finishes. I think it's the new paint scheme-- only two top-10s since he switched from the Silver Bullet to the Golden Original.

Ryan Smithson: Well, there's your answer. Superstition's everything.

Marty Smith: You're quite perceptive, Pack.

Tim Packman: What's that teach you? Stick with light beer.

Dave Rodman: Bingo Tim -- if 21st is your worst finish, then I would say brighter days are not too far around the corner. I was a little surprised Michigan was his worst of the year, but I think he'll bounce back.

Ryan Smithson: Maybe Harvick needs to go back to all-white.

Marty Smith: I love the 29 paint scheme right now. That thing's sweet.

Ryan Smithson: Yeah, but you never see it on TV

Marty Smith: He ain't having the best luck in it.

Ryan Smithson: Silver is scientifically been proved to be the most difficult to see in the daylight.

Tim Packman: Wow, you know so much, Ryan.

Marty Smith: Good gracious son. Where did you pull that from?

Ryan Smithson: I read somewhere that silver cars are toughest to see, and forest green was easiest to see. Somewhere, Stacy Compton is smiling.

Marty Smith: You can't ride with Smithson in Buckhead. There's some curve and he thinks he's at The Glen.

Tim Packman: Video and reality are two different things --- for most of us.

Ryan Smithson: Well, there's one curve in Atlanta I call the Richmond curve and I thought it would be fun to Jeff Burton-it through there.

Dave Rodman: He needs to spend more time and money at the Kart tracks.

Tim Packman: No, Dave. He just needs to get out more -- period.

Marty Smith: He needs to spend less time in front of the tube, that's for sure.

OK -- so none of y'all picked the winner last week. Wanna try again this week?

Dave Rodman: Of course. Our users demand it

Marty Smith: Gordon. Both of them.

Ryan Smithson: Burton. Both of them.

	Robby Gordon gets another shot at a Sonoma win this year. Credit: Autostock

Tim Packman: Well, since we were all off the map last week with the predictions for the winner, I don't know if I even want to try this week. But, since there is no wagering in Track Smack (wink, wink) then I say go for it.

Dave Rodman: Besides, IF he didn't lose a lap and IF he had taken four instead of two and IF he had taken the checkered flag first, Elliott would have won.

Tim Packman: I'm going to be a little more committal than you two and go with Robby Gordon. He wants to redeem himself from last year with a win this year.

Marty Smith: Easy, Dave. You're about to hit the wall bro. You got a tire going down.

Dave Rodman: I think Sears Point would be the perfect place for Jeff Gordon to snap out of his winless streak. However, I don't think he will overcome the 110-point edge Sterling has to take the $110,000 Winston Leader Bonus.

Marty Smith: I'm gonna go with the 24. It's time for Jeff to get a win. And you know what? That cat could jump into the points lead with a win and a bad week for Sterling. All this talk about how terrible they are. And he's got a chance to move out front.

Tim Packman: Your turn, Ryan. Which Gordon bandwagon you jumping on?

Ryan Smithson: No Gordon. Burton. The young one with no accent.

Marty Smith: Mrs. Burton, Ward and Jeff's mom, is awesome. She talks just like Ward.

Track Smack appears every Wednesday on NASCAR.com and the opinions expressed here are solely those of the participants, if you can call them that.