Track Smack: Off week

Special sympathy goes out to Jerry Nadeau this week. 'Nuf said.

Jerry Nadeau. Does his luck suck or what?

Dave Rodman: That doesn't begin to describe it. The saddest thing was when Jerry said, after his departure from the race at Sears, that that kind of thing kind of summed up his entire career. Definitely a tough one to swallow.

Tim Packman: If I was going to Vegas, I don't think I would be looking for Jerry as a running mate at the tables. He's proven himself to be a good racer, but his luck hasn't been the same. He should be at least a three-time winner by now. Others with more starts can't say the same.

Ryan Smithson: He sure had it won, but a lot of guys in good cars broke rear-end gears, so it was not like this was a shocker that it failed. That track is awfully tough on gears. Still, I hate it for him. That would have been a popular victory.

Marty Smith: Totally sucks. To be that close to victory in that car -- a car that no one has done anything in for years -- is truly heartbreaking for all those guys, but especially Jerry. He's driving for a ride, and while the current rumor mill says his future is fruitful, a win with a sub par team would certainly have bolstered his quest for future employment. It's kind of odd that Rudd benefited from Nadeau's misfortune, seeing as how Rudd has been in his position all year.

Tim Packman: True, Marty. Rudd benefited from the old "what comes around goes around" adage.

Ryan Smithson: It was a weird race; one that lent itself to guys that could make it on gas. When that happens, you're more likely to see an unusual winner.

Nadeau was looking for a job -- and he nearly won in his first start for Petty Enterprises. Credit: Autostock

Marty Smith: Good call, Smithson. It was interesting how Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart used the same strategy -- short pitting -- and Tony was able to make it back through the field and Robby wasn't.

Tim Packman: I could not believe who kept falling out of that race. That one race could prove to be very pivotal as the points race heats up. I bet a lot of guys test more for The Glen than they have before.

Ryan Smithson: Robby's car was not as good as he had last year, which was weird. Plus, it's a different track. Not many places to pass. The cars really drink in the clean air now.

Marty Smith: I just knew Gordon was going to win that thing and take the points lead. Sterling had to be pissed and stoked at the same time when he left Sunday night.

Ryan Smithson: I don't think Sterling ever gets pissed or stoked.

Dave Rodman: Probably so -- but after looking at what happened to Sterling and Rusty Wallace -- a solid week of testing wouldn't help you to overcome any of those miscues.

Tim Packman: How about Jimmie Johnson? If he hung on for a good finish, he would have left with the points lead.

	Nadeau enters Turn 11 at Somona -- the very turn where his run ended. Credit: Autostock

Ryan Smithson: If Jimmie had finished 8th, the points lead is his. Jimmie was not going to get a top-10 finish anyway though. He never got up to the top-10.

Marty Smith: Ken Howes from Hendrick said most of those guys broke the same exact part. Wonder what it was?

Tim Packman: Wonder how many calls that company got this week?

Ryan Smithson: None. They didn't answer 'em. Got answering machine. "If you broke your rear end gear at Sonoma, please press 1."

Marty Smith: Either way, it's a shame. It would've been sweet to see the Pettys back in Victory Lane.

Ryan Smithson: I wonder if they would have offered Jerry a full-time job...........

Marty Smith: I think so, Ryan. But Kyle Petty said last weekend that he didn't think they'd be able to land Nadeau for next year.

Ryan Smithson: Well, I know one thing -- a lot of drivers want to drive for Petty now. Last year, they would have had a hard time getting Loy Allen.

Marty Smith: Loy Allen got in the 58 Turbine Solutions car during my first week at NASCAR.com. Rodman was pulling his hair out because I waited until after lunch to call him.

Ryan Smithson: So you're the one who wrote that DNQ story.

Tim Packman: Oh man, I was so upset I didn't know what was going on with that deal!! That was your fault, Marty?

Marty Smith: Rodman goes: "Dawgus! What is wrong with you, son? Ostensibly, it's old news!"

Marty Smith: Good ol' Rodmania. Always on the case.

Dave Rodman: Hmm -- they were right -- my memory has gone south -- I don't remember either one of those issues.

Marty Smith: It's okay brother. Take your Ginseng.

Imagine you're head of DEI. Has Michael Waltrip saved his job?

Marty Smith: I say "yes" as loud as possible. Mikey's earned that car.

Tim Packman: I would have to say that he has proven himself very worthy of a contract extension with DEI. He and Slugger are on the same page and the team is really stoked up about their performances as of late.

Will Michael Waltriip be with DEI at the 2003 Daytona 500? Credit: Autostock

Ryan Smithson: I don't think so until he has won another race, but the way he's been running, that's a 50-50 chance. Ball's in his court now, which is better than it was three months ago.

Tim Packman: I'd pick him for Daytona. No second-place effort for them anymore.

Marty Smith: Ryan, he doesn't have to win to keep his job. That's ludicrous. He's picked it up far more than anyone outside that team thought he would.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, he is not going to finish in the top-10 every week. He needs to win another race.

Tim Packman: He is ahead of Junior in the points right now.

Dave Rodman: I would extend my decision -- more than likely most of the way to the end of the year -- but if Mikey was able to keep up the consistent rampage toward the front he's been on, I would say his job is very safe.

Marty Smith: Don't tell that to Smithson, Dave.

Ryan Smithson: Right, but Waltrip being ahead of Dale Jr. is not saying much. Junior has also lost a ton of points in the last two months. Waltrip needs to win -- at least Dale Jr. has gotten there.

Marty Smith: His expert analysis says otherwise.

Ryan Smithson: Not trying to play Devil's Advocate here on purpose.

	Waltrip at Michigan Credit: Autostock

Marty Smith: Sure he needs a win, son. But not to keep his job.

Dave Rodman: Comparing Mikey to Jr. is not a valid comparison -- since Jr.'s employment does not depend, in any way shape or form -- on his performance.

Ryan Smithson: Thank you, Dave.

Marty Smith: Excellent point Dave.

Marty Smith: Why are you thanking him, Ryan. That has nothing to do with what you said.

Ryan Smithson: Sure it does. I said Waltrip's performance is not compared to Junior's, and shouldn't be. Waltrip needs a win to be safe, and Junior doesn't.

Tim Packman: He is struggling to find someone to side with him, Marty.

Dave Rodman: But -- in Jr.'s case he has proven he can win on a variety of race tracks -- so that makes a slump, or swale, or whatever he is in right now a lot more bearable.

Tim Packman: Mikey doesn't need a win to keep his job. Consistency was the one thing that team wanted this year, and they are starting to show signs of that.

	Dale Jr. has slipped from fifth to 16th in the standings since Talladega. Credit: Autostock

Ryan Smithson: I guess we will know soon enough.

Marty Smith: I'm not saying he will or will not keep his job, but I know that victory lane is not a determining factor. He could win at Daytona and wreck out of the next 15 races. Then what?

Marty Smith: At present, he's earned it. Hopefully that trend will continue.

Tim Packman: But, you're sometimes only as good as your last race.

Marty Smith: Was that line in Days of Thunder?

Tim Packman: No, Track Smack, June 26 issue.

Dave Rodman: Ouch -- that hurts, Marty.

So, final off week, eh?

Tim Packman: Yeah, here comes the grind that can tear a team down, emotionally and physically, and can take them out of contention. Then again, get on a good roll and it doesn't matter.

Marty Smith: Man, talk about suckin'. Twenty straight weeks on the road is brutal. Those boys better enjoy this weekend, drink a lotta cold beer and dine on some fine burger patties.

	Even the young crew members are gonna get tired. Credit: ASP

Dave Rodman: You know -- I almost wonder that off weeks almost don't register -- or if you don't make them mean something, they'll just go by and you're into another 20-race stretch.

Ryan Smithson: Well, I am sure the crews still have to spend a lot of time building a Daytona car, which takes longer anyway -- and testing. There are no real off-weeks. Well, perfecting Daytona car, not building. Obviously, it's already built.

Marty Smith: I feel for those truck drivers, man. They're about to log a boatload of mileage.

Dave Rodman: Hornaday told me today he was getting a lot more accomplished today swimming around the garage area than he would be lying out at the lake -- even though he wished he was at the lake -- he knew there was no replacing what he was doing in the race car, so there was no choice.

Tim Packman: Hornaday had a killer birthday party on Saturday.

Dave Rodman: I can believe that -- that is one hard-partying individual. He goes at every aspect 125 percent.

Marty Smith: I know those boys love racing, but it's got to get old having absolutely no down time. They work 12 hours a day, every day.

Ryan Smithson: I always think of the truck drivers when a driver misses a West Coast race -- like last week -- like what he thinks about on the way back.

Tim Packman: Ron lives life like every day is Saturday night.

Dave Rodman: Not a bad way to be -- given there are no guarantees you'll get to Sunday.

Tim Packman: Very true, Dave, very true. I just use the Irish excuse.

Marty Smith: Good words to live by, Dave. So are these: "He was a wise man who invented beer." - Plato

Dave Rodman: I prefer Plato Lite myself.

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