Track Smack: The Glen

Kurt Busch and Jimmy Spencer: Round 3

Tim Packman: Talk about the heavyweight vs. the bantamweight in this one. But, everyone is equal behind the wheel of a 3,500-lb. car, I guess -- although, I think Busch is the heavyweight in the mouth department. He's been fined and penalized for his verbal actions already.

Dave Rodman: Kurt needs to learn a little respect. He's lucky he raced in the Truck Series and not the Busch Series, where he would have had to deal with Randy LaJoie -- that would have taught him a thing or two. He forgets that Spencer has twice as many touring championships as he does, twice as many Winston Cup wins, and if you equate the Busch Series with the Craftsman Truck Series -- which you can't -- a heckuva lot more wins at that level, too.

Ryan Smithson: Well, for Kurt Busch's sake, let's hope this one does not go 15 rounds. I really didn't think Busch's bump at Bristol was that bad -- I mean, that's what you do at Bristol -- and Busch bumped at 100 mph, not 200 mph. Busch could have been hurt pretty bad.

Dave Rodman: He is pretty naive if he did not think he'd get one back for body slamming Spencer at Bristol. If you're gonna live by the sword you're gonna get some cuts -- and the time of choosing is not yours. By choosing to be disrespectful, Busch has made his bed -- now he needs to lie in it.

Marty Smith: That's two-fold for me, Ryan. Spencer shouldn't have hit him -- that accident could have had a far worse outcome. You just don't punt somebody at 185 mph. Spencer says Busch's car fell off the pace, and that's why he hit him. Busch, though, learned a lesson. NASCAR is growing tired of his mouth.

Tim Packman: Some fans are too, I bet. Those souvenir sales slipping can be more costly than any fine NASCAR hands out.

Ryan Smithson: I don't know. I am of the opinion that the fans probably appreciate Busch's bold statements.

Rodman's Word of the Week Ostensibly (adverb) To all outward appearances. Like Kurt Busch showing his backside to millions of people.

Dave Rodman: Well, like I said, he better get some horsepower before he runs his mouth too much. At the wannabe stage he is at, he has very little grounds to call someone a never-was. We're not talking potential, cause he's got a bunch -- but at this point he's screwed up more than he's delivered, so...

Marty Smith: I thought what Kurt said was hysterical, but a bit uncalled for.

Ryan Smithson: I know one thing -- that one hit will cause Busch to finish 10th in points instead of fourth. Talk about a momentum-killer. That hit will end up costing Busch a half-million bucks in Winston money at the end.

	Kurt Busch was fined $10,000 for his comments after The Winston in May. No, not the part where he thanked his sponsors. Credit: Autostock

Marty Smith: True, Ryan. He dropped five slots in the points. And hell, he was a threat Sunday. He was flying when he wrecked.

Marty Smith: You don't go calling veterans "has-beens" on your 24th birthday.

Tim Packman: He hasn't been in the series long enough to get away with making comments like that. Yes, Marty, a bit uncalled for would be a good way to put it.

Dave Rodman: What would be called for is NASCAR to tell those boys, "The next one who goes out of his way to hit the other is gonna be a few points lighter in the standings, so think about it..."

Ryan Smithson: Yeah, Marty, I am telling you, we'll find out in New York how much money he actually lost. Like when Earnhardt took out Hamilton at The Rock in 1996 -- Pontiac figured it cost them $500,000 in direct losses.

	What did i forget to bring? I know I forgot something......Credit: Autostock

Ryan Smithson: I am surprised Busch is still very vocal despite the NASCAR fine, the published account of how Roush got mad at him when he sounded off on the engines, etc.

Dave Rodman: These young snot-bags are self-centered to a fault. It's all "me," with no regard for what their actions mean to their teams' fortunes.

Marty Smith: Busch amazes me. He's a phenomenal talent, but he's got to lose the idea that nothing's his fault. He did, after all, admittedly spin Robby Gordon out in The Winston to get a caution -- at 160 mph.

Tim Packman: Yeah, and he thought that was cute. It cost him then.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, that kind of deflates my argument, I guess. OK, I am defeated. I tried, Kurt. But the evidence was just too great. Go on to The Glen and hope Spencer fails to qualify. Which could happen -- he has no owner points this week.

Tim Packman: The Glen offers many options for one to "bump" another one on that track.

Ryan Smithson: So what happens if a road course specialist bumps you off? Do you go in camera and call them a "never-was?"

Tim Packman: No, he's a wanna-be Winston Cup driver if that happens.

Marty Smith: I like the kid, really do. I think he's super intelligent and well-spoken. I just wish he could corral that mouth sometimes. It's like my dad says: "Don't let your alligator mouth overrun your hummingbird ass."

Ryan Smithson: I hear y'all like to feed the hummingbirds there in Virginia, Marty.

Tim Packman: Feed them to what?

Ryan Smithson: Dogs, probably.

Marty Smith: Love it. That red juice in that funny-looking hanging basket deal. My momma loved those things.

	Welcome to Marty's yard. Credit: AP

Ryan Smithson: My dad sells those.

Tim Packman: Mine shoots them. Or, the bird.

Marty Smith: I'll give your dad a call.

Ryan Smithson: Your dad shoots them to watch the nectar explode? Take that, you decrepit has-been feeder!

Tim Packman: You wanna-be bird lover, you.

Marty Smith: Decrepit nectar. I like both of those words.

Ryan Smithson: They actually used the word "shunt" during the Truck race broadcast the other night. I about died.

Dave Rodman: What, was David Hobbs doing a special guest commentary appearance?

Marty Smith: By the way, my ant issue has been resolved. Many thanks to those of you who emailed me remedies.

Tim Packman: I actually had to look up how to spell has-been, never-was and decrepit. You just don't hear those everyday out of a driver's mouth.

Marty Smith: See, I told you Busch was intelligent. Interesting that a journalist has to look up words used by a driver.

	A picture? Sure! I'll be right there. Credit: Autostock

Tim Packman: For once.

Tony Stewart and Media Member: Round Whatever

Dave Rodman: Well, it seems to me I took up this issue last year. The only difference is, since this is Stewart's first offense this season and he's been relatively sedate -- I can't advocate suspending him at this point. But that's just because NASCAR did not put him on lifetime probation last season for any future personnel problems.

Marty Smith: A cute little girl on my airplane asked that we discuss that issue this week. She'll be elated.

Ryan Smithson: If that photographer snapped a photo of Stewart, I want to see it.

Dave Rodman: A buddy of mine today said it best: "He's a boy in a man's world." Great driver but an infantile personality.

You want to talk about public records? Gary Mook had every right to be wherever he was when Stewart returned to the garage, and Tony better get over that in a hurry.

Tim Packman: It was probably the Kodak moment heard around the world after the race.

Tim Packman: I didn't see what happened, so I can't speculate because there are varied versions. But, the bottom line is that he struck someone.

Marty Smith: I hate it for Tony -- he can't escape controversy. I can see both sides...if I'm Tony, I don't want some guy's camera in my face as I get out of the car. Give him some space. Let him cool down a bit. Tony wanted no part of it, took off running to get away. Still yet, you never hit somebody.

I don't care how hard it is, you've got to be a bigger man than that.

Dave Rodman: Marty, he creates virtually every bit of his own "controversies." Dealing with the media is an intrinsic part of what Winston Cup drivers do. If he doesn't want to participate, he needs to go back to driving Midgets.

Ryan Smithson: Stewart needs to go CART racing if he wants to avoid media exposure.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, I remember one time you told me you'd be punching people, too, if you'd been sucking carbon monoxide for four hours, and that has stuck with me.

EMAIL Ryan Marty Dave Tim

Marty Smith: True, Ryan. But I still think when you're a star, you've got to prepare yourself for the mob session.

Marty Smith: I was discussing this with a colleague after the race, and he was saying how football players are so chill after games. I said, "yeah, football players get a 20-minute cool down period before the locker room ever opens, too. Our guys are immediately attacked by cameras and tape recorders."

I can see how it could happen, though, certainly.

Ryan Smithson: There has got to be a solution somewhere. Then again, a guy like Ricky Rudd is loved by the media because he's always so giving, even after getting punted to go from 1st to 41st.

Tim Packman: Jeff Gordon has been pretty good with the media in almost all situations. Rusty Wallace has learned to put on the TV smile when the camera comes his way, too. It's all part of the game.

Ryan Smithson: I know what Tony did was wrong, but I admire Stewart's drive.

Dave Rodman: There wasn't too much to admire last weekend -- if Tony quit, two races in a row, as I was led to believe by some people who were there. He owes it to his team and his owner to drive his rump off every lap -- not to just give up because his car is not handling as perfectly as he'd like it to.

	Marty's hood in Virginia. Note lack of large buildings. Credit: AP

Tim Packman: Tony is a racer's racer -- plain and simple.

Ryan Smithson: Wallace was hilarious at Richmond last year. Yelling at Gordon, when he was interviewed one-on-one, he was as nice as can be. But, as you guys pointed out, he had a cooling-off period.

Marty Smith: There's a huge difference between 15 minutes after the fact and immediately after the fact. Having time to collect yourself makes all the difference in the world, what ends up in the paper.

Ryan Smithson: No one will remember what's in the papers six months from now.

Tim Packman: You would, if it was your name.

Dave Rodman: Might be Joe Gibbs firing Tony Stewart, if him and Zippy get sick of explaining away his childish antics, his tantrums and the quits. They're kinda in the tough spot Ty Norris allegedly was earlier this season, if he really said he did not want to risk releasing Steve Park only to have him come back and kick their asses. Unless he makes a tremendous personal growth, I don't ever see Stewart winning a Winston Cup title.

Ryan Smithson: Kato who?

Tim Packman: Kalin.

Ryan Smithson: I hope E does a True Hollywood story on Stewart soon. That would rule.

Marty Smith: I like E! Hot chicks everywhere.

	Going for 30 Credit: Autostock

Tim Packman: Man, they have some babes on there, don't they?

Marty Smith: My Lord, do they ever. That chick Brooke Burke is finer'n frog hair.

Ryan Smithson: I noticed no NASCAR drivers made their Hot Bodies list. No crew chiefs either.

Tim Packman: Tough to tell with those fire suits on all the time.

Marty Smith: Fire suits are slimming.

	If my telemetry box starts smoking......Credit: Autostock

Tim Packman: Hmm, maybe I should start wearing one?

Marty Smith: Great call, Packy. We'll have to get you one of those brother.

Ryan Smithson: I am sure you could. It don't take much to enter a Winston Cup event nowadays.

Tim Packman: Just don't make me look like one of those Power Ranger Reporter guys. I would love to enter a Truck race, start in the back and see how I did. That would be an interesting story, for sure.

Marty Smith: We'll get you a sweet one, man. All white, like those IROC ones.

Predictions for Watkins Glen?

Marty Smith: Go ahead, Ryan. Pick Gordon.

Dave Rodman: I am not shy about picking Gordon. Shoot, either him, Rusty Wallace or Dale Jarrett.

	Yao Ming is not expected to be contacted regarding the open seat at A.J. Foyt Racing.

Ryan Smithson: Jeff Gordon will break his losing streak this weekend. The much-hyped jinx continues.

Marty Smith: Knew it.

Ryan Smithson: I get so many emails about that.

Tim Packman: Man, that is getting tougher and tougher because so many guys are now practicing for the road courses more than they used to a few years ago.

Ryan Smithson: Enraged Gordon fans, Elated Gordon-haters.

Marty Smith: Gordon will be tough, no doubt. He has Sears Point in the bag before he broke. Nadeau was impressive, too. That's my guy, Nadeau.

Ryan Smithson: Gutsy call.

Tim Packman: I'm going with Gordon, too. But not Jeff, time for Robby to redeem the TV box blowup from last year and win The Glen.

Tim Packman: That's not all that gutsy on your part, Marty. Jerry can wheel them road courses.

Marty Smith: He's a shoe, I think. He's done very well. He was great at New Hampshire in the 10.

Dave Rodman: Only thing is, Jerry always manages to do himself in, somehow.

Ryan Smithson: He's very short.

Tim Packman: Oh, and you're very tall, Ryan?

Ryan Smithson: Compared to him, I am Manute Bol.

Marty Smith: Naw dude. This is the day of Yao Ming. Bol is old school.

Tim Packman: Well, you're not driving a race car --- just talking about those that do.

Ryan Smithson: I never said Manute Bol was a good race car driver. Sudan simply does not put out a lot of good drivers.

Tim Packman: Are those basketball guys? When the Braves left Buffalo, so did my interest in basketball.

Marty Smith: Bol would have to drive a Caddy limo. Those don't corner well, either. He'd be like that dude in Police Academy that had to tear out the back seat just to fit in the car. Bubba Smith? Was that his name?

Tim Packman: Bubba Smith it was.

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