Track Smack: Darlington

How would you rate Steve Park's progress one year after his return to racing?

Ryan Smithson: He's so much better than he was when he returned. He looks a lot of more comfortable. A lot of people said the pit incident at Atlanta was not his fault, so give him the benefit of the doubt.

Marty Smith: I'd give him a C. He's shown brief flashes that he can get it done, what with finishing in the top 10 at Indy last year and Vegas this year. But he's also been cited at times for careless driving. He still has improving to do, but anyone who says he deserves to lose the ride is impatient at best.

Lee Montgomery: Park is a little bit like Tony Stewart was last year. He's kind of a marked man. Every incident he's in, he's going to get the blame. Is it fair? Probably not. How can he avoid it? For one, stop making mistakes. But wait, there isn't anyone who doesn't make mistakes.

Dave Rodman: Yeah, he is in a gaggle of drivers and teams that are struggling to find consistency. Can he get it done? No question. But they just need to string some decent runs capped by decent finishes together to get the vultures away.

Ryan Smithson: I think Park can win a race this year. Easily. But he won't be in the top 15 every week.

Lee Montgomery: Let's face facts: He caused the Jarrett wreck at Las Vegas. But Mike Skinner caused a wreck, too.

Send Hate Mail Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Ryan Smithson: I think Park needs to get permission to run some more Busch races. It would help his confidence a great deal and it'll improve his Winston Cup car. Busch racing sidelined him, and Busch racing can get him back.

Dave Rodman: I don't how much of that is permission and how much of it is having a decent car to race. I dare say Steven would love to do some more Busch races.

Marty Smith: What people too quickly forget is how seriously he was injured. He was in jeopardy of never driving again, guys. And to come back and run upfront with confidence is truly remarkable. Many guys couldn't have recovered from that.

	You're getting sleepy. Very sleepy. Credit: AP

Marty Smith: He was great at Vegas in Junior's Busch ride.

Lee Montgomery: Just keep him out of the 31 car.

Ryan Smithson: Well, the 31 car in the Busch Series is not going to run up front every Saturday.

Marty Smith: As I recall it was pretty good when Steve drove it before he got hurt, Smithson.

Ryan Smithson: Sure, Marty. It was good, but it didn't win.

Marty Smith: Did you say 'win?' No, you said run up front.

Ryan Smithson: Well, the 31 car in the Busch Series is not going to have a chance to win every Saturday.

Ryan Smithson: Don't make me pull his Busch stats from 2001, MartDawg.

Marty Smith: I'm surprised you haven't already.

	Bill Elliott personally waves to the 11 people in the stands. Credit: AP

Lee Montgomery: Park can answer all these lingering questions easily. Win. That, and stop running into people.

Marty Smith: How come I'm the only one who had the guts to offer a grade? Come on, wusses.

Lee Montgomery: Maybe we all agreed. Based on numbers alone, D.

Ryan Smithson: I agree with your C, Marty. Very average.

Marty Smith: Fair enough.

Is Bobby Labonte a championship contender again?

Ryan Smithson: No, but he's back to his late 1990s form, when he was a solid top-five car in the series. He'll finish about fifth in the standings this year. But title? That's tough.

Lee Montgomery: What crystal ball are you looking into, Ryan? None of us really knows. I'd have to say he's got to be considered a contender, at least at this point.

	This lovely trophy is now available on eBay. Credit: AP

Marty Smith: That's simply a stupid question. The answer is undoubtedly a resounding yes. And you're dead wrong, Smithson. The 18 is the real deal, Holyfield.

Lee Montgomery: We wondered last week whether Michael Waltrip was a title contender. Now, we ask about Labonte. Maybe it's too early in the year. But he obviously is a lot better than last year.

Marty Smith: That's somewhat apples and oranges, Lee. We know Bobby can win anywhere. We don't know that about the 15.

Ryan Smithson: I don't think Bobby will be in the title hunt in November, Marty. But he'll be 200 points out, which is still fifth. Bobby's going to want that awful Daytona 500 finish back. If not for that, he'd be leading now.

Marty Smith: Daytona wasn't his fault, Smithson. Schrader came flying out of nowhere.

Dave Rodman: Sheesh! You even have to ask the question? Look at his performance just about everywhere we've been. They are an item and they will be contenders to the end because Bobby and Jimmy Makar did it once and -- not that Fatback will get off track -- but they will keep it pointed in the right direction.

	Two-legged duck Credit: AP

Marty Smith: I think the restructuring over there was timely and quite important. Fatback and Bobby are a stellar tandem.

Ryan Smithson: Fatback's always been a good crew chief.

Marty Smith: Is he a title contender, though? Come on, man. Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle?

Dave Rodman: Only in Virginia.

Ryan Smithson: I have never seen a one-legged duck.

Lee Montgomery: It might be difficult for someone else, but not for a guy who has gone through a championship run.

Dave Rodman: Everyone knew there were here Speedweeks -- and nothing they've done since shows that they hung their heads in the least.

	Who said it didn't rain at Atlanta? Credit: AP

Marty Smith: Well, we all know Bobby hasn't lost it. He put on a clinic Sunday. Well, Gordon schooled him on restarts, but that final pass for the lead was masterful.

Ryan Smithson: Bobby's Achilles Heel has always been the short tracks, so when Bristol comes, we'll know a lot about more the 18 program.

Marty Smith: Smithson, he won Martinsville last year, man.

Lee Montgomery: Amen.

Ryan Smithson: Sure, for the first time in his career.

Marty Smith: Uh, is it me, or does that scream improvement?

Ryan Smithson: He was hardly improvement last year, Marty.

Lee Montgomery: And Labonte might be the most underrated driver out there. When people talk about talented drivers, his name rarely comes up for some reason.

	Still cheaper than a hot dog at a racetrack. Credit: AP

Ryan Smithson: His pass of Earnhardt Jr. at Pocono in 2001 was sheer guts.

Marty Smith: That was some serious game, right there, Smithson.

Dave Rodman: He had Junior shaking his head again at Atlanta on Sunday.

Ryan Smithson: That was amazing. We lost our satellite feed and listened to it on MRN. When the turn announcer said, "18 passes Junior on the outside of the Tunnel Turn," I didn't believe him until we saw the replay.

Who will win the season's fifth race?

Lee Montgomery: Hey, wait, wasn't it me who picked Labonte last week? Easy choice, yes, but give it up. And I'm gonna ride the horse again this week.

Dave Rodman: If you did, you picked him right after me.

Marty Smith: No. It was everyone but me.

	Hooters Air started last week. All of a sudden, everyone wants to work for Brett Bodine. Credit: AP

Ryan Smithson: I picked Labonte; Marty picked Nadeau. What was he thinking?

Marty Smith: I was thinking that I hate your little "let's always pick the easy answer" bandwagon.

Ryan Smithson: I think Dale Jarrett becomes the first two-time winner. Yeah, and I admire that Marty, but I don't want you to start picking Larry Foyt.

Marty Smith: Somebody's got to go out on a limb. And for the record, I got called an idiot about 1,000 times for picking Nadeau. At least the Army has my back.

Dave Rodman: Dude, get your mail screened. Anyone who would call you an idiot for picking Jerry at Atlanta might be borderline committable.

Ryan Smithson: I am glad the French military ain't got my back.

Dave Rodman: I am gonna get right on the verge of being like a Packman-and-Rusty syndrome, but I will go with Jeff Gordon as my Darlington choice.

Marty Smith: Darlington. I'm going with the 24. It's only appropriate, since Nelly will be in the house for the weekend.

Ryan Smithson: Hope he doesn't parachute in.

Lee Montgomery: I'm not touching that one again.

Track Smack appears every Wednesday on NASCAR.com.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the participants.