Track Smack: Dover

What role does a driver running his mouth after an accident play? Is it whining, venting, or what?

Dave Rodman: It's all part of it. The way the sport is set up, we -- the media, and by default the way our fans have been conditioned -- is to expect a response. Unfortunately, drivers don't have a chance to analyze, figure out or cool off when they're dumped, or when they crash.

Ryan Smithson: I think it might be a little bit of both. We aren't drivers -- can't pretend to be -- but Harvick said it best when he said that they are 100 times madder than a typical highway motorist. That is pretty freaking mad.

Lee Montgomery: So we're going to run our mouths about someone else running their mouth? Beautiful. It certainly isn't whining. I mean, this is just racing, but drivers are under a lot of pressure, and when they feel like they've been wronged, they are going to say something. And they should.

Marty Smith: I think it's simple human nature -- someone dumps you, it ticks you off. Not much different than balls and strikes, fouls or pass interference penalties. If you don't agree, you raise hell.

Lee Montgomery: Who cares if "we" expect it?

Ryan Smithson: After Kurt Busch's speech at Indy on live television in 2002, I figured it might be the death knoll towards that type of thing. I couldn't have been more wrong. Heck, they might be even more vocal now.

Marty Smith: Thing is, with all those cameras around, your disagreement can make you subject to scrutiny. Ask Harvick.

Lee Montgomery: No one is to blame for the drivers talking other than the drivers. And I think -- or hope -- that everyone understands what's said in the heat of the moment isn't necessarily what that person feels. Remember when Ward Burton said he'd shoot Dale Jr. if he had a shotgun? No one believes Ward would've done it.

Send a nice letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Dave Rodman: Now see how it goes, Lee? Ward said words to the effect he wished he had "something to shoot through the window." He never mentioned a gun -- but the interpretation was that, that was what he meant.

Lee Montgomery: But who believes Ward would shoot Junior?

Ryan Smithson: What was Ward gonna shoot, Dave? A crossbow?

Send a mean letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Marty Smith: Baseball players and football players don't have a camera directly in their faces or have to answer questions immediately. Our guys do. It's got to be very difficult to stay composed.

Dave Rodman: It's really too bad that it leaves you wide open to mis-interpretation and Monday morning quarterbacking. No one will ever agree with whatever you say. Heck, after an accident happens, if you ask six people about it you're sure to get seven opinions.

Lee Montgomery: Some guys manage that better than others, however.

	Jimmy Spencer won in Jason Leffler's truck, which is amazing. What made it more amazing was the fact that he was wearing Leffler's uniform.

Ryan Smithson: NASCAR's the best TV sport merely because of the fact that we see the athletes speak during the game.

Lee Montgomery: Personalities are different. That's what makes the world great.

Ryan Smithson: Rodman's got three personalities. I've had all three take me to lunch -- on the same day.

Marty Smith: That's a lot of lunches, bro.

Lee Montgomery: Anyone who says a driver is "whining" after he got wrecked is clueless. We have no idea how that feels.

Ryan Smithson: I'd whine too if I was running second and got dumped.

Marty Smith: I know this much, if those people who consider it whining got their Benz put in the wall on I-95, they'd have a cross word or two to say, too.

What is wrong with Jeff Gordon right now?

Ryan Smithson: Whatever it is, it's not qualifying. They sure fixed that problem.

	If you can't get a sponsor, join one. Credit: AP

Lee Montgomery: I don't know there's anything "wrong" with Gordon other than some bad luck, a costly mistake or two and poor timing. You can point to numbers all you want, but he's still fast on race days.

Ryan Smithson: Jeff really didn't qualify well all year last year, but this year, he's been awesome on Fridays. It's just not translating into laps led on Sunday. And that is where he really dominated from 1995-1998.

Lee Montgomery: Hasn't he led more laps than anybody this year?

Ryan Smithson: I figured Newman had.

Ryan Smithson: If Gordon has led more laps than anyone and only has one victory, then that would be something.

	Is my breath all right for the race? Credit: AP

Marty Smith: If it's about performance, I'd say it's nothing more than crappy luck. He was good at Bristol and got wrecked. He was good at Darlington, good at Richmond and dang near won Loudon. Wrong? You tell me.

Dave Rodman: The most troubling thing about the way they're running, overall -- or maybe finishing the deal -- is there seems to be something missing in the communication area.

Ryan Smithson: I used to think Gordon was going to win 8-9 championships. Now, with Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth, I don't have that thought much anymore.

Marty Smith: Boys, look. They're running up front everywhere. It's not like they're dogging it in 25th position all day.

	The many faces of Matt Kenseth.....

About 65 percent of the emails I get concerning the 24 team question Robbie Loomis' ability. Loomis is a great crew chief, regardless what any skeptics think.

Dave Rodman: Or concentration. The pit road accident -- if you listen to Chad Knaus explain it -- was part lack of preparation in knowing who was pitting around you -- and part lack of communication between Robbie and Jeff.

Marty Smith: I agree with Dave on this one, boys. I think he simply wasn't aware that Waltrip was pitting behind him. It's that simple.

Lee Montgomery: I do think there shouldn't be any attempts to pass on pit road. Maybe that's something NASCAR could look at, too.

Can anyone touch Ryan Newman at Dover?

Marty Smith: Yes. Jimmie sure as sugar can, if the hurricane holds off long enough to race.

Ryan Smithson: Isabel will surely slow him down a tad.

Lee Montgomery: Heck yeah. Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Gordon, etc etc etc. Only on Friday.

Ryan Smithson: I keep waiting for Stewart to come back and win 2-3 in a row, but it hasn't happened. Not even a sniff.

Lee Montgomery: I'd bet Newman could still get near the track record, even on rain tires.

Dave Rodman: Well, there you go. You don't need me for anything, it appears. I might have been sleeping, but it didn't seem to me that Ryan defended at New Hampshire, did he?

Marty Smith: Seven poles? Are you kidding me? Is he just that much more brave than everyone else?

Ryan Smithson: Rusty won all those poles in 2000, I think. So it's not unusual for Penske. Rusty won nine poles in 2000.

Dave Rodman: No question, Ryan is a tough nut to crack, anywhere, but everyone you guys mentioned can do it; and I'll tell you, Michael continues to impress me, and even Robby Gordon continues to be a force most places we're going.

Marty Smith: If you ask around the garage, most everyone will say Newman will take it deeper in the corner than anyone, so in this case it may be all driver. Given equal cars, anyway.

Lee Montgomery: If I had to pick a driver to start a team, I'd take Newman.

Marty Smith: I'd take Jeff Gordon.

Ryan Smithson: I'd rather have Kenseth, Lee.

Lee Montgomery: That's for another Smack, I suppose.

Track Smack appears every Wednesday on NASCAR.com at 11 a.m. ET sharp.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the participants.