Pull my finger, dude. Credit: AP
October 15, 2003
11:46 AM EDT (1546 GMT)
Give us some predictions for Silly Season.
Lee Montgomery: Kyle Petty to the No. 1, Marty Smith to the No. 45, Sammy Sosa to the No. 30, George W. Bush to the ... OK, predicting this stuff is like predicting who will win each week. We can give some educated guesses, but sometimes stuff happens that can't be explained. And that's what's happening now.
Ryan Smithson: Well, you have to start with the best available seat, and again, it's the No. 30 Chevrolet. I have no idea who will drive it. I am going to guess Mayfield, and if that happens, that will set off a huge chain reaction of changes.
Marty Smith: Scott Riggs to the Valvoline Pontiac. Jeremy Mayfield to the No. 30 AOL Chevrolet. VISA signs on to sponsor the No. 1 DEI Chevrolet or No. 99 Ford. I haven't been able to sniff that one out yet.
Dave Rodman: John Andretti to the 30 and that's about it for silliness. There's been enough ridiculous stuff going on already. I think most everything is already played out. Lee, you're right -- certainly some of the wild cards right now concern the Busch Series sponsor holes.
Ryan Smithson: I know people are shocked that Riggs will probably wind up at MBV, but let's face it -- he's out of time. He's got to find a ride now, and he can pay his dues at MBV and then move to a powerhouse.
Marty Smith: You're right, Smithson. Scotty's 32 years old. He needs assurance that he's going to have backing and be on the racetrack. At his age, it's hard to bank on a sponsorless car -- no matter how stout -- on the assumption they'd run it out of pocket for a year.
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Ryan Smithson: Marty, that is when DEI needs to step up and commit to the driver to run the car white for a certain period of time.
Marty Smith: I'm sure they could have had Riggs. He's a great fit there.
Ryan Smithson: He's a great fit anywhere.
Marty Smith: Not at Buckshot Racing.
Lee Montgomery: It's weird. Usually by this point in the season, we know all the driver lineups for next year. But that's changed. I blame it on the economy. Teams can't do anything without sponsor involvement. And when you don't have a sponsor, like the 1 car, well, you don't do anything.
Ryan Smithson: No one -- and I mean no one -- has mentioned Steve Park yet. And he has two Bud Poles this year.
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Marty Smith: Well, DEI is in a serious Catch-22 with the 1 car. No sponsor will commit until they know who the driver is, and no driver will commit until they know they'll be backed with sponsorship. It's got to be exhausting for those guys over there. That's a great racecar, and guys are forced to say thanks, but no thanks.
Lee Montgomery: Forget about the Busch Series for a second. There are three or four top cars next year that don't have drivers yet. That's just strange.
Dave Rodman: Hmmm. Great? For better or worse since Steve got hurt in 2001 that car has been the weak sister over at DEI. Potentially great, I guess you could say, and in this day and time that's kind of a stretch.
Lee Montgomery: You simply don't get a big-time sponsor on short notice anymore. If you haven't been talking to big companies by now, you can forget it. Takes too long to sign one. That happens these days. Sometimes drivers just get shuffled out of the picture.
Ryan Smithson: If I were Park, the first thing I'd do is ask Childress if I could share the No. 21 Busch car with Harvick in 2004. I am sure Childress probably is already grooming a young kid for the ride though. As well he should.
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| Imitation is the highest form of flattery, Here, Kurt Busch (above) tries to copy Steve Park (below) |
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Marty Smith: Steve Park can still drive, boys. He just needs a year in a pressure-free situation to regain the adoration for the sport. He's been under pressure since the day he returned. That can't help anything.
Ryan Smithson: He needs to call Jim Smith and get the No. 2 truck ride. That would mean swallowing a lot of pride though.
Dave Rodman: I think Andy Houston is pretty solid in that 2 truck -- and well he should be.
Lee Montgomery: Every driver is under pressure these days. You got to perform, or else.
Marty Smith: Not like Park is, though, Lee.
Lee Montgomery: He's under less pressure than when he first came back. Still, doesn't matter. You have to perform.
Marty Smith: Park was in the 1 and the 30, two very high profile rides. And he was already under the microscope after being injured.
Ryan Smithson: Park is like a late-inning defensive replacement. If he does his job, well, he's supposed to. But if he slips up, the whole world comes down on him.
Lee Montgomery: Somehow the pressure is the media's fault, too.
Dave Rodman: Getting a commitment for the full term of a contract would go a long way toward easing some of that pressure that -- you're right -- is always there. But with the pressure chain starting with sponsors and going right about down to the floor sweeper, that's pretty tough to do, or to get.
Lee Montgomery: I say that's ridiculous. Sponsor and car owners are the ones who put the pressure on. Don't blame the media. If Park wants to talk about pressure, point to the car owners and sponsors.
Pick the 2003 Busch Series champion. Justify your pick.
Lee Montgomery: Mark Prior. Cubs win! Oh, wait. Sorry about that.
Ryan Smithson: I think David Green is smiling now that Vickers will be driving in the Cup Series also. I wonder if that will add pressure to his Saturday game and give Green an advantage.
Lee Montgomery: Here we go with the pressure thing again. I'm going to pick Vickers, based purely on performance. Vickers has simply run better than anyone the last couple of months, and personally I think the Winston Cup ride will help him as a driver.
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| We've seen a disturbing increase in the number of Kevin Harvick-chatting-with-Mike Bliss photos. |
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Marty Smith: David Green. He's been all over the place in the past decade. He's been a Busch champion, lost rides, been in and out of Cup, was unemployed last year before taking over for Ricky Hendrick. I think he's the guy. Plus, it'll be nice to see someone actually defend the Busch title, for once.
Dave Rodman: David Green will use his veteran's savvy and Clarence Brewer's commitment to prevail in a very narrow race -- as close as it is now and maybe even closer.
Marty Smith: Vickers is an awesome talent, no doubt. Great kid, too. He'd be a great champion, but I just feel like David's the guy. Scotty's not out of this deal yet, though, either.
Dave Rodman: Looking ahead to next year I think Brewco has an opportunity to become what ppc Racing was for the last few years in the Busch Series -- a two-headed juggernaut now that they've signed Johnny Sauter and Kleenex.
Ryan Smithson: I am not sure about Vickers, Lee. He's wadded up some cars. Granted, not his fault.
Lee Montgomery: That makes no sense Ryan.
Marty Smith: I was wondering if I was the only one who thought that, Lee.
Ryan Smithson: OK, I'll try harder. I think Green is more consistent. Knows how to points race.
Lee Montgomery: Green wadded up a car at Dover, too, if you use that logic.
Marty Smith: Green wadded one up at Richmond, too.
Lee Montgomery: That argument holds more water, Ryan. But I'm sticking with Vickers.
Marty Smith: It's inevitable, the nature of the game. See: Matt Kenseth.
Dave Rodman: Brian has come a long, long way since that debacle at Texas and David is right to be concerned about him and his Hendrick resources. But I think in the end the intangibles will win it for DG.
Ryan Smithson: I'll say one thing though, I picked Hornaday before the year, and he's not really been up there all year.
Lee Montgomery: He's been the Rusty Wallace of the Busch Series. Runs well early, then disappears.
Marty Smith: I assumed the same, Smithson. You just figure that Ron Hornaday in championship equipment is a lock. Not so.
Ryan Smithson: Watch him now. He'll probably win this weekend now that I say that.
Lee Montgomery: Just goes to show you what predictions are. Kind of like, uh, opinions.
Marty Smith: Memphis? Sure.
Who will win Martinsville?
Lee Montgomery: See above statement.
Dave Rodman: Tony Stewart squeaks through melee with Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick. Knocks Rusty Wallace out of his way with less than 10 to go and wins his second consecutive race.
Ryan Smithson: I am going to say Dale Jarrett. Call me nuts. Maybe they can hit on the right setup.
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| The sad news -- he still qualified via provisional |
Marty Smith: Bobby Labonte. He has the best average finish on short tracks this year and has tallied the most points, overall, at short tracks this year.
Lee Montgomery: Busch won there last year, but he's been horrible lately. Labonte almost won in the spring, but he's not been that great lately, either. Gordon did win in the spring, but I don't see a repeat.
Dave Rodman: I would like to say DJ and even did pick him a couple weeks in a row a while back -- but I think they are in a serious rebuild mode for 2004 and probably won't challenge. Though they certainly could if they get everything lined up on a given weekend.
Lee Montgomery: I should say Stewart. Or Newman.
Dave Rodman: Dark horse -- Terry Labonte.
Lee Montgomery: But I'm going to say Kenseth. Kind of the prove the critics wrong or whatever. Maybe it's just that I don't care who wins.
Ryan Smithson: Y'all called me crazy when I said Gordon would finish the season with one win.
Ryan Smithson: Only four more to go.
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| A Track Smack tradition -- exposing the cowboy hat worn in Victory Lane by the Texas winner |
Lee Montgomery: You're crazy whether Gordon wins one or 100.
Marty Smith: Gordon will win again, Smithson. It's not like he's been doggin' it, man. He's running up front, just hasn't closed the deal.
Ryan Smithson: Hey Marty. You said in Smack back in January that you'd due your hair blue if a Ford won the title.
Ryan Smithson: Hey Lee, know any good stores that sell dye?
Marty Smith: Yep, several fans have reminded me of that.
Marty Smith: I'll do it. I gave my word.
Ryan Smithson: That is going to look awesome.
Marty Smith: It's just hair. Who cares?
Lee Montgomery: I'm sure he can find some where he gets his hair gel.
Marty Smith: At least I have hair, boys.
 | Marty's hair will be blue | | | Again, Smith, you are full of (bleep). Watch a Ford driver win the championship. Watch the Ford drivers dominate the top 10. Martin will be in the top three again. You are such a people-pleasing (bleep)-head. |
| | Marty: Not too sure about the pleasing part. He sure doesn't seem very joyous to me. Great analysis, though, chief. I only picked three Fords to finish in the top 10. Hence, the blue oval brigade is livid, so much so that this guy's e-mail actually teetered on the brink of kind. |
| | In fact, he even took the time to e-mail me an apology for his harshness. He certainly didn't have to do that, but it was nice, nonetheless. |
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Lee Montgomery: The question is: what shade of blue?
Lee Montgomery: Petty blue?
Dave Rodman: Put some silver highlights in there a la Mark Martin -- you are solid.
Lee Montgomery: Cubs blue?
Ryan Smithson: I vote for Petty blue.
Lee Montgomery: Carolina blue? (yuck)
Marty Smith: Hey. I say we have fun with it. We'll do a homepage poll. What color should Marty dye his hair to fulfill his promise?
Ryan Smithson: I think I can make that happen.
Marty Smith: 1. Petty Blue
Marty Smith: 2. Royal Blue
Marty Smith: 3. Carolina Blue
Ryan Smithson: When he clinches, we'll do it.
Marty Smith: 4. Navy Blue.
Lee Montgomery: To those who don't know, Carolina blue is a ... I'll be nice ... Carolina blue is Sky Blue.
Marty Smith: I'll hold up my end of the deal. Fear not, folks. I bet I've gotten 1,000 emails about that. Fans hate me. I love it.
Track Smack appears every Wednesday on NASCAR.com at 11 a.m. ET sharp.
The opinions listed here are solely those of the participants.
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