Track Smack: The Rock

Who is going to finish second in the standings, and why?

Ryan Smithson: It's hard not to get excited about a Jimmie Johnson-Dale Jr. battle for second, because that is what it is. There is a ton of money at stake, and my Vegas cash -- literally -- is on Johnson. But only by a few points.

Lee Montgomery: Boy, why can't we talk about who's going to finish first? Much easier to say. I'd have to lean toward Johnson, based solely on recent performance. But it might be hard to unseat Earnhardt.

Dave Rodman: Before Phoenix I would have said Jeff Gordon. But given the progress Junior has made this season and the roll they're on, I will give it to him. That puts the pressure on, because I guess history shows they aren't too great at The Rock -- but I have faith.

Lee Montgomery: Let's not forget about Ryan Newman. He could very easily go 2-for-2 and finish with 10 victories.

Ryan Smithson: Yeah, but the way the points system is set up, Lee, he won't finish second as long as Johnson or Junior scores top-five finishes. He's got to fight three people, not one. Makes it 10 times harder.

Lee Montgomery: That's true, but the points system is fine, so let's not talk about that

Send a nice letter Ryan Dave Lee

Ryan Smithson: You know, that is another argument. The Busch title chase is so close, and they use the same system, it could have easily happened in the Cup Series. And if you throw out Kenseth, it did happen. What if 2-6 were 1-5?

Lee Montgomery: And the Trucks are close, too, so it's hard to blame the points.

Ryan Smithson: Sure, the trucks are close, but Gaughan's got it if he finishes fourth or better. In Busch, who the heck knows? Part of me thinks Hornaday is going to steal this one. Absolutely steal it.

Dave Rodman: Since he has earned the position he is in the point standings right now, what do you figure he's stealing? Since he would have to beat the guys he is racing.

Send a mean letter Ryan Dave Lee

Lee Montgomery: Makes Homestead very interesting, given that it's basically a new track. That'll be a nightmare for these guys.

Ryan Smithson: Hornaday would steal it because he's only got one win, and because he's simply been completing all the laps. Kind of like Kenseth, except Hornaday has not led the standings for 10 months.

Dave Rodman: Well, they're professionals, right. And with eight hours to test, using telemetry, I would like to think they could figure it out. It will be interesting to see how many championship-contending Cup teams enter Busch cars -- even if it's only to test the extra day.

Lee Montgomery: Have to agree with Rodman. I wouldn't call it stealing.

	I'm at the wrong press conference! Credit: AP

Ryan Smithson: I don't think it'll be a nightmare, Lee, bad choice of words, they'll have plenty of practice times, and they will know what car to bring.

Ryan Smithson: I mean stealing in a good way, you know? Like you steal a golf match. Roar back with birdies on the last two holes.

Lee Montgomery: Given the choice between a new track and an old one, I think they'd take the old one.

Dave Rodman: He has run just as well, within the system, as anyone else in the top five has done. To imply that they would not be worthy champions is just like some cave person saying Kenseth would not be a worthy champion. That is a bunch of crap.

Ryan Smithson: Stealing is good in sports when you emerge as the winner. Makes victory sweeter.

Lee Montgomery: Try your thesaurus again.

Who do you think will end up in the No. 30?

Ryan Smithson: This is one of those chain-reaction deals. The bad thing about Silly Season is that people wait around for people to make a move. It delays the process months. Like the whole Rudd retirement thing last year.

Lee Montgomery: A better question is, does Richard Childress know who's going to end up in the 30?

	Robby Gordon Credit: Autostock

Ryan Smithson: I don't think he does, Lee. He says he hopes to make an announcement at Homestead. 1. He hopes. 2. That's a long way away.

Lee Montgomery: He might know who he wants, but he wanted to make an announcement in the middle of October, too. Heck, I wonder if Park will stay.

Ryan Smithson: Great, Lee, you just opened yourself up to 1,000 emails. Real smart, buddy.

Lee Montgomery: Well, if RC can't get anybody else, he does have a driver now.

Dave Rodman: I really don't think Steve would stay there. I had a session with some of his crewmen at Atlanta and their lack of support for him -- in an open public forum -- was absolutely shocking.

Lee Montgomery: Ain't gonna happen, though. That was sarcasm.

Dave Rodman: I still think John Andretti is a possibility, though John seemed to have very little confidence in anything being too positive.

Ryan Smithson: I wonder why he didn't offer it to Johnny Sauter before he bailed to go to Brewco?

Dave Rodman: Johnny himself said he was not ready for Winston Cup. That was a pretty sage assessment on his part. I think he will do himself a world of good spending a season at Brewco in a top-notch, sponsored situation.

Ryan Smithson: Well, it's not Biffle, as much as people like to report otherwise.

Lee Montgomery: So how many drivers has RC gone after? Burton? Mayfield? Biffle?

Ryan Smithson: Both Burtons, I reckon Lee.

Dave Rodman: His driver choice could be a real surprise, but we'd have to step way out of the box to put a fix on it. AOL is dictating pretty heavy who it will be, both in terms of who they want in their colors and with the fact that the deal is only for one additional season. Tough to get a driver to commit on those terms. Even though it is RCR.

Lee Montgomery: You'd think drivers would want to be with Richard Childress. Why do you think they're turning it down?

	"Drivers, start your engines! Drivers?!"

Ryan Smithson: Lee, good question. Why do drivers usually reject offers? 1. Autonomy. 2. Pay.

Dave Rodman: 3. Contractual guarantees.

Ryan Smithson: Keep going, y'all.

Dave Rodman: 4. Technical support and competitiveness

Lee Montgomery: 4. Poor past performance

Lee Montgomery: or 5.

Ryan Smithson: That's the thing, though, Lee, RCR's one of the best teams this year.

Lee Montgomery: Exactly.

Dave Rodman: They have not found the combination with the 30 though -- just as DEI has not found it with the 1.

Lee Montgomery: So it has to be something else.

Ryan Smithson: I mean, look at Jeff Burton, he could have counted on an RCR car staying together for all 500 miles. He's had four blown motors this year.

Lee Montgomery: Note to fans: That was Rodman who said that about the 30, not me.

Dave Rodman: The truth hurts. Bring it on.

Who's going to win at Rockingham?

Lee Montgomery: Larry Foyt. He's on a roll now.

Ryan Smithson: Bobby Labonte.

Ryan Smithson: Now, before you guys rip Lee, what lee said about Larry Foyt was actually a hidden compliment that he did OK at Phoenix.

Dave Rodman: Bobby Hamilton.

Ryan Smithson: But apparently Rodman's stuck in 1997, and is unaware that Bobby Hamilton is not driving for Petty Enterprises anymore. Even if Bobby Hamilton was driving for Petty Enterprises, it's not likely anyone would be picking him.

Lee Montgomery: OK, so not Foyt.

Lee Montgomery: Why not Junior?

Dave Rodman: Whoops. Old School memories, sorry. Matt Kenseth's wish finally comes true. He wins and claims $350,000 Winston Leader Bonus -- makes my life easy at Homestead by clinching championship in style.

	The title chase this year has been a real snoozer.

Lee Montgomery: Yeah that's my pick. Junior.

Ryan Smithson: Junior Foyt or Dale Jr.?

Lee Montgomery: Or maybe Tony Stewart.

Ryan Smithson: Rodman, why are you so bleeping obsessed with the Winston Leader Bonus? Enough already. You include it in By the Numbers every dad-blamed week.

Lee Montgomery: Can I make one more pick? Nah, I'll stick with three.

Dave Rodman: It's a number that is certainly appropriate to include every additional week that it isn't claimed. I haven't mentioned it here probably in 52 weeks.

Lee Montgomery: When's Marty getting back?

Ryan Smithson: People demand Marty.

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

The opinions -- if you can call them that -- are solely those of the participants.