(dis)believe the dialogue: Weekly news in review

Ah, restrictor plate racing. Expect the unexpected, I suppose -- Greg Biffle and Roush Racing take the Pepsi 400 hardware home instead of DEI or RCR, and two Petty Enterprise cars just plain go home.

Over the next 19 weeks of racing, many more unexpected events are going to happen, so DW, tighten those belts ... oh nevermind. Let's just jump in to what people are talking about ...

See if you agree with the "DIS" of what has been reported, or maybe you "BELIEVE" everything you read, because if it is printed, it is true ... right?

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Elliott: DIS

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After watching the "Who-will-finish-third-behind-the-8-and-99" 250 on Friday night, I have officially decided that Winston Cup drivers should be banned from Busch races, period.

Does Roger Clemens come out and pitch for your kid's little league team? Does Mike Vick play QB on your flag football team? Why are we allowing Winston Cup superstars to beat up on (mostly) maturing talent?

Busch drivers love to claim that they can test their skills against Cup drivers, and beating them is an accomplishment, but it isn't much of a test when you go into battle lacking resources -- that is only an uphill battle.

	Dale Jr. has won all 3 Busch races he has entered in 2003. Credit: Autostock

Also consider that full-time Cup drivers have won 12 of 18 Busch races, so do you think that Busch drivers are really excited that their race purses are being taken home by already well-funded teams?

Or that they are not collecting as many valuable championship points that they could if Winston Cup guys weren't entered into the race?

Basically, Dale Jr. and Michael Waltrip in the Daytona Busch race was just another poor excuse to put butts in the seats and to sell DMP merchandise.

Marty: BELIEVE

This is a classic example of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. It's good ol' American capitalism at its best. It's like a real estate tycoon buying up neighborhoods, tearing down landmarks and building condos as investment properties.

Cha-ching.

Junior and Mikey have built fortunes in the Winston Cup Series, and choose to invest part of that income into the Busch Series. Can't fault them there, especially considering their success.

Remember when Jack Roush became the first owner to field five cars, and everyone freaked out because Roush Racing had so many more resources and got so much more information in testing?

Roush was simply maximizing his earning potential and potential for overall success. Junior and Mikey are doing the same.

Now, if I was Keith Barnwell or Clarence Brewer, and was solely focused on fielding competitive full-time Busch Series teams with limited funding, and a bully comes in and -- to quote Steadman Marlin - burns down my playhouse, I'd be furious.

I'd complain, ask NASCAR to even it up by requiring them run short tracks that don't pay anything and huge aerodynamic budgets don't mean jack squat.

But those complaints would fall on deaf ears because, like it or not, fans would rather watch Dale Earnhardt, Jr. drive a Busch car than see Ken Alexander fill out a weak field. It's the old competition vs. entertainment argument.

What would you rather pay to see?

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Marty: DIS

Honestly, I think drivers want to adhere to the agreement and appreciate its premise, because it promotes safety, sportsmanship and an aura of calm during frenzied caution periods.

But after all the bickering this issue has triggered this year, it's time to do one of two things: race hell-bent back to the caution or upgrade the agreement to plain black-and-white, under Section blah blah blah point blah blah, "actions detrimental to stock car racing."

	NASCAR President Mike Helton

Helton said it himself. The drivers are the only people who can assure the agreement is properly adhered to. They're not. So I'm for the latter of the aforementioned choices.

Make them slow down when the yellow waves or send their butts to the rear. Not only will that be safer and add much-needed clarity to this issue, it will also eliminate this pansy deal of letting people back on the lead lap after you've worked all day to put them a lap down.

Elliott: DIS

If I sat in the driver's meeting week in and week out, I am pretty sure Robby Gordon and I would be pals. This statement by Mike Helton was just another example of how NASCAR likes to have one foot in and one foot out when it comes to "rules," where they leave the door open to insert themselves whenever they see fit.

Prior to the Pepsi 400, Mike Helton said, "If it (gentleman's agreement) gets out of hand, then NASCAR is going to have to step in. I don't think we want to do that, and I don't think you want us to do that."

If this isn't a rule that can be enforced, per the official rulebook, what gives NASCAR the right to step in at all? If it needs to be a rule, make it a rule -- otherwise it is just stupid to assume that 43 guys, all with sponsors and a desire to win, are going to agree to a single, unregulated concept when it could be a factor in whether you win or lose a race.

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Elliott: BELIEVE

"The future's so bright, I've got to wear shades."

Greg Biffle reminds me of a college athlete that decided to stay in school, gain valuable life experience and graduate, rather than electing to leave early for the big money. Now, in only his 16th start in his rookie season, he has a Daytona trophy to go next to his Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series championship hardware.

Impressive.

	Does Greg Biffle have what it takes to be a Winston Cup Champion? Credit: Autostock

Media and fans alike sat around all week long talking about how DEI and RCR are battling it out for plate-racing supremacy, when in fact three Roush Racing cars finished in the top six, and if Kurt Busch hadn't of lost a tire, he probably would have been in the top 10 as well. Also impressive.

Jack Roush knows how to cultivate talent, and with guys like Jeff Burton and Mark Martin helping to groom that talent, Biffle and Busch are going to be forces to reckon with for many years to come.

Marty: DIS

This dis has absolutely nothing to do with Greg Biffle or the fact that he won the race. Matter of fact, I'm elated for him. But come on Elliott, don't act like Biffle went out and led a ton of laps and dominated the race en route to victory.

DEI and RCR dominated the race, combining to lead 103 of 160 laps. Biffle and Randy Goss made a calculated gamble and it paid off. He didn't have the best car. He made a good decision and won on fuel mileage.

And somehow, the Pepsi 400 didn't carry the customary zeal most Daytona races carry. Anticlimactic? You bet your restrictor plate it was.

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Marty: DIS

Sad as it is, you knew it was coming. Over the past four decades, Petty Enterprises has fallen from grace, transitioning from dominant to decent to mediocre to downright bad. The racing industry and its advanced technology simply passed them by.

	All three Petty teams sit 35th or worse in the point standings. Credit: Autostock

Forget wins -- they only scored three victories in the past decade -- the Pettys have but one top five since 2000. Still, missing Daytona is a landmark low point in their storied history.

Kyle Petty is a generous man, almost to a fault, and gives so much of himself that he's spread entirely too thin. The infrastructure at Petty has suffered, and the proof is on the racetrack every week. Or in this particular case, it's not on the racetrack.

I hate it. Really do. Three years ago Kyle's dream died with Adam. His effort since has been admirable, and it's no one's place but Kyle's to say he should or shouldn't leave the driver's seat. But one thing is for sure, they need leadership at Petty Enterprises to return to their customary competitive status.

Elliott: DIS

First, it was the firing of John Andretti. Now we see a Daytona race go by without the famous No. 43 in the starting grid. What gives?

There is clearly some DISaray at Petty Enterprises these days, and I am not sure what the root of it is.

Drivers? Engines? Technology?

As I have said in previous editions of this column, perhaps we are just getting to the point where some multi-car teams have just over-extended themselves. There comes a point in time that no matter how people you throw at something, it just won't improve.

Sponsorship relationships aside, it may be time for Petty Blue to contract, focus on one program and just put all the muscle behind that team as possible. If you have any appreciation for this sport, you would understand how disappointing it is to watch the No. 43 hauler drive out of the track long before the green flag falls.

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writers.