Track Smack: Budweiser Shootout

After nearly three years, Track Smack features a fan guest this week. Our fan is Danielle Snyder, an Elliott Sadler fan from Otsego, Mich. As you will see, she's already shown more knowledge than the four of us combined.

With all the money and youth of today's NASCAR racing, will we see more drivers getting into trouble?

Lee Montgomery: I wouldn't necessarily think so. Youth doesn't automatically equate to immaturity, and besides, younger drivers have sponsors to whom to answer, and sponsors aren't going to invest tons of money without making sure they have the right guy ... or girl!

Marty Smith: Not necessarily. Sure, some young guys might be unable to handle the instant money and fame that comes with early success, but for the most part they're all surrounded by a solid infrastructure. Sponsors invest a ton in these kids, and they're also investing money to teach them how to cope with fame.

Dave Rodman: Probably not. Money and youth in and of themselves have nothing to do with anything. The history of NASCAR racing doesn't include these kinds of incidents, and there was always money and youth, relatively speaking.

Danielle Snyder: It has nothing to do with age. Other sports have "bad boys" in their mid-40s. What will add to it is money. The more the drivers (or anyone gets) the bigger trouble they can afford to get into.

Ryan Smithson: No, not really. We have 150 drivers at NASCAR's top three levels, and they don't get into trouble very often. People in glass houses should not throw stones, and everyone makes mistakes. It's bound to happen from time to time.

Lee Montgomery: Danielle types too fast. We can't have her back. Makes us look bad.

Ryan Smithson: I think she had that scripted, Lee. She had time.

Danielle Snyder: Come on...I'm sneaking online at work for you guys!

Lee Montgomery: We're sneaking online for work, too. Oh, wait, we aren't sneaking. Sorry, didn't mean to change the subject.

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Danielle Snyder: With so many sponsors putting money into this, I really think that driver's know better than to do anything in the public eye that could cause embarrassment to them or their teams. They'll screw up every now and like normal folks do.

Lee Montgomery: Marty makes a good point. Family surrounds most young drivers these days, and family takes care of family, you know?

Dave Rodman: For better or worse, sponsors dictate the climate in racing these days. More so than in baseball, basketball or football, where a superstar player can do a lot to affect your outcome, I think there are too many good drivers that

Marty Smith: The main thing, here, is that we all screw up and make regrettable decisions. Who are we to judge? How many people have a couple beers at a party and hop behind the wheel?

Send a nice letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Dave Rodman: Sponsors can hang by a string -- and cut loose if they cross the wrong line. So I don't think it is much of an issue.

Ryan Smithson: We've all done it and learned from it.

Danielle Snyder: They are surrounded by their own family, but lots of them have veteran teammates to lean on too. That's got to offer some support and help them get through the evils that may come along.

Ryan Smithson: But Rodman, you're right. A sponsor can end your career if they want to. And they have.

Send a mean letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Dave Rodman: Well, in the most recent cases, I hope the guys involved get a chance to bounce back -- because for darned sure, it's a "there but for the grace of God go you and I" situation.

Lee Montgomery: Sponsors are the ones to judge.

Danielle Snyder: I think that fact alone is what's helped NASCAR drivers stay out of trouble as much as they have.

Dave Rodman: Anyone who hasn't been in that situation is just lucky.

Marty Smith: Agreed, Rodzilla. Sponsors invest so much in these guys, build multi-million dollar marketing programs around them, so even a minimal bad decision is magnfied tremendously in the corporate arena.

Ryan Smithson: If they get mad about not getting mentioned on a broadcast, how mad they get when they get into trouble? It's like Cameron said in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Remember how mad he got when I broke my retainer? That was a piece of plastic, this is a Ferrari.

Dave Rodman: It's all about judgment, choosing your friends, decisions and the consequences. I hope the most recent instances don't end up as real harsh lessons for the rest of the gang.

What did you guys think of Jimmy Spencer's remarks?

Danielle Snyder: I told Ryan already, they just need to start setting up large buffets at press conferences he'll be attending to keep him busy and avoid such disasters.

	Open mouth, insert foot. Repeat if necessary. Credit: AP

Lee Montgomery: Danielle, you haven't been to many press conferences. There already are large buffets. We all know Spencer is colorful and says what he thinks, which is fine and dandy, but you simply can't say something totally inappropriate like that. It's just wrong.

Danielle Snyder: Then you better hook me up with some credentials -- and they should make them bigger.

Lee Montgomery: Amen to that.

Ryan Smithson: I was just left shaking my head. Not sure what he was thinking. I guess you can leave him off the list of potential candidates for Toyota's entry into Nextel Cup.

Marty Smith: Out of line, for sure. Jimmy, I think, sometimes speaks before he truly thinks about what's coming out. Pearl Harbor? Come on, man. He attempted to retract his statement, but his message was pretty clear.

Dave Rodman: Talk about bad timing. In a very broad sense it was true, but it's never appropriate to resort to a stereotype to classify anything.

Ryan Smithson: Bad timing is not the word. Toyota's already had a long month.

Lee Montgomery: Ryan's right. Jimmy just crossed off one manufacturer.

Danielle Snyder: I'm from Michigan, so if it isn't the Big 3, I'm not a big fan. But that's just because of my opinions of the auto industry. Going back this far and bringing up what he did is just insane.

	Robby, I will get you some Redskins tickets. I know the coach. Credit: AP

Marty Smith: The thing is, Spencer might be unemployed, soon, and be in desperate need of a ride. He's the prototypical Truck Series driver. Hard-nosed, fender-bangin'. Sorry, dude, you blew that shot.

Lee Montgomery: Not that he cared, but if he's out of a ride in a month -- he's screwed.

Dave Rodman: It's really too bad that Jimmy went down to Texas because that's the kind of guy he is -- the speedway needed someone for Media Day and he was available -- but darn it, needing a sponsor as badly as he and Ultra do, it's too bad he quite probably offended more than one corporate entity.

Ryan Smithson: Rodman, that is a good point that no one has brought up. He didn't have to go.

Lee Montgomery: He didn't have to bring up Pearl Harbor, either.

Marty Smith: Uh, fellas. He probably made some serious loot for going. Don't forget that.

Lee Montgomery: And I'm sure there was a large buffet.

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Ryan Smithson: Texas has the best food on the circuit. It's not even close.

Ryan Smithson: Not defending his stupid and insensitive remarks, but Spencer's a good person.

Danielle Snyder: I can't imagine any sponsor wanting to jump on with someone that's willing to make stupid remarks without any regard.

Dave Rodman: Jimmy's totally straight up. If I was at Pearl Harbor, I would want him behind me, or next to me, or wherever I needed him. I hope we're lucky enough to have him around this season.

Danielle Snyder: If I'm in any dangerous situation I'd like to be around him. I'd be completely shielded from all danger.

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.