Track Smack: Las Vegas

And the hits just keep on coming. Our guest fan this week is Indianapolis resident Jeremy Waterbury, who was kind enough to send us his fourth-grade photo, which is nearly 15 years old.

Do you think the older drivers are being pushed out of the sport due to underexposure?

Jeremy Waterbury: I think that ever since the new TV deal, the older drivers have been neglected to make room for the new young guns. I mean, the older drivers are what built this sport.

Ryan Smithson: A bit, yes. It's definitely easier for a younger driver to get a sponsor these days. But that is the way it's always been. I remember in the early 1990s, some of the older drivers lamented that Rusty Wallace, Kyle Petty, Ricky Rudd all had a major advantage. So this is not a new problem.

Marty Smith: No. I don't necessarily think its underexposure. It's marketing, certainly, but not underexposure. If you don't run well, you don't get on TV. There are more Mark Martin commercials ("GOOD MOVE!") than there are Jimmie Johnson Lowe's commercials.

Lee Montgomery: Heck no. Call me old-fashioned, but the only reason any one gets pushed out of this sport is because they can't get the job done. And if you can't get the job done, you aren't going to get exposure.

Jeremy Waterbury: I mean, Terry and Ricky were winning races while Vickers was running around in diapers. Martin is only older guy in commercials these days. That, and "Race the truck, Dale."

Lee Montgomery: Dale Jarrett seemed to be everywhere with UPS.

Ryan Smithson: Marty's point is one you got to look at. Are older drivers winning races? No. Wallace, no. Martin, no. Jarrett, no. Marlin, no. T. Labonte, no. Those five guys had TWO wins last year.

Jeremy Waterbury: Do you think that is because the younger guys are getting the better equipment?

Send a nice letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Marty Smith: Johnson, yes. Harvick, yes. Junior, yes. Kenseth, yes. Newman, yes. Absolutely, it's still all about getting it done on the asphalt.

Lee Montgomery: And Terry isn't getting pushed out of the sport.

Ryan Smithson: No, Lee, but he's bombarded with questions! You can't argue that.

Lee Montgomery: So what?

Ryan Smithson: He shouldn't be asked constantly. He's running OK.

Lee Montgomery: Who asks him?

Ryan Smithson: The media, for one.

Jeremy Waterbury: I read a quote from Loomis that said when Richard Petty was still driving, the media respected him for what he had already accomplished.

Send a mean letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Marty Smith: The one thing that kills our whole argument, here, is that Bill Elliott, who

had a huge resurgent year in '03, can't so much as get part-time love from a sponsor. That's amazing to me. He'll get a ton of publicity for it. Somebody needs to realize that and step up.

Ryan Smithson: Well, that was kind of my point initially, Marty. That an older driver will have a harder problem, even if he does do well sometimes.

Marty Smith: I must've missed it, Smithson.

Lee Montgomery: Listen, the media writes about who is winning, period. There's no bias.

Jeremy Waterbury: They paved the way for the young guys.

Lee Montgomery: There's no bias.

Ryan Smithson: But I am sure Ray Evernham is losing hair wondering why he can't get backing for Elliott.

Jeremy Waterbury: Do you think then that the retirement for drivers will be sooner?

Marty Smith: Absolutely.

Lee Montgomery: Besides, the car owners are the ones making the decisions on drivers, not us.

Marty Smith: Today's young drivers will be done at 35, 38. Not 50.

Jeremy Waterbury: I mean, what if Vickers will have to retire at 33 because there is another kid taking his spot?

Marty Smith: It'll be by choice, man.

	Elliott's bare uniform

Ryan Smithson: That might happen, Jeremy. He would have had a solid 13-year career. Scary. And would have made more money than Jarrett did in 30 years.

Jeremy Waterbury: Do you think these younger drivers have a higher bar set for them? To produce results sooner?

Marty Smith: I mean, look, they all hate the media aspect of their jobs. So when they're financially secure, they'll take their millions, build a dirt late model and go race on weekends.

Lee Montgomery: Vickers will have to retire at 33 for only one reason. He can't get the job done.

Ryan Smithson: I am telling you, within five years, a driver will collect $15 million in race winnings for a single season.

Marty Smith: Vickers will still be a baller at 33, Lee. You just wake up, man?

Lee Montgomery: No, I was making a point.

Ryan Smithson: I can't see Dale Jarrett racing a dirt model on the weekends like Bill Elliott does, Marty. Or Rusty Wallace.

Marty Smith: He'll be on the golf course. And so will Rusty.

Jeremy Waterbury: Just like the earlier point made. What this boils to is that this is a business. And you have to have results.

Lee Montgomery: Period.

Marty Smith: My point is, they'll go do what they want to do. If they want to race, they'll do it without 8,000 cameras in their faces. You should see how happy Elliott is running that dirt car. We hung out with him at Talladega last during a dirt race. He was in heaven.

Jeremy Waterbury: I think what the young guys do have, at least in Kahne's court, he has a talented, experienced driver calling the shots for him. That could be a HUGE advantage for him.

On the other hand, is Dale Earnhardt Jr. overexposed?

Jeremy Waterbury: All I have to say is, Napa commercials. That isn't even his primary sponsor!

Lee Montgomery: Depends on if you're a Junior fan or not. If you are, you love seeing him all these places.

Ryan Smithson: Yes. Every preview magazine I saw chose him for the cover. Good business sense, sure, but man, that is a lot of exposure. If not, you hate it.

	Jeff, somebody from Cat Fancy called. They want an interview.

Marty Smith: Yes. I hear it from fans every single day. "Why do you write about Junior so much? Is he your boyfriend? You must love him!" Actually, it's what people want to read, regardless your opinion.

Ryan Smithson: Marty will tell you some stories about how his publicists are actually bodyguards.

Jeremy Waterbury: I am a Dale Jr. fan, don't get me wrong, but there are 37 other great drivers. Do you think that he is pushed so much in light of who is dad was?

Marty Smith: All I know is that folks are over it. Hell, Junior himself even feels like he sees himself too much.

Lee Montgomery: And why is Junior so "exposed"? Because people want to see him.

Jeremy Waterbury: People want to see Rusty. And Terry.

Lee Montgomery: Not that much.

	Our only photograph of Paul Wolfe

Ryan Smithson: It's not all because of his father, Jeremy. He's actually been successful, and Dale Jr.'s personality has fueled it. If Dale Jr. didn't have a good personality, it would be like night and day.

Lee Montgomery: I'd have to agree with Ryan. Now I'm going go throw up.

Jeremy Waterbury: That could be why he is so talked about. His personality. He would be the racer who, after the race, goes home to his buddies, takes a Budweiser and talks about the basketball game instead of the race.

Ryan Smithson: But he does. He's kept the good ol' North Carolina accent and easy-going way about him.

Marty Smith: He's everywhere, for sure. VH1, MTV, People, SportsCenter. Now he has this DVD out.

Jeremy Waterbury: He would probably say that there is nothing special about him, he just has a really cool job.

Ryan Smithson: When Dale Jr. had his horrible wreck at Fontana, he was interviewed, and he said, "I just take everything in stride." People love that stuff.

Jeremy Waterbury: Are other drivers tired of seeing him?

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Ryan Smithson: I am sure it annoys half and amuses the other half.

Lee Montgomery: I'm sure they are. But too bad.

Marty Smith: Some are, for sure. Some love it. It's less of a hassle for them.

Jeremy Waterbury: I know that if I were Harvick or Stewart, it would bother me that he is getting the majority of the attention. Unless, they like flying under that radar.

Ryan Smithson: Stewart and Harvick get plenty! Again, because of the personality. Both are great quotes.

Marty Smith: And success, Smithson. Don't lose sight of that. Kenny Schrader is a quote machine, but you don't see him all over the place, do you.

Ryan Smithson: No. Not at all. Four wins, 600 races.

Jeremy Waterbury: He is sucking on orange pops.

Ryan Smithson: He sucks orange pops, Jeremy?

Marty Smith: I don't rightly know how to respond to that, Jeremy.

Jeremy Waterbury: Sure, if Schwans offers those.

	Our only photograph of Donnie Neuenberger

Ryan Smithson: You didn't explain well, Jeremy.

Jeremy Waterbury: Instead of getting media attention, Schrader is taking advantage of his sponsor. That is what I meant.

Ryan Smithson: I think you better just let the Schrader obsession go for now, Jeremy.

Jeremy Waterbury: But I digress.

Ryan Smithson: Lee, you awake?

Lee Montgomery: An orange pop sounds pretty good right now. I went looking for some.

Jeremy Waterbury: This actually could be a good thing (the Earnhardt Jr. craze) because the other drivers can leave the media up to him and they can focus on the race.

Marty Smith: This is about the time Montgomery arises each day. He's probably getting his coffee and pastries right about now.

Jeremy Waterbury: How are those Girl Scout cookies, Ryan?

Ryan Smithson: Good. On my third box of them.

Marty Smith: I love Thin Mints. Man, I love 'em.

Lee Montgomery: And I am often amazed to level we sink.

Ryan Smithson: Damn it, Marty. Somoas are better.

Marty Smith: I could easily devour an entire sleeve of them. Yeah, dude, but I'm a nutrition freak.

Jeremy Waterbury: Can't believe you said that, Marty.

Marty Smith: What's wrong with sleeve, dude.

Ryan Smithson: Eat the Samoas and work out harder, Marty.

Jeremy Waterbury: Sure, that's what they are called, but come on, who uses it in the correct context?

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Marty Smith: Uh, dude. Quick word of advice: you might want to refrain questioning my usage of sleeve, considering your orange pop comment.

Jeremy Waterbury: I guess I don't count how many sleeves or Oreos I eat, just as long as they are all gone.

Ryan Smithson: Good thing we don't have an updated picture of you, Jeremy. Might not fit.

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.