Track Smack: Texas

For some reason, all the Ward Burton fans are coming out of the woodwork. This week, we've got Mark Amos, who hails from just north of Philadelphia.

Should NASCAR police drivers who intentionally cause cautions?

Dave Rodman: Absolutely. If it is proven without a doubt, drop the axe. I would be amazed if they let the inmates run the asylum -- if they abdicated control of the races to the racers by not penalizing this act.

Lee Montgomery: Yes, and they supposedly do already. There was a controversy a few years ago about a driver throwing something on the track to cause a caution, and NASCAR didn't look too kindly on that. And neither should they on this.

Mark Amos: First, it is hard to prove a driver "intentionally" causes a caution. Obviously, in the case with Jr., he came over the radio and talked about it. Bonehead move! Not only are you risking your safety but the safety of everyone.

Ryan Smithson: I don't see how you can, unless they come out and admit it, and even then, it's tough. It's fairly rare though. But we haven't seen the last of this little topic. But Earnhardt Jr. sure did pull off a decent finish.

Marty Smith: Without fail. What Dale Earnhardt, Jr. did Sunday by intentionally spinning himself out was dangerous and uncalled for. Had he not admitted it, I'd never have believed it. NASCAR needs to do something in this case, and I feel certain they will.

Mark Amos: But Dale Jr. said he never had to intentionally spin a car. That sounds like he did it on purpose

Ryan Smithson: My question is -- what if this was a playoff race, where the points are 10 times more vital?

AUDIO CLIPS Too lazy to read Track Smack? You're not alone. Click here for Track Smack audio, where we debate about what makes drivers to angry after 500 laps at Bristol. / 8:35 Listen

Dave Rodman: Ryan, don't be a slippery little eel there -- like those TV guys -- if someone stinks, call them out. Jr. not only told his crew he did it on purpose, he bragged on himself for doing it post-race, when he allegedly would've had time to come up with a better story. You sound like those FOX guys showing Tony Stewart drilling people and laughing about instead of calling it for what it is -- overly-aggressive driving.

Mark Amos: Take a look at who it was. Junior is NASCAR's poster boy. NASCAR let's him get away with more than the normal driver. Can anyone say yellow line? NASCAR will not fine their boy

Send a mean letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Ryan Smithson: You got to admit, Dale Jr. made it look pretty real. But a fine won't hurt -- he got an extra $30,000 with the positions he picked up.

Marty Smith: He certainly did. I'd never have had any idea that it was intentional had he not admitted it. I know this, had he not done it, he wouldn't have finished 11th.

Mark Amos: He's lucky he didn't float up the banking and take out a few other guys

Send a nice letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Dave Rodman: They need to not only fine him, but also dock him points. Twenty-five would send a nice message -- but he's getting off easy because that's less than he would have lost if he lost a lap.

Mark Amos: The troops would go crazy to see Junior fined for anything. His dad did the same stuff.

Ryan Smithson: Earnhardt Sr. did it in Charlotte, I think, in 1987, went on to win. I remember he spun Greg Sacks, who is Rodman's favorite driver ever.

Dave Rodman: This ain't dad's day, Mark. That was another era.

	I am sorry, Matt! Did you say something?

Mark Amos: I know, but NASCAR has a soft spot for anything Earnhardt.

Marty Smith: These guys know their cars very well, so I'm sure they can intentionally spin them and stay clear of their competitors. But the fact remains, the repercussions could have been much worse. He easily could have taken out several other cars with only a minimal miscalculation.

Mark Amos: That's my point -- a selfish move that could have backfired

Ryan Smithson: But it didn't Mark, and he benefited. Until NASCAR takes points away. But we will see.

Mark Amos: So that makes it right? I agree we have to let the drivers drive, but that crossed the line.

Ryan Smithson: No, it does not make it right. It's part of racing though. Just like throwing at hitters in baseball. It's dangerous, but you do it to win.

Marty Smith: Pitchers get tossed, Smithson. Should they start tossing drivers?

Mark Amos: Ah come on...you can't compare the risk of taking out your fellow drivers to throwing a beanball.

	Trying to be like Kurt

Ryan Smithson: You know, Marty....not a bad idea.

Dave Rodman: If they let this go, it's a very dangerous precedent... I think he's screwed because if NASCAR lets him get away with that -- I think their credibility level will be zilch.

Ryan Smithson: It's the same thing, right, Marty? We both played baseball. How can you prove the pitch didn't slip?

Marty Smith: Should NASCAR take a guy who blatantly does something like that and send 'em home. Park 'em?

Lee Montgomery: Holding a driver a lap or two down is close enough to throwing a guy out.

	Trying to be like Ryan

Marty Smith: No it's not, Lee. Jimmie Johnson made up two laps in like 40 laps of green flag racing Sunday.

Marty Smith: And Ryan, it's a judgment call, just like everything else in NASCAR.

Lee Montgomery: J.J. got lucky.

Marty Smith: So? It happened, didn't it?

Lee Montgomery: All I'm saying is, make a rule and stick with it. If it's two laps, five laps, whatever. Don't change things around midstream.

Mark Amos: That is NASCARS biggest problem I think -- being consistent.

Lee Montgomery: If somebody causes a caution on purpose, penalize him. Period.

Marty Smith: Agreed.

Lee Montgomery: Shouldn't matter who it is.

Mark Amos: Scott Wimmer gets a lap penalty for something out of his control and Junior admits he spun out and nothing happens. What's up with that?

Dave Rodman: Like someone said, the precedent is there with Kurt Busch in The Winston, and a couple other guys for throwing out debris.

Ryan Smithson: Let me make one more baseball analogy. NASCAR's like an umpire. If they make the right call, no one notices. If they screw up, they are seen as inconsistent.

Dave Rodman: Well, let me put it this way -- missing this one would be like calling a home run ball a yard fair -- foul.

Ryan Smithson: That was pretty good, Rodman. That was your good point of the month.

	Nice spin. We give it a 5.8. But the Russian judge gave it a 4.1.

Mark Amos: It's like a boxing referee. Even Johnny Benson was called to the trailer in the Busch race.

Ryan Smithson: I stand corrected.

Marty Smith: What else is new?

Ryan Smithson: Back to the Wimmer penalty. Marty was at the track, ask him why Wimmer got sat down. Maybe he knows something we didn't see.

Marty Smith: I told John Darby last week at Bristol they couldn't pay me enough to have his job. And yep, I was there. No, I can't tell you why Wimmer was penalized.

Has Kurt Busch won back any fans?

Dave Rodman: I think, slowly but surely he is. I was pretty surprised he got booed in Victory Lane on Sunday, but it was not as bad as last year. I take him at his word when he says he learned from last year's gaffes.

Ryan Smithson: He will if he keeps winning.

Marty Smith: I think so. He's really learning what being a Nextel Cup driver is. It's not just going out and mashing the gas. He's much more engaging this year. He's always been really cool away from it all, and he's learning to chill out at the track, too.

Lee Montgomery: I bet he's won a few, but he's still got work to do. The best thing he can do is keep his nose clean and be gracious. That'll win fans.

Mark Amos: My wife is a big fan of Kurt's...if you're his fan, you never lost your intensity with him...I don't think he's won any fans back though. You either like a guy or don't.

Lee Montgomery: Not all fans are like that.

Mark Amos: To some -- Jimmy Spencer did nothing wrong. To Busch fans, Spencer is the devil.

Dave Rodman: He will need to be consistent with his new, contrite attitude -- while losing none of his fire on the track -- and I don't think that's any issue at all.

Ryan Smithson: People don't really ever change, though. Kurt's always going to be very opinionated and animated.

Marty Smith: Which isn't a bad thing.

Lee Montgomery: Nope.

Mark Amos: I respect all the drivers, but I don't like some driver's attitude on and off the track.

Ryan Smithson: Heck no. Then again, I got that line from Hoosiers. Sorry.

Lee Montgomery: And let's remember this. This guy can flat drive a race car.

Marty Smith: I like opinionated people. Makes for much more engaging personalities than guys that talk and never say anything.

Marty Smith: Jeff Burton is the damn man because he says what's up.

Mark Amos: Marty, you're fined for using profanity.

Lee Montgomery: And you can be opinionated without being a jerk, too.

ALSO  We love the NASCAR fans. That is why we want to include you in Track Smack. Mainly because the fans are smarter than we are. Want to be in Track Smack? Email us and tell us why!

Marty Smith: Very well stated, Lee. Very well done.

Ryan Smithson: Harvick admires Busch's ability while insulting him. That says a lot.

Dave Rodman: Yeah, that comment post-race Sunday was priceless.

Marty Smith: Yeah, Kevin gave Busch a pretty solid jab in that FHM interview.

Harvick cracks me up, dude.

Ryan Smithson: Lee, give us a good example. I know Rudd's one of 'em.

Lee Montgomery: Kenny Wallace. Jeff Gordon. And Jeff Burton, as Marty said.

Predictions for Texas?

Mark Amos: Dale Jr. has shown his team can really get it done.

Ryan Smithson: Newman wins by a mile. Or 1.5.

Ryan Smithson: He's due. Like Busch was last week.

	More proof that Richard Petty's a really tall man

Mark Amos: Love to see Ward pull into Victory Lane!!

Lee Montgomery: I wonder which Junior shows. The Vegas one or the Atlanta one. My guess is the Atlanta one. But that doesn't mean he'll win.

Dave Rodman: WAO -- can't spell it out -- can't afford the fine money. Newman, Kenseth, Junior for sure is a threat. Harvick is coming on.

Mark Amos: Junior does great at the big, fast tracks.

Marty Smith: Call me crazy, but I'm going with Brian Vickers. It owes him one, and karma's for real.

Ryan Smithson: Mark, what would you do if Ward shocked the world with a Texas win?

Mark Amos: I would go crazy.

Marty Smith: Dude, what is it with Ward Burton fans? We've had, what, six fans to date on Smack this year, and four of 'em have been Burton fans?

Ryan Smithson: Ward's got a huge fan base.

Marty Smith: I reckon.

Archive  Read past issues of Track Smack! Only $0.00!

Mark Amos: Ward never seems to get ruffled, but it is great when he does.

Dave Rodman: Ward is the real deal. I wonder if that NetZero dog would be in Victory Lane when he wins?

Ryan Smithson: Mark, why did you become a Ward fan?

Mark Amos: I just like the way he handles himself and I love the "twang."

Lee Montgomery: Casey Mears should be good this weekend, too. I'm gonna go with him.

Marty Smith: Way to hang out on the limb with me, Lee. Hopefully, it won't break.

Ryan Smithson: OK, Marty, I will give you a dark horse. Sterling.

Lee Montgomery: I started to say him.

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.