Track Smack: Off week

Thoughts on the whole mess at Chicagoland?

Lee Montgomery: Well, first off, we don't need brawls in the pits. Baldwin should've stayed in his pit area, but I must say, he and Zipadelli talked about it after the race, and I hope they straightened it out. As for Stewart, if that was a racing incident, fine.

Ryan Smithson: That wasn't Tony's fault at Chicago. He didn't get into the back of the 9 all that much, and it looked like Tony tried to check up. Kahne was trying to get a good restart and simply didn't get going well because the back end got loose.

Dave Rodman: They need to fine their inflatable company for failure to properly attach their balloons. Erect giant fans to blow bad weather somewhere else. Otherwise, great racing -- record for lead changes.

Marty Smith: You know, I've thought long and hard about this, and as far as Stewart is concerned, I think NASCAR is as much to blame as Smoke is. Look, because of precedents set last year, Smoke couldn't pass to the left when Kahne bobbled, or he'd be penalized. I know he was thinking if he checked up, he'd get dumped. So what was his alternative? Dump the 9.

Lee Montgomery: However, he seems to be having a lot of "racing incidents" this year. How can a driver that good make so many mistakes?

Ryan Smithson: Well, Lee, I agree with you halfway there. It looked like Tony got into Andretti pretty hard but that whole deal was forgotten.

AUDIO CLIPS Listen to the audio version of Track Smack! With 40 percent more arguing! 7:49 / Listen

Marty Smith: Does that make it right? No. But I don't think anyone's really taken the time to analyze what he was seeing. I still NASCAR should have done something, to prove that "probation" actually means something. Which, obviously, it doesn't.

Dave Rodman: Can you believe the "twin tragedies?" Mark Martin and Elliott Sadler had top-fives with less than 10 to go. They went in the hopper. Of course, I am not about to slash my wrists -- even if they were both on my fantasy squad.

Lee Montgomery: I'm not saying anything, but geez. He's too good for that.

Ryan Smithson: So was Earnhardt, but he dumped people too, Lee. He didn't have to do it either, but he did.

Lee Montgomery: That's no excuse.

	This was also Tony Stewart's fault. Credit: AP

Ryan Smithson: But going back to what Marty said, he's right about getting into the back of people on restarts, but geez, that was not Tony's fault.

Marty Smith: I love seeing you two bicker. It's priceless. Do you guys agree that Smoke didn't have much choice?

Ryan Smithson: Yes.

Lee Montgomery: Maybe we need brake lights in these cars.

Marty Smith: I mean, think about it. No driver is going to avoid a collision to the left anymore.

Ryan Smithson: Lee, don't be ridiculous. Brake lights? I hope you're joking.

Send a nice letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Marty Smith: It cost Brian Vickers a win at Texas and cost Ted Musgrave the CTS championship last year. If I'm a driver, and it comes down to that, I'm dumping someone's hiney.

Lee Montgomery: Why is it so hard to touch the brakes?

Ryan Smithson: What's next? Blinkers?

Dave Rodman: Let's close this chapter by quoting Kenny Wallace on "Inside Nextel Cup..." "Nice job Jeremy did not running into the back of Sterling, wasn't it?"

Send a mean letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Marty Smith: Come on, Lee! If a driver hits the brakes on a restart, he's gonna get punted, man! You know that!

Ryan Smithson: If they do install blinkers, then drivers over the age of 40 will forget to turn them off after the enter the pits.

Lee Montgomery: So it's Kahne's fault because he got hit from behind? I don't buy that.

Ryan Smithson: Kahne got loose, Lee.

Lee Montgomery: So?

Ryan Smithson: So it was a racing deal.

Marty Smith: I didn't say that, Lee.

Lee Montgomery: Stewart said he would've rather touched the brakes than hit Kahne.

But it was too late. It wasn't anyone's fault. But Stewart did hit Kahne.

Ryan Smithson: He didn't even hit him that hard! Of course it wasn't anyone's fault. And yes, he hit him. And he wasn't the only one to nail a driver during a restart on Sunday.

Lee Montgomery: All I'm saying is, Tony is too good of a driver to be doing that.

Marty Smith: Kahne bobbled, Stewart ran into him, all hell broke loose. Ray Evernham wants to box Stewart's head. Makes for great TV. And for the record, Ray's been taking boxing classes...

Ryan Smithson: Sugar Ray Evernham?

Marty Smith: Let's stage an Evernham/Stewart brawl to raise money for Victory Junction.

Marty Smith: Well, that'd be promoting violence, I reckon. Nevermind.

Ryan Smithson: I am gonna call Ray up right now. I'll be his agent. I'll arrange for an Evernham-Tyson pay-per-view event for next summer. We'll make millions. Although, I like Jersey Ray Evernham a little better.

Marty Smith: Hemi Power.

Guys, give us your gut feeling on how much longer Terry Labonte will race full-time.

Dave Rodman: Indefinitely. Provided he can find the deal he needs to be competitive and he can be where he wants to be...

	"Terry, now don't act shocked, but i dreamt last night that Justin was going to win the Busch race." Credit: AP

Ryan Smithson: I definitely think Terry will run a whole season next year. Which means if they install blinkers, he'll leave 'em on all year. He's going to have a good second half in 2004.

Marty Smith: He's said on the record his career is nearing its close, but he's not done. If he's not at Hendrick, he'll go somewhere else. I love the idea that he'd be the first driver at Hall of Fame Motorsports. Texas team, Texas owners, Texas Terry.

Ryan Smithson: Why doesn't Terry drive the 11 for a year until Yeley is ready?

Lee Montgomery: Depends on how well he runs the rest of the year. If he struggles, he might back off.

Lee Montgomery: Ryan, I thought the 11 was Biffle's ride. Or McMurray.

Or Stewart.

Ryan Smithson: I don't think he'll struggle, Lee. He's running well and Terry still finishes races as good as anyone.

Dave Rodman: If everything is pointed in the right direction, Terry is plenty capable. It will be hard to say what something like Justin's win on Saturday might mean, though. Terry might decide that golf and fishing and managing Justin's career are worth more than all the aggravation...

	Joliet Jake Blues waves hi to Rusty Wallace as he passes him in Turn 2. Credit: Autostock

Marty Smith: How awesome was that? Justin's post race interviews were so Terry.

Lee Montgomery: And on Adam Petty's birthday.

Ryan Smithson: I know Marty will agree with me on this one -- Hendrick is so strong right now, so unstoppable, that Labonte will benefit and be strong in the second half. Probably won't win, but he's going to rack up some top-10s.

Marty Smith: I wouldn't say he won't win, Smithson. He very well could.

Ryan Smithson: Not likely, Marty.

Dave Rodman: Terry could easily win somewhere. Chicago is not an easy place to negotiate, and he had a contending car when it counted. 'Nuff said.

Marty Smith: Smithson, you never cease to amaze me, man. Seriously, you're something else...

Track Smack appears every Wednesday at 11:03 a.m. ET on NASCAR.COM.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the participants.