Dale Earnhardt Jr. Credit: Autostock

Track Smack: Talladega

Reactions to Dale Jr.'s revelation that he thinks his late father helped him escape the crash at Sonoma in July?

Ryan Smithson: If he really thinks that, that is pretty cool. Of course, some people will think its weird, but there are many people who think that our passed-on relatives are with us all the time. I've heard things that made a lot less sense.

Dave Rodman: Well, that kind of occurred to me, when I saw all those stark, alarming replays of it. I hate to replay the fact that the human beings that were on the spot kind of did a pathetic job of helping -- so whatever works for him. He went from being dazed and confused to being on the ground outside the car, so something was working, there...

Marty Smith: Deep. Wayyyy deep. Like I said a few weeks back, that's why people love to write about/interview Junior so much. He reveals these things, let's you into part of himself that you feel you might not belong. No one else does that. And I think anyone who's lost a parent can relate.

Lee Montgomery: Whatever works for him, man. Maybe that would explain some of the weirdness in the sport this year. Maybe Dale Earnhardt Sr. is just messing with us all. and Yeah, you and I know about that, don't we Marty? Unfortunately.

Marty Smith: Yeah man, unfortunately.

TrackPass Audio Track Smack Listen to us debate what we've learned (if anything) in the first two races for the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Lee Montgomery: I've never felt my dad's presence like that, but I often think of what my dad would say or do in certain situations.

Ryan Smithson: I don't really know what else to say, because I guess I am the only one of us four who has not experienced it yet.

Lee Montgomery: From my experience, I remember only the good things about my dad, and I guess in some way that's just what Junior remembers. His dad helping him out of the car is a good thing, obviously.

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Ryan Smithson: I think Jack Arute said on SportsCentury that Dale Sr. spoke with his dad after the fact as well.

Dave Rodman: Well, I think you probably totally confuse everyone with that, so that's a good, segue point.

Lee Montgomery: Ryan confused? Never.

Ryan Smithson: I am not confused at all on this issue, Lee and Dave. So quit reaching.

Marty Smith: Sometimes, man, the way the mind and body function cohesively in certain situations make you understand paranormal activity, and you believe that something bigger has touched you in some way. Junior's wreck was visually horrific. God was absolutely with him that day.

Ryan Smithson: I saw a replay of Junior's wreck at Fontana, 2002 I think, and I forgot how bad that deal was too. Saw it this week. We had gotten an email earlier that week here at NASCAR.COM. A fan claimed that Dale Jr. would be in a violent wreck at Fontana. So when he hit, we just kind of looked at each other, hoping he'd get out of the car, and he did.

Lee Montgomery: We have a psychic?

Excerpt "I think (my father) had a lot to do with me getting out of that car," says Earnhardt. "...I don't want to put some weird, you know, psycho twist on it like he was pulling me out or anything, but he had a lot to do with me getting out of that car. From the movement I made to unbuckle my belt to lying on the stretcher, I have no idea what happened. ... "  Earnhardt told (60 Minutes' Mike) Wallace the feeling was so real that when he reached safety, he began inquiring about the "person" who helped him out of the burning car. "I had my...PR man...by the collar screaming at him to find the guy that pulled me out of the car," recalls Earnhardt.

Ryan Smithson: It was fan that had emailed in. I'd give anything to still have it.

Marty Smith: Not to turn this into a theological discussion, but so many things happened there. The door melted, essentially, and he said on the record he couldn't find the door handle. I'm just glad he's okay.

Marty Smith: Seriously, though. I'm chomping at the bit to see those 60 Minutes interviews. If Wallace got him to say that kind of stuff, they must be awesome.

Dave Rodman: Sounds like a crap premise, if they went into it with the most spectacular, irrelevant footage they could find -- but as usual, it sounds like Junior handled himself well.

Ryan Smithson: For the record, I know a lot of media members who get mad if they miss a Dale Jr. post-race press conference. They are that good. Not a better post-race press conference in NASCAR. He really opens up, like Marty said.

Lee Montgomery: You've gotten him to say some funny stuff.

Marty Smith: Who? Me?

Lee Montgomery: Yep.

Marty Smith: He's easy, man. It's like T-ball. Set it up and WHAM, homer.

Ryan Smithson: I think the funniest quote from 2003 came from Junior at Talladega, when Johnson and Waltrip hit door to door and Johnson went spinning. Junior goes, "Waltrip hit the 48 and sent him down the track

And I laughed all the way down the backstretch." Or something to that effect. No one else would have said that.

Dave Rodman: Too bad -- I bet he wasn't the only one laughing.

Is Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart going to be the ongoing Saga of the Chase -- and do you think the media will ever get both sides of the story?

Tony when he does not want to be interviewed

Ryan Smithson: I kind of agree that the whole Robby Gordon thing has been overblown, but part of that is because it's happened during two boring races.

Marty Smith: I got the Smoke wave-off Sunday after the race. I went running after him, and he looked over his shoulder at me, kind of grinned, then got a surly look on his face and pointed the other way. Point taken, Smoke.

Marty Smith: That's why I like Tony. He lets you know when he isn't talking. Therefore we don't waste our time.

Lee Montgomery: Oh, who knows? And better yet, who cares? If they want to tell us their versions, tell us. Otherwise, next.

Tony when he wants to be interviewed

Ryan Smithson: Was that your tape recorder I saw on TV, Marty? I got a glimpse of it as Stewart walked off.

Marty Smith: Hard as it is to admit, Smithson makes a great point. If those races weren't so dad gum bad, we wouldn't even care. It is interesting, though, that Smoke got pissed at something on lap 22 and drove the whole day fired up.

Marty Smith: Yes, it was my tape recorder, Ryan.

Dave Rodman: Well, what was disappointing about this one, was Tony said he wanted to kick Robby's butt for something that appeared to be a misunderstanding. At least, if anyone had bothered to talk to Robby, they would have known that.

Ryan Smithson: If the races are boring, we have to create ways to entertain fans. And feuds entertain.

Predictions for Talladega?

Lee Montgomery: I predict there will be a wreck, and someone will say, "That's plate racing."

Ryan Smithson: I predict no trash will be thrown this time. At least not two tons of it.

Dave Rodman: I predict it will be totally unpredictable. There might be a big wreck -- and if there is -- it will utterly rewrite the Chase scenario; but there might not be. Junior and Mikey might work together -- they might not and disappoint each other again. Totally unpredictable.

Lee Montgomery: These are the best predictions we've made all year.

Ryan Smithson: Yeah, Rodman, I am learned now. You too Lee.

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Marty Smith: Jimmie Johnson wins the EA Sports 500 by speeding down pit road after a NASCAR stopwatch malfunctions.

Lee Montgomery: I was going to pick Jimmie. Shoot. I'm going to go way out on a limb, just for fun. A Hendrick car wins. But it won't be the 5, 24 or 48. Brian Vickers gets his first Cup victory.

Dave Rodman: Rusty Wallace breaks his restrictor plate drought. Leads Ryan Newman and Brendan Gaughan to the line.

Lee Montgomery: Wait for 2005 Dave. Then it happens.

Dave Rodman: Would you rather have NASCAR capriciously pick out a guy every now and then to whack with a penalty -- or have six or eight guys speeding every pit sequence.

Ryan Smithson: Man, Marty, you're really fired up over this pit deal.

Marty Smith: It's crap, Smithson. It's 2004, son. It'd be like us doing Track Smack on a chalkboard.

Ryan Smithson: We can't do Track Smack on a chalkboard. My teeth could never make it through it.

Marty Smith: I don't even want to know what you mean by that.

Lee Montgomery: I don't either. Some kind of Tennessee thing, apparently.

Ryan Smithson: I knew a woman back home who'd jump 10 feet in the air if you scratched a fork to a plate. Great exercise though.

Dave Rodman: NASCAR needs some gray area to wiggle through.

Marty Smith: Rodman, you shill.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, if you keep writing about this pit deal, it'll get changed.

Marty Smith: Right, Smithson. I'm sure Helton and Darby gives a half a dang what I write. So Dave, you're telling me they should use archaic technology and therefore keep the gray area.

Ryan Smithson: I remember Mayfield telling us in track smack once that going down pit road is the most underrated skill in NASCAR. We don't realize just how hard it is.

Lee Montgomery: Maybe I should've picked Jeremy.

Dave Rodman: I never said I preferred that. I think my implication was that it was better that way from NASCAR's perspective. At least that's what it seems like.