"Keep your foot on the brake!" Credit: AP

Track Smack: Offseason

NASCAR.COM is publishing our annual series of top-10 lists starting on Friday.Track Smack previews these lists with our own picks.

What was the biggest surprise of 2004?

Marty Smith: How well the Chase for the Nextel Cup format worked. I never in a million years imagined the '04 title would come down to the final lap of the season. I scoffed at the notion of a pseudo playoff this time last year, and it wasn't terribly long before I did a complete 180.

Ryan Smithson: I think a lot of people will say Kasey Kahne, me included, but I don't want to leave out Elliott Sadler, who was just an ordinary driver heading into 2004. The year he had was amazing, and even his fall swoon didn't take the shine off.

Dave Rodman: I nominated Kasey Kahne after a neck-and-neck debate amongst two young up-and-coming drivers: He and Casey Mears. No one had any reason to believe that Kasey Kahne would perform as well as he did -- particularly right out of the chute.

Lee Montgomery: I'd have to say Kurt Busch winning the championship. We all knew he had talent and Roush had the ability, but I don't know anyone knew he was championship material. But Busch was terrific when it counted -- in the "postseason" when it counted.

Marty Smith: I agree with all of your sentiments, but to me the overall success of the Chase was a much bigger story than any one driver.

Ryan Smithson: I don't know, Marty, with that format, it's easy to get a tight race. It'll happen next year too.

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Marty Smith: Easy? Do you realize everything that had to happen for it to come down to the final lap, Smithson? That's virtually impossible, man.

Ryan Smithson: Yes, and I said it would come down to final lap earlier. So not surprised.

Dave Rodman: Yeah, the only reason I wouldn't call the Chase a surprise was that I honestly believe I should have seen it coming.

Ryan Smithson: I said months ago that five guys would go into the final race with a shot at the title. They are simply bunched up too much after Richmond.

Marty Smith: I'm cracking up. Majorly.

Ryan Smithson: I can pull the quote if you want.

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Dave Rodman: I don't think that's a bad call, though -- but from my perspective I was just being pig-headed when I refused to even give it a chance. The old format delivered some fine championship races, too. Let's give it a year or two more -- as gruesome as that thought is.

Lee Montgomery: It did what it was supposed to do.

Marty Smith: You sound like Helton, LeeMo.

Ryan Smithson: Montgomery is heavier than Helton these days.

Marty Smith: Smithson, you're such a butt.

Ryan Smithson: But Marty, we don't weigh much less than Helton does now either.

The many faces of Kasey Kahne.....

Marty Smith: What do you weigh, Smithson? 190?

Ryan Smithson: Naw, 175. Do you think Helton is down to 200?

Marty Smith: Yeah. Big Mike is now Twig Mike.

Lee Montgomery: Why are we talking about this?

Marty Smith: Because Smithson called you fat, dude. I'm trying to defend you, here.

Lee Montgomery: Considering, the source...

Marty Smith: True. Next.

Ryan Smithson: "Consider the source." Great line in Ball Four.

Biggest disappointment of 2004?

Dave Rodman: Other than Mark Martin not winning the championship? And Rockingham falling off the schedule forevermore? Would have to be Rusty Wallace's second year of decline, I would think.

Thrilled

Ryan Smithson: It was really disappointing to see Ricky Craven fall off the map like he did. I don't think he had a single top-15 finish. In 2003, he was pretty down in points but he had a bunch of top-10s.

Marty Smith: My vote goes to the 18 team. They fell plumb apart after Fatback departed. Bobby Labonte will make a helluva comeback in 2005 with Steve Addington, but I was surprised with how badly they struggled in the latter part of the year.

Lee Montgomery: RCR. This is one of the top teams in the sport, or at least it used to be. And what did they do this year? Zero victories. No one in the Chase.

Ryan Smithson: I think all four of those are pretty on the mark. Especially RCR.

Dave Rodman: I hate to beat a dead horse, Marty -- but just think of all the entertainment he provided, though...

Marty Smith: Who? Fats?

Dave Rodman: Naw -- Bobby on the radio.

Enraged

Marty Smith: Oh. Yeah that was some classic stuff. Ol' BL got more fired up than you EVER hear.

Lee Montgomery: Losing Rockingham sucks, for sure. I don't know what I'm going to do come next March. Been going there since 1979.

Marty Smith: Losing Rockingham totally sucks. Interesting that The Rock hosted the best race in 2004. Kenseth. Kahne. The blink of an eye.

Lee Montgomery: Always good races there.

Dave Rodman: But you know what, I hate to say it, but life goes on. There are some nice memories involved, but you got to keep getting it. I'm already concerned about navigating my way through Daytona's new infield, but I guess that's apples and oranges, ain't it?

Lee Montgomery: We've got testing to figure that out.

Marty Smith: I love Rockingham. That place is top-notch, man. Gorgeous facility in a gorgeous area with a joke of a race date. Put that date in September, when folks can package it with a couple rounds of golf, man.

Ryan Smithson: I hope we are not doing articles in five years describing weeds growing in rock's infield.

After second-place finish

Lee Montgomery: We will. You think Bruton will use that?

Marty Smith: Is that your prediction oh great prognosticator?

Ryan Smithson: North Wilkesboro was sadder, but this is almost as bad.

Marty Smith: Man, leading up to the release of "3," ESPN Classic played like 10 races from Wilkesboro. It was cool to see that place again.

Ryan Smithson: "And both of them spin!"

Lee Montgomery: Great races there, too. That's what doesn't make sense. You'd think the best races would be more important for TV ratings.

Lee Montgomery: But I guess not.

Marty Smith: Earnhardt was always racing the Quaker State car. Rudd or Bodine. It was funny. He was always racing that 26 car...

Ryan Smithson: Unfortunately, Lee, it's market size usually.

Dave Rodman: Yup -- and of course you can't ever forget that October North Wilkesboro classic -- when Ricky and Dale tangled, Geoff won the race and Rusty won the championship on account.

After 42nd-place finish

Marty Smith: "All I wanna do is race, Daddy. That's all I want to do."

Ryan Smithson: So much tax money is lost when these tracks close, money needed to fund things that are vital to those towns. And it can't be replaced.

Marty Smith: Oh, yeah. The residual funding to the track's surrounding areas is crucial, and when it's stripped, it cripples them. Hotels. Restaurants. Businesses. It totally sucks.

Marty already voted for best race. Was Rockingham the best race of the year?

Lee Montgomery: That was a great finish. But it wasn't that great of a race. Kenseth killed them most of the day.

Marty Smith: Rockingham. Hands down. Scoring drama with Kenseth, Kahne and MacMary. Kenseth. Kahne. The blink of an eye.

Ryan Smithson: Yes, and that's an easy call. It was all Kahne, man. Second race. No one remembers the first 200 laps anyway.

Lee Montgomery: I'm gonna vote Homestead. Lots of drama. Biffle pass for the lead was classic.

After getting a $2 million check

Marty Smith: I loved Atlanta, too. Seeing Jimmie win that thing was awesome. He drove that car as hard in the final five laps -- and maybe too hard, mind you -- as you'll ever see a guy wheel one.

Dave Rodman: Yeah LeeMo. My vote would go to the Ford 400. Surprise winner. Dramatic championship. Green-white-checker finish. What could be better?

Ryan Smithson: Kansas was very, very good too.

Lee Montgomery: Atlanta was great. The winner was dramatic.

Marty Smith: Plus, Kurt's motor puked, tightening up the Chase considerably.

Dave Rodman: Kansas, again, was a great finish. I don't remember that the race was that good. Homestead was pretty riveting, I thought.

Marty Smith: I can agree with Homestead. I couldn't sit still all day.

Lee Montgomery: Texas was pretty wild. Sadler didn't dominate, and it was a great finish.

Dave Rodman: Again, great finish. I remember nodding out through a great portion of it. Atlanta, that is

After getting brake-checked

Marty Smith: Hell, Darlington in the fall was awesome, too. How many cars were capable of winning that thing? The 6, 42, 48...

Marty Smith: I can't even remember who else? 24?

Ryan Smithson: Carl man! Edwards. He nearly won it too. Atlanta's always a good race though.

Marty Smith: I love Darlington, man. They better not take it away.

Ryan Smithson: What are the chances they will, Marty?

Marty Smith: Depends how you look at it. They had an awesome crowd in the fall, produced an awesome show. But it's still small market NASCAR, man.

Ryan Smithson: They just put lights up too. Reminds me of when I was a kid in Centerville, Tenn. We painted the town bridge a year before we tore it down.

Marty Smith: Sounds fun.

Ryan Smithson: I mean, Darlington just spent what, $3 million? Although that is a measly few acres in Staten Island money. The new NASCAR.

Marty Smith: Nobody works harder than the folks at Darlington, boys. Chris Browning and Cathy Elliott and that whole bunch do an awesome job. They need to continue to be rewarded for that.

Marty Smith: It's almost sickening where NASCAR put their date. Mother's Day weekend? Right before the All Star Challenge and the 600? Come on!

Ryan Smithson: I guess we could talk for days about this

Marty Smith: We could, but we won't.