This is a rare photograph of Dave Rodman eating lunch. To remain under 8,500 calories for one meal, he prefers to substitute a Diet Coke for regular Coke.

Track Smack: Offseason

Did you agree with the sweeping changes NASCAR made to setting the lineups?

Lee Montgomery: Well, at least we don't have any more provisionals to worry about. I've always thought we should simply line up by the 43 fastest guys no matter what, but this is the next best thing, I suppose. NASCAR can't ignore the teams that are there every week, and guaranteeing a spot for anyone in the top 35 is the way they can make sure their loyal teams are in.

Marty Smith: I completely understand it, and there's no doubt it'll help control budgets and ease stress on crewmembers. But man, I'll miss Happy Hour considerably. That was one of my favorite parts of the weekend.

Dave Rodman: Do I think it will have a negative impact on some owners and teams? Absolutely. Is it a positive change? Remains to be seen. Someone is going to get whacked by it. But if it's a step toward the fastest cars race -- more power.

Ryan Smithson: For the most part. These changes certainly came on the heels of Scott Wimmer and Scott Riggs failing to qualify last fall at Atlanta, which was embarrassing.

Dave Rodman: Marty -- setting the lineup and condensing the schedule are kind of two different issues. I agree with you, though, that that schedule change is going to take some getting used to. As Ryan Newman said last week -- maybe more time to wet a line.

EMAIL How can we improve Track Smack in 2005? Send us some suggestions, and if enough of y'all think alike, we'll get them ingrained.

Marty Smith: To me the main thing this does is reward the teams that keep NASCAR running. It was asinine that a one-off deal could get in the field when a team that is there every week could go home.

Ryan Smithson: They should call it the "Kirk Shelmerdine Rule," although he'll probably make a few races this year anyway. We're still not back to 50-car entry lists for the smaller tracks.

Lee Montgomery: There will be much less emphasis on qualifying, that's for sure.

Marty Smith: Teams will be qualifying their race setups, which are MUCH looser than the former qualifying setups were. Makes you wonder if it will affect the typically good qualifiers.

Kyle Busch failed in his attempt last week at setting a world record for longest time remaining motionless on a tool box. Credit: Autostock

Dave Rodman: Ryan, I don't think any one team or any one incident prompted this. And someone was dopey enough to say the number was 35 because Kyle Petty was the 35th owner in 2004. As usual, those conspiracy theorists are out there somewhere.

Ryan Smithson: Gosh, if this rule had been in place all these years, Darrell Waltrip would have been doing broadcasting for ESPN.

Marty Smith: He'd have used the champion's provisional still, Smithson. It's still there.

Lee Montgomery: Explain that one, Ryan.

Ryan Smithson: I wish they hadn't left the champ's provisional in.

Marty Smith: That's yet another "thank you" from NASCAR to those who've helped build the sport.

Dave Rodman: You have to protect someone who has supported the sport -- and has some equity and respect earned. Past Champion's does that -- and fairly, I think.

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Ryan Smithson: I am sitting here wondering if this rule would have helped Dave Marcis or hurt him. Probably would have helped him until the really late years.

Lee Montgomery: You have a lot going on in that strange little mind.

Marty Smith: Back to the changes to the weekend schedule. Boys, we're going to be sitting around a lot more. And we won't get drivers, because they'll be in their motorhomes.

Lee Montgomery: Or they take off Saturday to play golf.

Ryan Smithson: I think you're right, Marty, which is really disturbing. A lot of people have not thought of the access loss.

Dave Rodman: Will take more planning, that's for sure -- on everyone's parts.

Lee Montgomery: Not that anyone who reads this cares, though.

Is the new Dodge Charger really a big deal in 2005, or, with common templates, has manufacturer excitement eroded?

Lee Montgomery: It's a big deal for Dodge, and with all the testing they've done, it should be fine right out of the box, but it's not going to win every race. The templates make sure of that.

Now Dale Earnhardt Jr. knows how those lobsters feel at Red Lobster. All he needs to compete the experience is the little rubber bands. Credit: AP

Marty Smith: Dodge Chargers are bad to the bone. Bo Duke could wheel it with the best of 'em.

Ryan Smithson: I just don't see the manufacturer hoopla anymore. When the Monte Carlo came out in 1995, it was huge. Same with Taurus in 1998 and Intrepid in 2001. Now, it seems like Dodge's new car hasn't made a similar splash as far as exposure.

Dave Rodman: Everyone has said, "we've got a new nose and a new tail." That was very apparent last week when Morgan Shepherd had his apple green cars from last year -- but they were Chargers.

Ryan Smithson: Trivia question, Marty: What year Charger did the Dukes drive?

Marty Smith: 1977.

Ryan Smithson: 1969.

Lee Montgomery: Strange, strange mind.

Marty Smith: Dang. Man that is the baddest car of all time.

Ryan Smithson: Although they crashed so many that they had to start using 1968 and 1970 models.

Ryan Smithson: The cars got so hard to find that producers were buying them from individuals.

Marty Smith: Charger definitely sounds cooler than Intrepid.

Ryan Smithson: Very few General Lees survived the show, so only like 4-5 exist in the world. I remember Boss Hogg took one of them and used it to make money by taking them to National Guard hangars for the crowds to see.

Marty Smith: I think the Charger will show well this year, because so many Dodge teams are good. Ganassi and Evernham will place drivers in the Chase.

Ryan Smithson: Lee, you reckon Ganassi's worried yet about their speeds last week?

Lee Montgomery: They didn't sound like it. And I doubt it.

Rusty's Last Shot Credit: AP

Dave Rodman: I think they were more concerned about having raceable cars -- and the drafting session they had proved that.

Dave Rodman: That was a hoot and a half, being in that Cup garage Thursday night after that session got over -- those guys: Casey, Jamie, Junior -- were beside themselves laughing at how many near-misses they had.

Ryan Smithson: Dodge makes some solid stuff though. Not like when we were kids and our Dodge school buses always broke down. Y'all probably rode Blue Bird school buses.

Marty Smith: We didn't have Dodge school buses. We had Blue Birds.

Marty Smith: Yep, Blue Birds, baby.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, I'll bet you remember what number you rode in grade school.

Marty Smith: I THINK I was on bus No. 47. I THINK.

Ryan Smithson: I rode No. 33. It was a Dodge. Probably made in the early 1970s. Broke down once a week. One time while going across a creek. It had real imitation leather seats.

Dave Rodman: I remember our bus driver pulling the shifter out of the floorboards and waving it around. There was a little nervous girl he loved to terrorize: "Linda, I can't stop, I can't stop."

Marty Smith: I have a full beard. You boys would die laughing.

Ryan Smithson: How red is it?

Lee Montgomery: Mountain Marty.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the participants.