So Ashton, I have a great idea for a "Punk'd." Do you know Elliott Sadler? Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Track Smack: Fontana

With the advent of safer tracks, safer cars and safer personal protective equipment, will we reach the point where the restrictor plate becomes obsolete? -- William A. Eckley, Virginia Beach, Va.

Lee Montgomery: I sure hope so. Everyone in NASCAR wants to get rid of them, but there's been no good alternative so far. We still need a better answer -- perhaps a smaller engine or something. But I sure hope that we can get rid of the plates.

Ryan Smithson: Well, it's not the racers they have to protect -- it's the fans. They don't have head and neck restraints and helmets. Unless they can build a catch fence 75 feet high -- or lower the banking -- the plates will stay.

Marty Smith: Restrictor plates won't be going anywhere for a long time. First, because they're the most feasible way to keep speeds down on large, high-banked speedways and second, because teams have spent so much money learning how to deal with them.

Dave Rodman: I agree with all you guys. Those suppositions are all correct and of course, everyone wants to see "no plates." But why bother? The racing is not terrible. The competitors are not at undue risk -- and we can see -- even with the reduced speeds of this day -- that cars (and trucks) still fly. So that should be end of story as far as losing the plates.

Marty Smith: I get tons of e-mail from fans with ideas on how to get rid of plates, but NASCAR continually claims there is no viable alternative at this time.

Ryan Smithson: I guess running a smaller block engine is out of the question, isn't it boys?

Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon takes a nap before the green flag. Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Dave Rodman: Tommy Houston set Daytona's Busch record -- 194 mph -- with a V6 more than 10 years ago. I don't think that's the answer, Ryan.

Marty Smith: A lot of guys hate them, but none of them are lobbying for specific change.

Lee Montgomery: Because they have no answer

Ryan Smithson: On a side note, the truck race was so much better and obviously they don't use the plates.

Dave Rodman: Yeah, but a race truck is a flying brick. They are natural aerodynamic impediments in and of themselves.

Lee Montgomery: I'd love to see NASCAR come up with a zero-downforce car.

Marty Smith: That's an interesting comment, LeeMo. Elliott Sadler was telling me at Daytona how he and Todd Parrott opted for what amounted to a 'downforce' speedway car for the 150s and 500, in order to draft better.

EMAIL Lee Dave Ryan MartDawg

Dave Rodman: Lee -- I really don't think we want a no-downforce hot-rod. Aaargh. The guys hated "5 and 5" and I thought that was because it basically unloaded the cars and made them totally too nervous.

Ryan Smithson: I don't believe all this talk that they can just lower the banking, too. I mean it's got to be a lot easier to add banking than take it away.

Dave Rodman: Cutting the banking off a racetrack would not be too smart a solution -- or too economical, either.

Lee Montgomery: I'd just like to see racing back in the hands of the guys who know chassis and not aero.

Marty Smith: I know this, there were some serious power moves made Sunday. Jeff Gordon, Dale Jr. and Jimmie Johnson all made big-time power moves.

A lot of drivers and spectators are complaining that Kevin Harvick is too aggressive because he will bump drivers to get them out of his way for position.

I would like to know what you guys' thoughts are since, if (Dale Earnhardt) was still in the car he was as aggressive of a driver as there was -- and would he be complaining about Kevin Harvick's style of racing? -- Matt Shellito, Elkhart, Ind.

It's like 1967 all over again! Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Ryan Smithson: If I remember correctly, Dale liked Harvick because he saw himself in Harvick, and he wanted Harvick to replace him in the car when he retired. Well, the time came sooner than anyone could have imagined.

Lee Montgomery: Of course he would, but comparing him to Harvick is a useless proposition. It simply doesn't matter.

Ryan Smithson: I felt like Harvick was treated unfairly last week. I know that was an aggressive run he had on Johnson -- but man, it looked like he got sucked up into him and had nowhere to go.

Dave Rodman: Definitely, guys. And I think we should put the shovels away in regards to Kevin. He is no more or no less aggressive than a lot of other guys.

Lee Montgomery: Look, I hate to create a firestorm. But Dale Earnhardt isn't around anymore, and speculating on how things would be if he were, is pointless.

Dave Rodman: I hate to see we media gurus seek to "make up" feuds where there are none -- or create vendettas out of simple racing accidents in the heat of the moment.

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.

Lee Montgomery: Make up feuds? Who did that?

Dave Rodman: As you know -- I was as much as out of the country -- but didn't we have a header about a "feud" in relation to JJ and Kevin?

Marty Smith: Big E wanted Jeff Burton in the No. 3, Smithson. That's one reason Richard Childress wanted JB at RCR so badly -- to fulfill Earnhardt's wish in that regards. Big E loved Harvick's style, but wanted him as a teammate in the No. 30.

Lee Montgomery: I had a history teacher in college who said that it's hard enough to keep up with what actually happens, rather than speculate on "what ifs."

Marty Smith: I can respect that, Lee.

Lee Montgomery: My father isn't here anymore, either -- and I miss him terribly. But I don't think he'd want me to live my life wondering what he would think. He'd want me to respect his life by living the way I think is best.

Ryan Smithson: We will certainly see this week if RCR has something for the downforce tracks.

Marty Smith: But I've heard some insiders say that Earnhardt really liked Jeff Burton.

Ryan Smithson: The weird thing about the whole deal is that Nemechek, Wallace and Martin -- all victims -- ran just fine from the back yesterday.

No -- you da man! Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Marty Smith: So did Harvick, Smithson. I'm not certain he had a race-winning car, but he was vying for the lead for a time, before he ended up in the Big One.

Ryan Smithson: That's a stretch, Marty. The 29 never really got up to Stewart and Waltrip's level, but he had a top-10 car. They did a nice job fixing him up.

Why don't they run the Gatorade 150s at night? They run them during the week, which allows for less people to have a chance to watch them.

Lee Montgomery: They run the Daytona 500 during the day. Makes sense to run the qualifying races during the day.

Ryan Smithson: I don't think they will be on during the day much longer actually -- maybe one more year.

Dave Rodman: Great Idea. Weather is not an issue -- nor is a precedent, now that they run the Shootout and the Truck race at night. It would allow for more television exposure, and maybe even more attendance.

Ryan Smithson: But we do get a lot of complaints annually about how they will miss the two races because they -- fans -- are at work.

Lee Montgomery: Teams would hate it. Makes no sense to run them at night, unless you run the 500 at night. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Marty Smith: I get your point, Lee -- but practice times don't always correlate to the race time, either.

Lee Montgomery: No, but it's better to run them at the same time as the race. Several places don't, and the teams hate that.

Ryan Smithson: They changed the shootout, Lee. They will change this, too.

Got a Track Smack topic? We're not that talented in coming up with topics, so we're asking you to select our topics for us. Send us a topic idea (click on this paragraph) with your name and hometown, and we'll use two or three a week.

Dave Rodman: God bless "The Rock." We already know nothing is sacred.

Marty Smith: Well, there you have it. Rodman and Smithson have moved the Gatorade Duel to 8 p.m. Enjoy.

Dave Rodman: I would, actually.

Lee Montgomery: Yeah, thanks. We'll let you guys cover it next year.

Ryan Smithson: Those were two good race this year, although I am tired of explaining how Kevin Lepage "squeezes" into the field and starts sixth.

Were you surprised at the 500 outcome -- and who will be the ones to beat at Fontana?

Marty Smith: Nope. I picked the 24. Face. Johnson wins Fontana.

Lee Montgomery: Not surprised at all. Hendrick Motorsports is a power at plate tracks, and Jeff Gordon is as good as they come. Not a surprise at all.

Ryan Smithson: I picked Stewart. Surprised he didn't hang on to win it.

I need to get one of these for the basement. Credit: AP

Dave Rodman: Well -- I picked Tony on Live Smack -- but Gordo was my Fantasy Team leader.

Lee Montgomery: Kasey Kahne wins his first race.

Dave Rodman: I am almost afraid that Kasey will knock a few walls down before he really gets comfy with the grip deficiency of this new deal -- but I guess since I am gonna do Vegas Shop Talk with Tommy Baldwin I must think they'll win there, right?

Ryan Smithson: I agree with Lee about Kahne. It's bound to happen.

Lee Montgomery: I'm gonna pick Kahne every race until he wins.

Ryan Smithson: I don't think I will pick Kahne at Martinsville.

Dave Rodman: For this weekend, I am kinda liking Rusty and Big Larry's chances.

Marty Smith: Big Larry? You and Carter on a "nickname" basis now, Dave?

PICKS FOR FONTANA •   Marty:  Jimmie Johnson •   Lee:  Kasey Kahne •   Dave:  Kasey Kahne •   Ryan:  Kasey Kahne

Ryan Smithson: Well, he is a big dude, Marty.

Lee Montgomery: That's Big Poppa Wormus to you, Marty.

Marty Smith: Pardon my disrespect for my elders, LeeMo.

Dave Rodman: Naw, but we're cool. I would NEVER want to be Chris Berman, but I'll come up with a butchered name or six.

Marty Smith: With as much coverage as SportsCenter is giving NASCAR these days, I'll bet Berman is brushing up on his stock car knowledge.

Ryan Smithson: I'll bet Chris Berman thinks Robby and Jeff are related.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the participants.