On Tuesday -- when it was announced the he was leaving Roush Racing -- Kurt Busch was throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley Field. Credit: Tim Boyle/Getty Images

Track Smack: The Glen

Silly Season is in full throttle, revved up by Roush Racing announcing that Kurt Busch is leaving and Penske's announcement that it has signed Busch.

Dave Rodman: Miller wanted a race winner, now. They got him with Kurt. ... I am absolutely shocked he would leave one of the dominant teams in the sport, though.

Marty Smith: Knowing the huge cash that Penske was offering Martin Truex Jr., they're probably throwing even more at Kurt. This is a huge, huge score for Roger Penske.

Ryan Smithson: I know there are a lot of Busch-bashers out there, but this is a great hire for Penske. At least Kurt will be able to get in that car and win right away. I wonder what Ryan Newman thinks of the whole deal.

Duane Cross: It was the most logical ride -- if Busch were to leave Roush. Penske said at Indy the team had narrowed its choices to two drivers. Well, we know who one of them was.

Marty Smith: It's just unheard of for a guy to win a championship, be in contention for another one and walk away. But man, money talks, and Penske has it and is willing to spend it.

Ryan Smithson: Boys, I will bet y'all that Roush lets Busch out of his deal early, unlike Chip Ganassi / Jamie McMurray. ... Now we have to talk about who fills Kurt's ride. What a day.

Duane Cross: Newman probably was lobbying for Kenseth. Man, if there was a driver who was looking to jet Roush, Kenseth was the logical choice. And now, boom! Kurt's leaving.

Marty Smith: This is, without a doubt, the wildest Silly Season ever.

Dave Rodman: What might have been the straw that broke the camel's back is Jimmy Fennig. He didn't want to do this hectic crew chief deal much longer, and if Kurt was not gonna have him, he mighta decided to go where the money was.

To tote his money, Roger Penske apparently has Busch-el baskets. Credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Ryan Smithson: Yeah Marty, I told Duane earlier, this is a Silly Season that happens once a decade. And Rodman, you are 100 percent right about Fennig. He wanted to retire after 2006.

Dave Rodman: Heck, Jimmy might even opt out after this season -- since Kurt is leaving.

Duane Cross: Well, here's what we can say about Ganassi/Roush/Penske: What goes around, comes around. ... Welcome to the new NASCAR, where contracts aren't worth the paper they're written on.

Ryan Smithson: At Ganassi they are, Duane.

Dave Rodman: As long as you have a signed one. Just ask Jimmy Spencer.

Marty Smith: This deal had to have happened fast. It's rare that no one in the media had a clue this was coming, and every last one of us was taken by surprise.

Duane Cross: We'll see if McMurray is driving for Chip in 2006. Until then, I still believe he'll be in the Roush stable come Daytona.

Ryan Smithson: The weird thing boys is that Kurt can win the title again this year, like Marty said. He's running so well.

Dave Rodman: He danged sure can -- that's why I say the deal had to hinge somehow on the crew chief. I think Fennig and Busch are a priceless combination. But with what Jimmy wanted to do, the end was in sight.

Marty Smith: It's gotta be money, Smithson. It's widely known that Roush's lengthy initial driver contracts with young drivers aren't up to snuff financially in comparison to what other owners offer. That's why Biffle was shopping. I mean, until McMurray, they'd never really signed a marquee guy away from another team.

Here's an oldie -- but still a goodie! Credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Duane Cross: Potential back-to-back titles ... and off to a new team. Stunning. Chad Little is dying inside.

Ryan Smithson: Chad Little to the 97! (Kidding.)

Duane Cross: Been there, done that -- still have the John Deere die-casts!

Dave Rodman: You got more than one -- I would love to have a Chad Little Deere die-cast.

Monday's announcement that Jason Leffler was released wasn't nearly as shocking, but -- is the timing right for Gibbs to be auditioning drivers for 2006?

Dave Rodman: The fact they they did it means, darn right the time is right. But it does not look like it will be much of an audition process. Either J.J. Yeley or Denny Hamlin -- take your pick.

Ryan Smithson: This was a good deal. They can run Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley for a few races each if they want. I really think Yeley is going to mature a lot.

Marty Smith: Yes. Jason Leffler's the nicest guy in the world, but mediocrity only flies for so long. They tried everything else. Crew. Crew chiefs. The final piece was driver. FedEx is spending boo coo bucks, and they need to run up front.

Duane Cross: I was beginning to wonder if the Gibbs guys were too wrapped up in Smoke's success to notice that they should have pulled the plug a few races ago.

Marty Smith: For the record, I think Yeley will do what Smoke and Newman did. Once he gets the horsepower under him, he'll be really solid. Yeley, like Smoke and Newman, is a sprint car guy. He's used to tons of horsepower, so driving that Busch car took some learning.

Ryan Smithson: Yeley will take longer to develop than Stewart and Newman did, but he's awfully talented. He's never been accused of not being able to mash the gas.

J.J. Yeley ... really we have nothing sarcastic to say. We're smackless. Credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Duane Cross: Yeley will be a fan favorite -- soon. And here's the headline when he wins his first race: "Hell, Yeley!"

Dave Rodman: I think if they have the sheet metal budget, J.J. has a great chance to shine. That's not a knock -- it's just fact. So here's hoping he gets a chance to exercise that potential. Too bad the chemistry didn't work out for Jason.

Duane Cross: With Leffler, the No. 11 has used its sheet metal budget through Chicago 2007.

Marty Smith: Boys, I still can't believe that Kurt Busch deal. Man. Talk about a shot outta nowhere.

Ryan Smithson: I am kind of dying to know who y'all think will drive the 97 next year.

Dave Rodman: Ricky Craven -- unless he's truly been pigeonholed as a truck driver, as one of the Roush execs said recently. That would be a momentary shame.

Ryan Smithson: Well Craven hasn't lit it up this year, Dave.

Dave Rodman: I wish we could figure out the difference between the early season, when he was stellar -- and now, when he's really been snakebit.

Dave Rodman: Mike Beam and John Monsam are winning crew chiefs -- so there is something going on ...

Marty Smith: Wonder what Sharpie/Rubbermaid/Irwin are thinking. Man, they built a pretty significant program around Kurt.

Ryan Smithson: I would have been less surprised had Dale Jr. left to join Penske. But Busch, wow.

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Marty Smith: Big week for that dude. Gets engaged. Changes teams ...

Dave Rodman: The championship is the reason for that and you're right, this is a blockbuster -- the biggest coup/change whatever -- that I have seen in a good long while.

Duane Cross: Does Michael Waltrip fit into this equation -- somewhere, anywhere? He's maintained it would be a "winning" team. Can't get much better than Roush.

Dave Rodman: That would be a stroke for Michael -- and if Jimmy is sticking around for that 2006 season -- if they are on the same page they could win out of the box. Wouldn't that be a kick? Third Daytona 500 in six years!

Duane Cross: Talk about landing on your feet!

Predictions for Watkins Glen?

Ryan Smithson: Jeff Gordon. Jeff Gordon. Jeff Gordon.

Marty Smith: Make that two Jeff Gordons.

Duane Cross: C'mon ... is there any doubt that Tony Stewart is going to continue his weeklong party? I think not. The No. 20 team has more going for it right now than any two Hollywood starlets you can name.

Ryan Smithson: I'll probably regret not picking Stewart as well, but Gordon, geez.

	Robby Gordon is Dave Rodman's pick to click. ... Hey, it's a road course! Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
	And the winner will be ... Predictions for Watkins Glen Smacker Driver Dave R. Gordon Ryan J. Gordon MartDawg J. Gordon B. Duane T. Stewart Last week's picks Smacker Driver Finish B. Duane T. Stewart 1 Ryan M. Martin 7 Elliott K. Harvick 19 MartDawg E. Sadler 32

Dave Rodman: I don't care what his record has been at the Glen, I think Robby Gordon could be rated as a dark horse -- a legitimate contender to win. But if he's not too worn out and everything else falls as it should -- Tony Stewart.

Ryan Smithson: Rodmnan, don't straddle a fence. Pick one. Robby Gordon is not a 'dark house', son.

Duane Cross: Robby's a fantasy go-to pick -- not a dark horse. Heck, Robby's almost in the "ringer" category when it comes to road courses.

Ryan Smithson: There is always a bigger pool of winners to pick from at The Glen than there is at Sonoma. The Glen is a little easier and the ringers have always had better results there.

Dave Rodman: If I gotta pick one -- Robby it is.

Duane Cross: A'ight, let's all go take a deep breath after this Busch announcement. ... Party at Marty's house afterwards.

Marty Smith: Rodman must be in heaven. Geoff Bodine is on SportsCenter these days.

Dave Rodman: What's up there -- bobsledding?

Ryan Smithson: What a day. What a day. I sound like Denzel Washington in Training Day.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.