Faithful Track Smack reader Jeff submitted this -- just for bossman Elliott. Serious inquires only!

Track Smack: Talladega

Bill Davis Racing has signed Michael Waltrip and NAPA for 2006. Good move for Mikey? Is this the first step toward Toyota joining the Cup Series in 2007?

Marty Smith: Waltrip hit the jackpot with Bill Davis Racing, because not only did NAPA -- as well as several other sponsors -- make the decision join him there, he also sets himself up for the Toyota marriage in the near future. That sort of backing/support will serve him quite well.

Elliott Gordon: I think it is a better move for BDR than Mikey. I mean, Mikey will bring personality and sponsors to BDR, but I don't think you will see any visits to Victory Lane.

Ryan Smithson: Well, we will see. They certainly didn't come out and say Michael was under contract for a long period of time. And I simply don't see Waltrip doing too well next year. This is a better move for BDR than for Michael.

Duane Cross: I think BDR hit the jackpot. I mean, there's not another marketable driver available with the built-in fan support that Waltrip has. It was a boon for Bill Davis, without question.

Elliott Gordon: BDR hasn't had a win in 217 races, with the last one being my ol' buddy Ward Burton back in July 2002 at New Hampshire.

Marty Smith: Didn't see many wins at DEI, either, Elliott.

	Will Bill Davis and Michael Waltrip be a winning combo? Credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images
	Inside the Numbers Michael Waltrip Cup career Category No. Years 21 Starts 634 Wins 4 Top-5 38 Top-10 122 DNF 126 Avg. Start 20.8 Avg. Finish 20.5 Best Points Finish 12 Note: In 1994 and '95

Elliott Gordon: Yeah Marty, but he did win.

Duane Cross: Waltrip continued to say he was going to sign with a "winning organization." ... Obviously his definition is different than many people, but if he's happy -- enjoy.

Marty Smith: See, that's the thing. BDR has a good speedway program. Scott Wimmer and Mike Skinner have run well on plate tracks in 2005. Mikey is a great plate racer. He'll still be a contender at Daytona and Talladega.

Ryan Smithson: Michael won't win the Daytona 500 for Bill Davis Racing, that's for sure. As soon as I say that, I recall Mike Skinner's run this year, so I might regret saying that.

Duane Cross: Waltrip -- and everyone else -- will be chasing Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the plate races (again).

Elliott Gordon: The question I really want to see answered is who is going to join BDR at the Toyota table?

Marty Smith: Speculation says Ganassi, E.

Ryan Smithson: One of the teams with open-wheel connections.

Elliott Gordon: Target Toyota! Nice ring to it.

Duane Cross: Toyota will be in the bull's eye -- but I don't think that's what it was hoping for, EG. ... And hey, Penske's always up for a manufacturer change (Pontiac, Ford, now Dodge). Why not Toyota?

Marty Smith: Bottom line, BDR got some good cha-ching from NAPA choosing Michael, and DEI, it seems, is relegated to two cars for another year. ... DEI needs three cars.

Duane Cross: Until NASCAR changes the testing rules.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, I'd rather have two cars or four than three. Three is an odd number. Someone always gets the shaft.

Duane Cross: Good point, Smithson -- three seems unwieldy; two or four is good.

Elliott Gordon: They need to hire another Jr. to go with Dale Jr., Truex Jr., Eury Jr.

Elliott Gordon: Maybe Bobby Jr.?

Duane Cross: Hornaday Jr.

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Elliott Gordon: Benson Jr.

Ryan Smithson: Ashton Lewis Jr.

Marty Smith: Hornish Jr.

Ryan Smithson: I can't think of any more Juniors.

Duane Cross: Junior Johnson! He's back!

Elliott Gordon: Only in the reruns.

Ryan Smithson: If they let Junior Johnson drive a tractor, he might come back.

If you could add one track to the Chase -- and the one it would replace -- which one?

Ryan Smithson: I'd move Talladega to Watkins Glen's weekend. I hate having a plate track in the Chase. This would solve that. I'd want a road course in the last 10.

Elliott Gordon: Nah, I think you need a plate track to just offer up the variety. I would dump Dover or Loudon and replace with a road course for sure. Marty and I spoke about this Monday -- Sonoma in the fall. How great would that weather and atmosphere be?

	Smacker Ryan Smithson would remove Talladega as one of the 10 Chase tracks. Credit: Autostock
	TRACKS •   Talladega Superspeedway

Duane Cross: I'd add Rockingham -- and there would be no talk of not being able to sell tickets in a saturated market -- and drop Loudon (with Dover a close second).

Marty Smith: Add Sears Point. All types of tracks should be represented in the Chase. Remove Atlanta. Both are SMI tracks, so it could easily happen. And yes, Sonoma in September would be just short of Heavenly.

Ryan Smithson: Duane, you were wrong to say Dover is boring. You didn't see the Busch North race there. And it is nice to have a concrete track in the last 10.

Duane Cross: And the difference is Cup setup vs. Busch North. C'mon, Ryan -- the Cup setup isn't conducive to great racing at Dover. Now, change the Cup setup and Dover could be as exciting as Bristol, Martinsville.

Ryan Smithson: It's not the track's fault, Duane. You can race two-wide at Dover.

Duane Cross: Yeah, you can race two-wide at Dover -- on a restart.

Marty Smith: Dover is awesome, period. Well, not period. It is a logistical nightmare, but the racing is great.

Elliott Gordon: I wouldn't call it great, Marty. I mean, Jimmie won -- shocker!

Duane Cross: No, it's not the track's fault -- but until they change the setup, it's not a good track for the Chase, for competition, period.

Ryan Smithson: I thought Sunday was an entertaining race. Oh well.

Marty Smith: And Duane's side-by-side argument doesn't fly, either. With this aerodynamic setup, racing side-by-side anywhere is quite difficult.

	Mark Martin is the only Chaser to have won at Talladega. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Chasers at Talladega Driver No. W T-5 T-10 J. Johnson 7 0 1 2 R. Wallace 44 0 1 12 R. Newman 7 0 1 2 M. Martin 39 2 10 21 T. Stewart 13 0 6 8 G. Biffle 5 0 0 0 J. Mayfield 22 0 2 2 C. Edwards 2 0 0 0 M. Kenseth 11 0 1 3 Ku. Busch 9 0 4 6

Duane Cross: I didn't make a side-by-side argument -- Smithson did; I don't think you can race door-to-door in this setup.

Marty Smith: Oh, my fault Billy. It was Smithson. Regardless, you're correct that side-by-side with these tires and spoilers is difficult. It makes for more passes at the front, but side-by-side is still tough. And that's not just at Dover, either.

Ryan Smithson: I just hate thinking The Big One can determine a champion.

Duane Cross: I'd rather see a race on one mile (or less) of concrete, but this current setup makes for awful boring racing.

Ryan Smithson: The Bristol fall race was boring -- Kenseth led a billion laps -- but no one mentioned that.

Elliott Gordon: You know, NASCAR could solve all its problems if it gave Kentucky a race and put it in the Chase. How about them apples?

Duane Cross: Yeah, EG -- pour some more gas on the fire. ... Maybe the "car of the future" can solve some of these problems -- but it can't get here quick enough.

Ryan Smithson: The trucks are dirty, and that makes great racing.

Duane Cross: I wish they'd go back to racing "bricks" -- the old-style cars that actually looked like what you could drive off the lot.

Ryan Smithson: Duane, if everyone drove what everyone is driving now, they'd be racing SUVs.

Duane Cross: Ha! Yeah, good point.

Ryan Smithson: Trouble! Turn 2! Rusty's Yukon goes flying into the infield!

Marty Smith: Wallace would be driving a Durango, hoss.

Duane Cross: Maybe that's NASCAR's next series -- NASCAR SUV, sponsored by Law & Order, SVU.

Ryan Smithson: Kvapil comes up! Hits Rusty with his Hummer!

Marty Smith: Boys, I miss The Rock. That was real racing, there. Kenseth/Kahne at the stripe -- a lasting memory.

Predictions for Talladega

Ryan Smithson: Smoke.

Elliott Gordon: The Big One comes early in the event rather than at the end.

Duane Cross: Dale Earnhardt Jr. beats his drafting partner, Tony Stewart, for the win. Kurt Busch is third.

Ryan Smithson: The fall Talladega event is the best stop on tour. Period.

Elliott Gordon: Jeff Gordon is going to rebound here, boys.

	Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5) and Jeff Gordon (2) have won seven of the past eight races at Talladega. Credit: Autostock
	And the winner will be ... Predictions for Talladega Smacker Driver Elliott J. Gordon Duane D. Earnhardt Jr. Marty Ku. Busch Ryan T. Stewart Last week's picks Smacker Driver Finish Dave R. Newman 5th Elliott R. Newman 5th Marty G. Biffle 13th Duane T. Stewart 18th

Marty Smith: Busch wins. He's not done yet, boys.

Duane Cross: Early, late ... won't matter for Rusty Wallace (one top five in 44 races there). He's had more memorable barrel rolls at 'Dega than top-five finishes!

Elliott Gordon: It is hard to best against Dale Jr. and Tony, really, but Hendrick plate cars are still solid.

Ryan Smithson: I think Busch is done. But that is not exactly fair. His luck is as bad as it was good last year.

Marty Smith: Ol' DW may have been right, Smithson. KB is overdrawn at the luck bank.

Duane Cross: Busch has the best Talladega mark among the Chasers; he could be top five at the end of the day.

Ryan Smithson: Busch has run better this year. Much better. Which is weird.

Elliott Gordon: I agree, Ryan. Busch is done. Basically the top six really only have a shot at this thing.

Duane Cross: But it won't matter because Smoke and JJ will be ahead of him, so the points won't shuffle much.

Marty Smith: Johnson was 247 points out with six races to go and lost by eight in 2004. So Busch has to win like Van Halen -- Right Now.

Duane Cross: OK, so whose Chase is done after Talladega?

Ryan Smithson: Busch, because it was done after Dover.

Duane Cross: Edwards, for sure. Mayfield, maybe?

Elliott Gordon: Edwards for sure. No one is going to draft with him.

Marty Smith: Edwards, yeah.

Ryan Smithson: Edwards. But Carl can get a top-five points finish easy.

Elliott Gordon: And you pointed out that Rusty has a bad, bad history here. But this would do him in totally.

Marty Smith: Man, Edwards rallied well Sunday. He was the only Roush car not to run out front all day, then he finished better than all of 'em but Martin.

Ryan Smithson: Fans are already whining Rusty can win the title w/o a win.

Marty Smith: He can, Smithson.

Elliott Gordon: So can Mark Martin.

Ryan Smithson: Yes, so let him enjoy it, you know? They never let Kenseth enjoy it.

Marty Smith: Never will.

Ryan Smithson: That sucks, man.

Duane Cross: Hey, they can whine -- want some cheese with that? He's playing by the rules. There's no caveat that says you have to win a race. ... And then Benny Parsons is off the hook.

Elliott Gordon: If we were playing by the old rules we wouldn't even be talking about this -- Smoke would be up 200 points.

Duane Cross: 180, actually -- and cruising for the next couple of months.

Marty Smith: I hate cheese. At Scott Wimmer's house, he has something called cheese curds. Heinous. Bottom of the barrel. He says it's a Wisconsin thing.

Ryan Smithson: Travis Kvapil eats them more than Wimmer, I think.

Duane Cross: Yep, big at Lambeau Field, dude. Sell 'em all day for $6 on Madden 2006, franchise mode.

Marty Smith: That's how Dave Rodman lives -- franchise mode.

Elliott Gordon: Don't hate the player, hate the game.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writers.