In 17 years, Robert Yates Racing has 57 victories -- and never has gone winless in a season. Credit: Autostock

Track Smack: Offseason

1. Will Robert Yates Racing become a powerhouse again? If so, when?

Duane Cross: Robert certainly has the pieces in place, after getting Slugger Labbe and Tommy Baldwin. There's no doubt the driver talent already is there. Still a two-car team, but RYR has positioned itself nicely as a contender.

Mark Spoor: I don't know if powerhouse is the right word. I think they can contend for a championship, no doubt.

Ryan Smithson: This is a make-or-break year for those guys. They are pretty far into their sponsor commitments and they need to step it up. I know they want to expand, and they will have to start winning more races. It won't be easy.

Mark Aumann: I'm not certain that two-car teams aren't already heading toward extinction, just like one-car outfits. It sure seems like you've got to have an R&D rabbit to be successful now.

Mark Spoor: That said, I also think that they have to have a team in place that is ready to handle the pressure of being a contender in the Chase format. They don't have that yet.

Ryan Smithson: Well, RYR brought in Labbe and Baldwin. When crew chiefs arrive, they often change the entire look of the team to reflect their tastes.

Duane Cross: I wouldn't be surprised if Jarrett and Sadler are running up front at the end of the Daytona 500. I doubt these guys will wilt down the stretch to the Chase again, like they imploded in '05.

Mark Spoor: I'll say this: Kudos to RYR for not going the teen-ager route like some other teams. There's something to be said for experience.

	Tommy Baldwin Credit: Autostock
	ALSO Robert Yates Racing announced the hirings of Slugger Labbe to be crew chief for Dale Jarrett and the No. 88 and Tommy Baldwin Jr. to be crew chief for Elliott Sadler and the No. 38 in 2006.  •   Complete story, click here

Duane Cross: Sadler can handle the Chase pressure. Anyone doubt if DJ gets in that he can? C'mon -- these guys just need to get their equipment in order, and that's something that Slugger and Tommy can handle.

Ryan Smithson: Jarrett has to have the car set up well to crack the top 10. That is some pressure.

Mark Spoor: Sadler absolutely imploded when the heat was on last season, no arguing that.

Mark Aumann: And yes, if anybody can do it, the Yates group can. Stability is such a key element in today's NASCAR.

Duane Cross: By far, these are the most significant moves of the offseason. Forget all the drivers hopping from seat to seat. It's off the track where the Chase is won.

Ryan Smithson: They have got to get to four cars though. That is going to be NASCAR's model -- 11 four-car teams.

Duane Cross: So we're gonna see 44-car fields, Ryan? You have some breaking news?

Mark Spoor: Glad you said that, Cross.

Ryan Smithson: Nah, you know what I mean.

Mark Aumann: Oh, that's all we need at Bristol.

Mark Spoor: But what's to say NASCAR will stay at four. We all know the rulebook is a work in progress.

Ryan Smithson: Well, the four-car rule is designed to help make things easier for smaller owners, and yet, it will decrease the number of actual teams.

Mark Spoor: They hinted at that at Phoenix -- they may not be done at four.

Ryan Smithson: You're going to have some stragglers always with single-car teams, but it will always be if they can even make the race.

Duane Cross: I think three will be the optimum number, as soon as NASCAR and these teams can get together on when sponsorship end.

Mark Aumann: Well, the whole "super car" deal's been around since Carl Kiekhaefer.

Mark Spoor: True, but there's always ways around rules, right?

Yeah, we wonder -- why Will Ferrell (and who's that guy standing next to him)? Credit: Courtesy

Ryan Smithson: Let's get back to RYR for a second. They have got an interesting model over there. It's the New York angle: Labbe, Baldwin and D'Hondt. And all three have similar backgrounds, and they all used to work for Ray Evernham.

Mark Aumann: I thought a "New York angle" was what you used to mug tourists with.

Mark Spoor: Nah -- that's three-card monty.

Ryan Smithson: I highly doubt they would like nothing better than to beat Evernham's three cars into the ground.

Mark Spoor: I thought Baldwin was heading toward team ownership. Wonder what happened there.

Ryan Smithson: It's clear that RYR is headed for major expansion. They have to. They are getting killed by Roush. He'll be a team owner eventually, but you can't do those deals overnight.

Duane Cross: Tommy could "own" one of Yates' cars; Gordon does it for Hendrick.

Mark Spoor: NASCAR said they want more owners. Who better than a mechanic?

Mark Aumann: Certainly the driver-owner deal hasn't panned out.

Mark Spoor: See: Gordon., Robby

Duane Cross: Give Robby another couple years; if his sponsors stick with it, he can make it work.

Mark Aumann: Ricky Rudd, Darrell Waltrip ...

Duane Cross: That's a big if -- I know.

Mark Spoor: Baldwin is a nice guy -- and a Yankee fan. Gotta love that!

Mark Aumann: That's right; he drove the Bronx Bomber mobile at Watkins Glen!

Ryan Smithson: Well, Yates told me in July that he is worried that crew chiefs can't own their own teams now. Translation: He wants to help mechanics do the same thing he did: own teams.

Ohhh, so that's what Zippy means by "put the hammer down!" Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Duane Cross: Spoor -- stop with the Yankees fandom. ... You couldn't tell us who wore No. 6 before Joe Torre! Being a "Yankees fan" since Derek Jeter arrived isn't being a Yankees fan. Go root for the Mets, dude!

Mark Spoor: Oh lord. Here we go.

2. Best place to visit in New York?

Mark Spoor: Hey, Ryan --- speaking of New York, when I was there last week, a guy from my old church told me you were a genius. Response?

Ryan Smithson: I have evidence that I am not.

Duane Cross: Where did you go to church, Spoor? Bellevue?

Mark Spoor: Man -- Christmas shopping woes, Cross? Have some egg nog, man.

Duane Cross: I found your Christmas gift -- a clue!

Mark Spoor: I love that game. It was Professor Plum in the library with a candlestick!

Mark Aumann: Tourist destinations? Probably Madison Square Garden, Rockefeller Center, Wall Street, Fifth Avenue, Ground Zero.

Duane Cross: Momument Park at Yankee Stadium; even quasi-fans (like Spoor) will get a jolt out of that. Other than that, hit the local dives; that's where the characters are.

Ryan Smithson: Go to Radio City Music Hall, sit in those plush red chairs. Fall asleep.

Mark Spoor: Go to Carnegie Deli -- best sandwiches anywhere.

Duane Cross: Stop Googling, Spoor! You wouldn't venture into New York; you have enough trouble with ATL traffic!

Mark Spoor: That's what subways are for, John Madden. Warm up the bus!

Ryan Smithson: New York is the greatest city in the world. Centerville, Tenn., is a close second. We just got a Minnie Pearl statue. Her rear end faces the courthouse.

Mark Spoor: Is there a price tag on it?

Mark Aumann: I'd vote for San Francisco over New York.

Mark Spoor: Gotta love Lombard Street!

Duane Cross: Maybe you ...

Outta my way! ... Dave Rodman -- en route to the media center buffet. Credit: Mark Dadswell/Getty Images

Mark Aumann: I'm still waiting for the NASCAR Cable Car Racing Series.

Mark Spoor: Champion: Jack Sprague.

Duane Cross: It'll be rigged, so the Nos. 8 and 24 make the Chase.

Mark Aumann: Although the NASCAR New York Taxi Series would be quite entertaining.

Mark Spoor: Those taxi drivers drive more aggressively than you, Smithson.

Mark Aumann: If Benny Parsons is a former Detroit taxi driver, then Dave Rodman had to have driven cabs in the Northeast before finding his calling at NASCAR.COM.

Duane Cross: I'd pay to see Smithson at one of the Petty Driving Experiences. He'd kick some white-collar ass!

Ryan Smithson: No way. I am not dumb enough to think I can drive those.

Mark Spoor: He's heck in a go-kart, I know that first-hand.

Mark Aumann: Who would win a race between Track Smackers?

Mark Spoor: Smithson -- I'd be a lap down.

Ryan Smithson: If Dave Rodman was here, he'd win. He wrecks people.

Duane Cross: I'll second that -- Rodman.

Mark Aumann: I'd place my cash on Dave, our own Intimidator.

Mark Spoor: If Smithson can stay out of trouble, he's tough.

Duane Cross: Rodman would punt him -- like Jarrett vs. Newman.

AWARDS CEREMONY •   Grand Ballroom, The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City.  •   7-10:30 p.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 2.  •   TNT, 9 p.m. ET -- MRN/XM Satellite Radio  •   Special Guest: Jay Mohr  •   Musical Entertainment: Singers Toni Braxton and Gavin DeGraw; Jazz pianist Eric Lewis

Mark Spoor: Or Newman vs. your boy Rusty.

Ryan Smithson: I wonder how long it will be before Rusty gets bored and makes a start.

Mark Spoor: I say by July Daytona.

Mark Aumann: Spring Bristol.

Duane Cross: When they go to Bristol in April.

Mark Spoor: Wonder if he'll cry Friday night.

Ryan Smithson: I'd say that is for sure.

Duane Cross: $100 says yepper -- right after he mentions "hot rod" for the 4,937th time.

Mark Spoor: HAHHAHA

Duane Cross: And I'll have Kleenex in hand.

Mark Spoor: Don't worry, you'll see Snoopy again, Woodstock.

Duane Cross: But it's out with the old and in with the new -- c'mon down, Clint Bowyer!

Mark Spoor: C'mon down, Brent Sherman!

The opinions expressed are solely of the writers. ... Marty Smith and Dave Rodman were playing Stratego and could not attend this week's Smack roundtable.