Yeah, you do look a little like Kurt in that suit. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Track Smack: Offseason

1. Can Toyota have an immediate impact on the Nextel Cup Series next year?

Dave Rodman: On the surface and at the moment I think the answer quite plainly is "no." The teams they currently have are in lulls, shall we say. Not that they can't rise again...

Ryan Smithson: Not really because they won't have any heavy hitters in their lineup. But Dodge didn't set the series on fire either -- and remember, they still haven't come close to winning a title. It's a hard deal to just jump into.

Marty Smith: Nope. Greg Biffle is correct that they'll have a difficult time. Not only have the elite teams many thought Toyota would align with -- Ganassi and Penske -- said they're staying put with Dodge, but NASCAR will focus on ensuring Toyota doesn't allow them to take the same approach they've taken in open wheel. NASCAR will keep tabs on them -- close tabs.

Dave Rodman: Their impact will come in a number of behind the scenes ways -- like maneuvering to get more high profile drivers and teams into their stuff. And what their technological innovations -- if they can implement them in Cup -- might mean.

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Ryan Smithson: Boys, the real drama will come in about three years, when Penske's deal with Dodge is up. And Ganassi obviously has Toyota connections. I wonder if Toyota will make a run at RCR as well?

Marty Smith: Agreed, Smithson. In a few years Toyota could set the proverbial bar. They'll throw a ton of money at the biggest name teams and drivers.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, let me throw this at you. Obviously Goodwrench sold some of its races to Reese's. What is to stop their relationship from ending altogether?

Marty Smith: Continued mediocrity, Smithson.

Ryan Smithson: That's right. And it's too tough to catch up without major changes -- extreme changes.

Ryan Smithson: Guys, you saw how quickly Roush moved to announce that Kenseth wasn't available after Toyota made their announcement?

Dave Rodman: It's gonna be kind of a chicken or egg deal -- if Toyota is sub-par, will a team want to go that direction? Then again, these guys are pretty good about stripping away the bull and seeing what's really there, so if Toyota has got a viable product, the insiders who are in the know, will know.

Marty Smith: Reading between the lines of Kevin Harvick's statements from the media tour, it seems Red Bull Toyota has made a good offer, both for his Cup career and his personal Busch and truck teams. That speaks volumes to a guy like Harvick.

Dave Rodman: As he's said all along, the first four months will speak the future for Kevin, I think. If they have shown some serious progress, I think he'll stay. But if not -- the exit strategy might start unfolding.

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Marty Smith: There's really no one else out there like Kevin right now that is putting that much effort into starting his own program while driving full-time for someone else.

Ryan Smithson: It's never good to say you're going to wait until April to negotiate.

Marty Smith: Michael Waltrip is in a somewhat similar situation, I guess.

Dave Rodman: Yeah, but Mikey's program is in complete turmoil. Does anybody else think losing Bobby Kennedy was the beginning of a huge slump for MWR?

We didn't think it was possible, but Kyle Busch went to bigger sunglasses for 2006. Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Marty Smith: But if Toyota comes in with some gusto and will further stabilize KHI, it'll be tough for him to say "no, thank you."

Ryan Smithson: Only thing Kevin would have to do is expand that shop a little. That won't be very hard.

Dave Rodman: How goofy would it be if Kevin did a deal with Toyota for KHI -- and stayed with RCR in Nextel Cup?

Ryan Smithson: Not goofy if RCR eventually moved to Toyota. This is all speculation, mind you. Chuckle.

Dave Rodman: Oh, most definitely.

Marty Smith: I don't see how that could be feasible, Dave. Representing GM Goodwrench and accepting R&D assistance from Toyota? No way.

Dave Rodman: You're absolutely right, Marty -- but like Ryan said, if Goodwrench is pulling way back -- and they already left KHI's truck team -- if they are leaving, it means the only thing left is RC's history with GM.

Marty Smith: Don't forget what that history entails, though, Rodman. It's not to be understated.

Dave Rodman: Oh no, buddy -- I am well aware of that and that's why it's pretty hard to comprehend.

Ryan Smithson: I'll say this: Harvick and RCR waiting until April makes it more difficult to stay. Impossible? Of course not, but they could have re-upped over the winter though. But they didn't.

Go for the full beard, Tony. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

2. Should NASCAR end testing, at non-Nextel Cup tracks, like Richard Childress suggested last week?

Marty Smith: If they want to save teams money, absolutely. If they want to pretend they're saving teams money, no.

Dave Rodman: What, would the second part of that be actually extending race weekends out by a day to provide a full day of open practice?

Ryan Smithson: Guys, you have to test a road-course car somewhere. At least let them test at Virginia International Raceway.

Dave Rodman: Man, I don't know how they would police something like that, on the surface. But given how they keep an eye on things, it would not be that much of a stretch, I guess.

Marty Smith: It's pretty important for rookies, too. If they did eliminate such testing, they'd have to give the rookies more official tests.

Ryan Smithson: Dodge spends an insane amount of money at Kentucky Speedway -- track rental, tires that they bought last year, hotel rooms, etc.

Marty Smith: A fan asked me in the mailbag why teams don't want to race Kentucky. I said teams have nothing to do with it. Teams love Kentucky. NASCAR simply can't justify the market.

Ryan Smithson: If they do race at Kentucky, I hope they make it a 300-miler.

Marty Smith: NASCAR wants Manhattan and Seattle, and nothing less.

Dave Rodman: The marketing side is just fascinating. Do you want to go to a huge market where not a lot of people care -- like California -- or someplace where the people would be passionately swinging off the top of the grandstands like Kentucky and Nashville?

Marty Smith: That lawsuit deal is intriguing -- especially the Internet business portion.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the participants. If you Google the terms "Kevin Harvick" and "Toyota," you'll find 102,000 Web sites. Coincidence?