Teresa loves the life-sized stuffed Dale Jr. doll she got for Valentine's Day. Credit: Autostock

Track Smack: Daytona

Teresa Earnhardt clearly doesn't want the No. 3 raced again. Guys, how feasible is it that we'll never see it again?

Marty Smith: Well, first of all she doesn't own it, Richard Childress does. And he and Junior both want to run it, so if they want to run it, they'll run it. I mean, that's the fundamental bottom line: Teresa really doesn't have a ton of say here.

Ryan Smithson: When Dale Earnhardt Jr. comes out and tells Marty that he will, you have to believe him. He's only 31 years old. A lot can happen in the next 10 years, or even five years. It will happen, and only when Richard Childress decides to make it happen.

David Newton: Sounds like the making of a war between Teresa and Dale Jr., since Junior already has said he wants to drive the No. 3 late in his career. By the time Dale Jr. is ready for it, he'll probably be running DEI.

Dave Rodman: I think we'll see it again. I truly, absolutely hate to say that Teresa would rate about, ahem, No. 3 in this one -- but if Jr. wants to run the 3 to close out his career; and RC most definitely would like to field it for him -- well, end of story.

David Newton: Is this another sign that Teresa and Dale Jr. don't communicate as much as they'd like us to think?

Ryan Smithson: Man, I don't want this to become ugly, but that is exactly where it is headed.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE Give the right side of your brain the day off as you juggle a field of NASCAR drivers while staying under a salary cap.  •   To play,  click here For Reese's, it's all about the Cup. Pick the best drivers from each group and walk away with the top prize. Build your point total week after week! Earn great prizes! Are you ready to make the hard choices?  •   To play, click here Streak to the Finish challenges you to guess a top-10 driver in next week's NASCAR race.  •   To play, click here Who do you want to make a superstar? The Superstar Fantasy Cap Challenge gives you that power. Just don't use the same driver twice this year.  •   To play,  click here Play the Ultimate Fantasy League. Draft, trade, add, and drop drivers throughout the season. Dominate your opponents with the best team of drivers you can assemble.  •   To play,  click here

Marty Smith: And I'm not trying to be disrespectful in any way. I see her point. But there is only one man that can drive the 3, and that's Dale Earnhardt Jr. It would make a lot of people happy.

Ryan Smithson: NASCAR can't start retiring numbers. There is not enough to go around. You'd have to retire several of them right off the bat.

Dave Rodman: NASCAR could retire numbers since our database manager tells me there are currently 999 numbers available. Numbers of numbers isn't the issue.

Marty Smith: Database. That's Dave's new nickname: Database Rodman.

Dave Rodman: Data for short.

Ryan Smithson: People are not going to run No. 507, Dave. Don't be that way. Be sensible.

David Newton: Junior could drive the 333.

Ryan Smithson: Here comes Data Rodman in the No. 819 Kia 3-cylinder whatever.

Dave Rodman: RCR owns that number, too -- since it would appear as "33."

Dave Rodman: Geo Metro is the all-time 3-cylinder king.

Marty Smith: Data Rodman is a World Rally champion, according to Smithson. He won the Dover 250K.

David Newton: I think the Geo Metro has been retired already.

Ryan Smithson: I remember in 2001, someone asked Richard Childress why he didn't run the 37, in honor of 3 and 7 (titles). He said he didn't think of that and wished he had.

Marty Smith: That's a good observation. Interesting idea.

Ryan Smithson: That was at the Rockingham press conference, Marty. I forget who brought that up.

Dave Rodman: Good call there. The payoff to get the number might keep John Carter and Roger Craven in business for more races, since they own the 37 now.

E-MAIL •   Dave Rodman •   Ryan Smithson •   Marty Smith •   David Newton JOIN THE FRAY •   Send us a topic for discussion

David Newton: The bottom line, Richard Childress owns the number and he can do whatever he wants, so whatever comments Teresa made really mean nothing.

Dave Rodman: It's meaningful because it's from the heart -- but I think reality will end up being otherwise.

What is the next order of punishment for crew chiefs that get caught cheating?

Dave Rodman: Suspended for more races than Chad is going to get suspended for.

David Newton: to really get their attention, you've got to penalize the driver points, and a lot of them.

Ryan Smithson: Loss of two races' worth of driver points. Knock them back out of the top 35.

Marty Smith: There's too many politics involved, but if NASCAR really wanted to make a statement, they'd send the whole team home.

The finalists for the "Flying Tomato Look-alike" Contest. Credit: Autostock

Dave Rodman: As we know from last year, about all they had left inside the box was a couple toes. So lopping them off don't even take a sharp knife.

Ryan Smithson: Very artful, Rodman. Losing toes.

Marty Smith: Data Rodman Scissorhands.

David Newton: If they sent the driver home, the sponsors would come down hard on them and that really would send a message.

Marty Smith: That's the political issue, Newt. NASCAR doesn't want to tick sponsors off.

Dave Rodman: Marty, you're right -- that would get their attention -- but bumping the point deduction up would be a very powerful alternative.

Ryan Smithson: Knaus is going to head back and get a head start planning for spring races. Doesn't hurt the team too bad. And correct me if I am wrong, but Hendrick has their Fontana and Vegas cars about ready to go anyway.

Dave Rodman: Sending the entire team home would be for a violation so heinous I don't think us four -- even with our truly vivid imaginations -- could come up with that scenario.

Marty Smith: I bet those boys would stop and think about cheating, because suddenly you're accountable for all your teammates, too.

Ryan Smithson: Now that would really start ticking sponsors off, Marty. Four instead of one.

Marty Smith: I know.

Ryan Smithson: NASCAR still has a lot of weapons at their disposal. It is like when you're a kid and your parents take things away. They have a lot to take away.

David Newton: Perhaps Chad should spend this time trying to perfect his cheating. He only had the fifth fastest car in qualifying.

Marty Smith: NASCAR has all the power. It's their sandbox, dude. I still say, though, without driving stars, NASCAR is nothing.

Dave Rodman: I think as it is now the entire organization, from owner to floor sweeper, is behind the current program, to whatever level it's operating. I don't want to lessen the sponsor's involvement -- or imply it's any less -- but they are innocent bystanders in this.

David Newton: The sponsors are not innocent bystanders. They drive this sport.

Dave Rodman: Well, they're driving it depending on how much pressure they're putting on someone to run good. And I guess it would be a tad naive to think every sponsor did not want to win every race.

Ryan Smithson: I know this is unrelated, but that being said, NASCAR teams have no union. In other sports, Knaus would have a significant hand to play in his punishment.

Marty Smith: Refer to my previous statement, Smithson.

Ryan Smithson: That is what made me think of it, Marty.

Marty Smith: Without Dale Jr., Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, etc., those stands wouldn't be full.

Ryan Smithson: There is probably never been a better time for a union to be organized.

Since the pay phones were yanked out, the wait to use the free NEXTEL phone in the garage area has gotten longer. Credit: Autostock

Marty Smith: Right.

Ryan Smithson: I sound like Jack Nicholson in Hoffa.

Marty Smith: Thing is, I don't know that they want one. Everyone's making too much money.

David Newton: But since they're all independent contractors, as they like to say, forming a union might be tough.

Ryan Smithson: That, Marty, is the big difference. Baseball players were not making money when they formed theirs.

Who is going to win? You guys really called the Shootout winner.

Marty Smith: I got dibs on Earnhardt. I don't care what anyone says about bandwagons and blah blah blah, he has the best car.

Ryan Smithson: I am 100 percent sure a Yates car will win on Sunday.

David Newton: I'll go with Jeff Gordon. He's second fastest, the defending champion and has been the dominant car in plate races the past two years.

Ryan Smithson: I like it when we all pick different guys.

Marty Smith: Who did Data pick?

David Newton: Nobody picked Hamlin. He's hot.

Ryan Smithson: I am glad you think he is good-looking.

David Newton: No personal preferences on his looks.

Daytona 500 predictions Smacker Pick MartDawg Earnhardt Ryan Sadler Newton J. Gordon Rodman Stewart

Ryan Smithson: Yeah right. I see how you look at him.

David Newton: Thanks, Ryan.

Marty Smith: I asked Tony Stewart if he thought Denny looked like Napoleon Dynamite. He about peed his pants.

Dave Rodman: I am thinking man, and my wife is about to go to work.

David Newton: Let her pick. She will come closer.

Dave Rodman: It seems to me I picked Tony Stewart for something. Oh yeah -- to win the championship again. So I'd say starting it off with a Daytona 500 would make everybody pack their tents right from the beginning.

Dave Rodman: Take the rest of the season off, boys.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the participants.