In order to be more politically correct, we will refer to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s torn-up car as "aerodynamically challenged." Credit: AP

Track Smack: Texas

Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. going to start winning races soon?

Marty Smith: Absolutely. He won't win Texas this weekend -- Roush Racing will. But the No. 8 team has made more gains than any other team since the end of last season. Junior will be in Victory Lane within the month.

Ryan Smithson: Too tough to call. But his Atlanta run -- where he was passing guys left and right down the frontstretch -- is a good sign. It is clear that the new Monte Carlo is a great car, but DEI hasn't caught up to Gibbs, Roush and Hendrick.

David Newton: He's at least got the equipment to put himself in position to win again. As impressive as last week's finish was with what looked like a junker at the end, I was more impressed with the 11th at California.

Dave Rodman: What do you want from the kid? You could almost call Martinsville a win. He could win any time, anywhere. Like, how about Texas this weekend. Whoops -- we do predicts, right?

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Ryan Smithson: Marty, RCR has made way more gains than DEI. They have vastly improved all three cars.

Marty Smith: True, Smithson, true. The 31 has probably improved more than the 8. But their expectations are nowhere near what people expect of DEI. Good point, though.

David Newton: RCR also had a lot further to go, Rodman.

Marty Smith: Rodman? What's he got to do with this?

Dave Rodman: I think you meant Smithson. You're forgiven, boss.

David Newton: Listening to the Jimmie Johnson call and typing at the same time can be dangerous.

Ryan Smithson: I don't get all the expectations from DEI. It's a two-car team with a rookie driver. They have tremendous odds stacked against them in terms of catching up. It won't happen overnight.

Ryan Smithson: Now, how did RCR have further to go, Newt? Both teams won one race last year. None of the five combined cars made the Chase.

Marty Smith: No, it won't. But compared to last year, it has. The 8 team wasn't even in the ballpark last year chassis-wise. Now, they're right there.

Dave Rodman: If you want to take it out two years -- they had a lot farther to go. His statement was not inaccurate.

Marty Smith: A longtime NASCAR official told me yesterday that Earnhardt's performance at Martinsville was as fine a run as he'd ever seen. He's been in the sport since 1948.

Ryan Smithson: Was it Rodman? It was, wasn't it?

Dave Rodman: Naw. I came along in '49. I'm only a "veteran ..."

David Newton: But don't you think a lot of the 8 team's problems last year had to do with the crew changes, and once they got that settled everything else seemed to get headed back in the right direction?

Ryan Smithson: Well, the Michael Waltrip stuff was a distraction too. And Truex didn't even get re-signed until mid-season. Someone needs to write a book about their year from hell.

Cardinals games come in better on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s new transistor radio. Credit: Autostock

Dave Rodman: I don't want to make my head hurt trying to think back to all of that -- but the season was a calamity from front to back. They only started to get back going in the right direction by year's end.

David Newton: That's what I meant. Last year was more of a blip on the radar. RCR has struggled for several years in a row.

Ryan Smithson: But when Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands there and says things will be back to where he was in 2004 (six wins), I find that a big stretch.

Dave Rodman: I got your back, Newt. You're right.

Dave Rodman: I'll give him at least three wins, right now. And if you want to give him the benefit of the doubt to seriously be challenging for wins on a week-to-week basis, well -- bingo.

Marty Smith: No doubt Junior ran better once he and Tony Jr. were reunited. He was fast at Charlotte and Atlanta during the Chase. But they were still behind where they are now.

Ryan Smithson: You guys don't know how hard it is to win three Nextel Cup races. Rodman, at least three, eh. I am going to hold you to that.

Dave Rodman: By all means. I mean what I say. You have forgotten, already, how potent they were in '04. Shame on you, Smithson.

Marty Smith: This topic is beaten to death. Move on.

Ryan Smithson: That was two years ago. Remember, when your Social Security kicked in?

Marty Smith: I'm bored. The readers have already turned this off.

David Newton: I've already turned this off.

You guys worried about the upcoming Coca-Cola 600? Does anything need to be done?

How soft is too soft a tire compound? Credit: Autostock

Dave Rodman: What would you suggest? Or I should say, what's your concern?

Ryan Smithson: Rodman, they repaved the track. Newsflash.

Dave Rodman: I won't be there, so the bad traffic is no issue to me.

Marty Smith: Goodyear needs to build a tire that will hold up to the speeds these guys will run. At the tire test last week, those guys were running nearly as quick in race trim as they did last year in qualifying trim.

David Newton: I'm not worried, but I get the feeling Humpy Wheeler is. If something's not done, they'll be riding around single file at high speeds without much passing. It'll be more boring than California.

Dave Rodman: And what was the tire performance like?

Marty Smith: Reportedly NASCAR is considering smaller fuel cells or restrictor plates.

Ryan Smithson: The smaller fuel cells might work, but over 600 miles, you're talking way too many pit stops.

Marty Smith: Plates will do nothing but enable these guys to drive faster through the corners. They won't have to lift.

Dave Rodman: I would like to think plates were nothing more than a passing thought.

Ryan Smithson: I don't want a tire changer to pit the car (doing the math) 12-15 times.

David Newton: I agree, Marty, plates aren't the answer. Perhaps they should borrow the wing from the Car of Tomorrow.

Ryan Smithson: Can't they just put the blade on the roof?

Denny Hamlin played "avoid the concrete wall" and lost Sunday. Credit: Autostock

Dave Rodman: Why not -- that's why they get the big bucks. All those pit stops would make it horrible for the fans to watch -- unless there were a commensurate number of cautions -- which I don't think anyone wants to see, either.

Marty Smith: A fan sent me a picture of the Pontiac Grand Prix the King drove, I think in the late 80's, and compared it to the car of tomorrow. They looked exactly the same.

David Newton: Yeah, I never understood all the fuss about using a wing because that's what they used in the day.

Ryan Smithson: There's nothing stock about a stock car.

Marty Smith: I don't see how this year's race could take longer than last year's. The sun was coming up when the checkers flew.

Dave Rodman: That's the idea of the COT. People are spoiled these days. They don't know if they want looks or potentially good racing -- and that ain't much of a choice to me.

Dave Rodman: Or, I should say, that should be an easy choice.

David Newton: The best solution would be for Goodyear to find a harder compound that won't wear out in less than 30 laps.

Ryan Smithson: Someone will win the race by half a lap, Newt.

Marty Smith: Goodyear is in a helluva tough position.

Dave Rodman: If Goodyear needs to provide stones for tires, the boys will just have to adjust their throttle feet accordingly. That shouldn't be difficult.

Ryan Smithson: That is what I mean, Marty.

Marty Smith: Throttle feet. Sounds like a band at the Ocean Deck.

Ryan Smithson: Rodman, they are not going to slow down. I am going to need you to insert some realism.

Kurt, the ears look great, but can you do something about that double chin? Credit: Autostock

David Newton: That's what Bobby Labonte was trying to say, Rodman. Goodyear can do all the testing it wants, but it's up to the drivers and teams to make it work.

Dave Rodman: Then they will crash. Whose fault is that, Ryan? Ain't Goodyear's.

Marty Smith: Simmer down, Worm! Your insulin monitor is beeping.

Ryan Smithson: I am about to cut the cord on that monitor with a box cutter.

Dave Rodman: Winning a race is all about managing the day's conditions the best.

David Newton: Watch the insults, Rodman. If you want to talk about Ryan having his ears pinned back, that's OK.

Ryan Smithson: If they were pinned back any more, my brain would brush 'em. Marty's ears stick out a little bit I think.

Marty Smith: E-mail I will get today: Marty, I saw where David Newton said Ryan Smithson got his ears pinned back. When did he have that procedure done? Laura Jones, Fayetteville, Ark.

Ryan Smithson: I got mine done in the 12th grade by Shannon Stone. He also broke a few ribs.

David Newton: Dear Laura, Ryan and Kurt got a two-for-one deal in December.

Ryan Smithson: I think Kurt looks much better, by the way.

Ryan Smithson: One more surgery, and he'll make commercials where the women crash the car gawking.

Ryan Smithson: He is on the cusp of looking like Brad Pitt. He just needs some work at the shop.

Ryan Smithson: Actually Pitt is like 48 now. Forget I said that.

David Newton: Enough with the aero talk. Move on.

Guys, none of you picked the winner last week. Want to try again?

David Newton: We all picked Jeff Gordon. We were all wrong by a spot.

Jeff Gordon was the victim of last week's Track Smack jinx. Credit: Autostock

David Newton: Well, except Marty, who picked Denny Hamlin, who is still clinging to the wall.

Dave Rodman: I already told you -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. End of story. G'bye.

David Newton: I'll go with Jimmie Johnson. He was third and fifth there last year.

Marty Smith: My cash is on Matt Kenseth.

Ryan Smithson: Mark Martin, if he can avoid nailing Denny Hamlin for the third week out of seven.

Dave Rodman: Well, one of the K-men might actually score, too: Kurt Busch or Kasey Kahne.

Ryan Smithson: Rodman, pick the whole field why don't ya?

David Newton: That's three guys for you, Rodman.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the writers.