"Wooo-hooo ... finally somebody doesn't like me!" Credit: Autostock

Track Smack: Bristol

Who's nervous heading to Bristol's high banks? Not Dale Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was greeted with the boo birds in Victory Lane at Michigan. Anyone surprised at the backlash after his bump-n-run on Carl Edwards?

David Newton: What it showed me more than anything is just how popular Carl Edwards has become in a short period. There are only a handful of drivers out there that the fans would have sided with over Junior.

Dave Rodman: Most definitely, considering it was just blood-n-guts racing coming to the checkered flag. Everyone forgets Atlanta October 2004 -- and that Carl would have done the same to Junior if the roles were reversed.

Duane Cross: Yeah, I was a bit surprised. He's Junior! And there have been a lot of e-mails on both sides of the issue, with many people pointing out that Atlanta race as Earnhardt's justification.

Marty Smith: No. His daddy got it for dumping Terry Labonte to win. Why wouldn't Junior get it? All said, though, Edwards' chosen retaliatory body-slam was ridiculous. He's dadgum lucky he didn't plaster Earnhardt's hand all over the side of that car. Had he, all hell would've broken loose.

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Dave Rodman: Once again, Carl might have forgotten the shoe fits on both feet.

Duane Cross: Others have said that Edwards was loose and Junior did what anyone else (except Mark Martin) would have done.

Marty Smith: I got an e-mail from a Junior fan that cussed me blue, saying it was the Gordon lovers that were booing Junior. That may be true, but if so, why aren't they cheering Gordon when he's announced on Sunday? Oh, and there's just one other thing: I didn't write that statement.

David Newton: The Red Shirts certainly were standing and cheering when Junior passed Edwards on Sunday, so maybe there's something to the Gordon fan theory.

Dave Rodman: Marty, you and a bunch of others are dead-on right about the potential injury to Junior -- so the critical thing was, did the penalty fit the crime? I definitely think a weekend suspension would have been justified.

Marty Smith: Don't forget, Dave -- Harvick sat in 2002 for prefabricated retaliation at Martinsville. Granted, his response to NASCAR had something do with it, too, I think.

Dave Rodman: In fact, my recollection is that his reaction literally overturned the canoe -- and Mike Helton and John Darby don't like to get wet.

David Newton: Edwards isn't the first person to use his car to retaliate and NASCAR didn't sit them.

"Yes, Mr. Roush. Yes. I understand. Yes, Mr. Roush. OK. I won't. I DO know who he is." Credit: Autostock

BUMP-N-RUN Dale Earnhardt Jr. bumped Carl Edwards to win the Busch Series race last week at Michigan.  •   Complete story, click here Owner Jack Roush wants his driver Carl Edwards to keep his cool after Michigan.  •   Complete story, click here Victory LaneEarnhardt Jr. wins in controversial fashion at Michigan Final lapsContact between Dale Jr. and Edwards sparks controversy at MIS Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Dave Rodman: But I don't think anyone has ever used his car as a weapon after he was already on probation for using his car as a weapon.

Duane Cross: I wonder what Carl's mom thinks about him cussing a blue streak in Victory Lane? I don't condone open mics everywhere, but it was interesting to see that side of a guy who comes across as Captain America.

David Newton: Carl's still frustrated from being knocked out of the Chase by Stewart. He was pretty outspoken there, if you recall.

Dave Rodman: But for Junior, who's a devoted student of the sport's history, that was the worst thing Carl could have done. You don't profane a man's Victory Lane, in Junior's book -- and I say "right on" to that.

Marty Smith: I love it, Duane. The boy has passion. Again, he has every right to want to kick Junior's butt. And a left-hook to the jaw would've been more acceptable than dang-near taking a man's hand off.

Duane Cross: At the core, these guys are competitors and want to win -- and no amount of corporate polishing is going to take that out of them.

Dave Rodman: You hope not, anyway.

David Newton: Hell, NASCAR needs more incidents like that to get the ratings back up.

Dave Rodman: Hey Newt, has anyone done a prospective point table of where Carl would be given various combinations if he didn't get taken out at Pocono? Bah -- who would waste their time?

Duane Cross: Ha! Newt, you should sit with Robin Pemberton and y'all concoct the Rating Spike of the Week Feud.

Dave Rodman: Their season doesn't merit being in the Chase, so that's about the size of that.

David Newton: I think Casey Mears said it best: "It's good TV." We wouldn't have as much to talk about without it.

Marty Smith: Mears Gang. That's very good, Newt -- very good.

David Newton: Well, Mears has to get in here somehow now that it appears he's officially out of the Chase you predicted he'd make.

	"Has Jeff secured that Kevlar wrap for our car, yet?" Credit: Autostock
	FedEx PreviewNBC/TNT's Marty Snider previews the action at Bristol Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Duane Cross: Each team has its ups and downs -- except for the No. 48; they have been bulletproof, it seems. The No. 99 -- and others outside the Chase window -- hasn't dealt with adversity as well as others.

David Newton: That doesn't mean I condone trying to take somebody's hand off, but I don't think that was the intent.

Dave Rodman: That's the difference between manslaughter and a paltry fine. You have to get guys out of the habit of using cars as weapons. On the cool-down lap guys undo their belts; take off their helmets -- so you can't be hitting each other.

Marty Smith: Of course not, Newt.

Dave Rodman: It's called blind rage, I think. Which is why a cooling off period -- in this case, a weekend suspension -- would have been justified.

Marty Smith: I mean, think how awful Edwards would feel if he did injure Earnhardt?

Dave Rodman: Too late, then.

Six of the top-11 drivers are separated by 35 points or less. Who'll be most nervous when the green flies at Bristol?

Dave Rodman: You said it: Six of the top-11 drivers -- except for Kasey Kahne, who's already out, so he has little to lose.

David Newton: Has to be Denny Hamlin. Most of the guys in the top 10 have had good success at Bristol. Hamlin is the least experienced of the bunch.

Duane Cross: Jeff Burton -- he's so up-and-down at Bristol.

Marty Smith: All of them. You have little control over that place. Too congested. And Friday is very important. Qualifying well is a huge advantage at Bristol.

	"What do you mean, guys? DON'T do the burnout now? There are HOW many laps left?" Credit: Autostock
	DROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT Jeff Burton dropped five positions in the standings after last week's race at Michigan.  •   Complete story, click here

Duane Cross: Burton has only nine top-10s in 25 starts at the bullring; he can't afford back-to-back 40-something finishes.

David Newton: None of them can afford a 40-something finish.

Dave Rodman: That's it. No one is exempt, and in this case it's alarming how far you can fall in a hurry. I'll tell you one thing -- we definitely might see an episode or two of "Benny Parsons' championship rebuild" if some of those Chasers get tore up early.

Duane Cross: It would be a shame for Burton to drop from the Chase after the consistency that team has shown this year. He was totally geeked at testing in January. To have it fall to shambles in August would be tough to swallow.

Marty Smith: He'll make it. They're too good. He'll be awesome at Richmond and Fontana.

David Newton: Agreed, Marty. All the RCR cars are running strong. Bowyer was headed for a top-three or five last week until an engine blew with a few laps left.

Duane Cross: Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth can take 40-somethings; they're in, if they just start the next three races.

David Newton: They don't count. They're in.

Dave Rodman: Unh-hunh. But they want to maintain their momentum. Personally, Bristol aside, I think the 10 we're gonna see in the Chase are the 10 that we're looking at now.

Marty Smith: Burton and Bowyer are having the most impressive seasons-to-date, from a preseason expectation standpoint, I think.

David Newton: But as we saw with Earnhardt a month ago, a couple of 40-somethings can take you from the penthouse to the outhouse in a hurry.

Dave Rodman: Right you are, and Burton's demise at MIS shows how quickly sh-tuff can happen.

Predictions for Bristol?

Marty Smith: Kurt Busch sweeps again.

Dave Rodman: Since Tony Stewart is in the midst of the comeback that many predicted after his momentary lapse, and since I still think he's the biggest threat to Big E and The King's seven titles -- Tony makes the right adjustments this time and prevails.

	"He-heeee!" Credit: Autostock
	Bristol Predictions Smacker Pick Marty Kurt Busch Rodman Tony Stewart Duane Kevin Harvick Newt Matt Kenseth

Duane Cross: Kevin Harvick solidifies his spot; he doesn't get enough credit as a short-track racer.

David Newton: I'm gonna go with Matt Kenseth. I believe he won this race last year and his team has to be pretty loose with a Chase spot all but wrapped up.

Dave Rodman: They're loose, but they're focused and intent on maintaining that roll for 14 more races, so that's a good call; as is Harvick. He's badass at Bristol.

Duane Cross: Dave, Smoke won't be in the Cup Series long enough to get seven -- or eight -- titles.

David Newton: He'll be too big to fit in his car at his current pace to have a shot at that many wins -- or titles.

Marty Smith: WHOOAAAAAAAA. Newt! You've been hanging with Smithson too much.

Dave Rodman: Hmm. I don't know about that. The Car of Tomorrow may be his saving grace -- and he, more than anyone else, is most capable of ripping off titles-in-a-row.

David Newton: Hey, even his best bud at the Dairy Queen in Columbus said Tony's packing it on.

Duane Cross: WOW! That's one zinger Tony won't swallow.

David Newton: OK, cheap shot. Just couldn't resist.

Dave Rodman: Put a cherry on it and he might.

The opinions expressed are solely of the participants.