Forget about a track, how about an actual road race -- in Manhattan? Credit: Autostock

Track Smack: NASCAR's Staten Island fairy tale

Editor's Note: We are joined on Track Smack this week by special guest, XM Satellite Radio anchor Claire B. Lang, who helped us with some much-needed insight. Her show, Dialed In, can be heard every weekday on XM, Channel 144.

1. NASCAR officially abandoned its Staten Island project. How does this affect the sport?

Claire B. Lang: I got an instant message from a Long Island resident yesterday that said, "I'm disappointed that the Staten Island deal fell through. I thought NASCAR rolled over a bit too easily. Us New Yorkers welcome a good fight."

Dave Rodman: It means one long-time venue has a couple more years' lease on life as a Nextel Cup location. Short term, I don't think it means much. Unless you're an ISC stockholder.

B. Duane Cross: The best thing to come out of ISC's decision to sell its Staten Island land is that the folks in Martinsville and Darlington can breathe a little easier -- for a while, at least.

Ryan Smithson: I am not surprised. There isn't much transportation to and from Staten -- just the Verrazano Bridge. NASCAR might be better off trying to find land northwest of Manhattan. It can still make money off the Staten site, though.

Claire B. Lang: Some think Westchester County or New Jersey would be viable; both could have the Monday Night Football type aerial view of New York City that NASCAR is looking for.

Ryan Smithson: Duane, I'd say Pocono can breathe easier, not Darlington.

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B. Duane Cross: Won't argue that -- two races at Pocono is one too many (and we won't get into lopping off a few laps at that place), but anytime there's talk of expansion, the old-school tracks have to be on edge.

B. Duane Cross: Is there any doubt ISC will make money off the deal? A meat processing plant worker can count on one hand the number of times ISC has lost money on a deal.

Ryan Smithson: I have always thought that if Nashville Superspeedway doesn't get a Cup date that the land that track is sitting on will be worth its weight in gold when the city gets the new Highway 840 completed. It sold Ontario Speedway for the land, too, you know. This is nothing new.

Dave Rodman: Pocono is pretty old school -- and drawing from the same clientele as the NYC venue would, would make it most susceptible, I think.

Claire B. Lang: Staten Island councilman Michael E. McMahon called the project, "What my mother would call a Schnapps idea."

Ryan Smithson: What do you mean, Claire?

NO ISC ISLE International Speedway Corp. has scrapped plans to build a track on Staten Island, stalling NASCAR's dream to bring a race to the New York area.  •   Complete story, click here

Claire B. Lang: What's a Schnapps idea?

Ryan Smithson: Yes. What is that?

Claire B. Lang: That it was a bad idea from the start

Dave Rodman: Drunken blathering.

Claire B. Lang: I had never heard that expression before either.

B. Duane Cross: Claire, here's an idea -- just have the networks' special effects folks craft stand-ups of metropolitan areas and erect them outside the tracks so each week it looks like NASCAR is in the big city.

Ryan Smithson: Duane, you know, that can be done. Like the fake people they use for movie sets.

B. Duane Cross: Ryan, the land was a dump site. Not hard to get rid of that, especially with ISC's deep pockets.

Claire B. Lang: Duane, you drank the Kool-Aid.

	Move over, buddy! There's a race coming through. Credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images
	NASCAR TodayJimmie Johnson gives his thoughts on running a street race in NYC NASCAR TodayJimmie Johnson takes a lap around New York and more Garage PassDale Jr. looks to burn rubber on the New York City streets Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Dave Rodman: I actually always thought the networks should craft a backdrop using the view off the back of the control tower at Watkins Glen in August -- but then, I'm a country guy.

B. Duane Cross: Country Dave ... only a few of y'all left in this sport, buddy. And that's sad.

Dave Rodman: Tell me about it. And darn lucky for it, too.

Ryan Smithson: I always loved it when people went to The Glen wearing "I love NY" shirts. Watkins Glen isn't New York. It's Tennessee. Same land, different accents.

Claire B. Lang: Jersey fans calling into my show said ISC should look into the Meadowlands near Giants Stadium. In 2007 or 2008, they said the New Jersey Devils will be going to Newark for the new arena and the N.J. Sports Authority owns the land.

Dave Rodman: I thought ISC got aced out of that location by someone else?

B. Duane Cross: And who knows ... we might solve the riddle of "Where's Jimmy Hoffa?"

Claire B. Lang: Think we'll ever see a new track in New York happening in our lifetimes, guys?

B. Duane Cross: Probably not in Dave's lifetime; he's 103. But the rest of us whippersnappers may.

Dave Rodman: That is someone else's dream, certainly not mine.

Claire B. Lang: Thanks for sparing me on the lifetime deal, Duane. I owe you.

Ryan Smithson: It is interesting how Seattle and New York, for the time being, have fought off tracks.

Dave Rodman: Proves everyone wasn't born yesterday.

Claire B. Lang: I say fans don't really care about this unless, 1. They live in Jersey or New York; 2. It affects the date near that track. Otherwise, what is a $100 million piece of land to a fan who buys a ticket?

B. Duane Cross: I understand the corporate thinking behind getting a foot in the Big Apple door -- but from a fan perspective, is it really necessary? Just take the advertising dollars from Madison Avenue and call it a day.

NASCAR wants to put its brand on New York City. Credit: Autostock

B. Duane Cross: The sport should concentrate more on the on-track performance.

Ryan Smithson: It would not hurt to have a NYC track, Duane, come on man. It needs it there. Of course, the New York media will never care.

B. Duane Cross: I said I understand the corporate thinking -- but I disagree that NASCAR "needs" a track in New York.

Dave Rodman: One of our media associates had a pretty good point about NYC after the awards ceremony -- the city could give one rat's rump about it, but at least it notices it a little bit, now -- which is better than nothing. People would go to a good racetrack no matter where it was.

Ryan Smithson: I read the New York Post all week last week. Not a single NASCAR mention. They didn't care. What is sad is that Staten Island was going to be a short track.

Claire B. Lang: Wrong, Ryan. They did the story about the kid who cried and NASCAR pulled him in to get Dale Jr.'s autograph. Kid was in hysterics.

Ryan Smithson: Thanks for calling me out as an idiot, Claire. You won't be back next week.

B. Duane Cross: Does anyone think Joe Fan will say, "There's a race in New York City -- I have to watch!" No -- fans watch for a good race -- and the lack of good racing is quickly becoming the elephant in the room.

Dave Rodman: But like Smithson says, it was going to be a Richmond clone -- so that would have no doubt been pretty cool.

Ryan Smithson: Sad to see it quashed. Washington was supposed to be another 1.5-miler, right?

B. Duane Cross: Yep.

Claire B. Lang: So will it ever happen in New York? Or is it just a mirage that they are going to keep looking for land?

B. Duane Cross: It'll happen -- but in the NY 'burbs.

2. Should teams lobby NASCAR to make the Car of Tomorrow mandatory in 2008 for all races?

Ryan Smithson: I don't see why teams can't run just one COT race on a 1.5-miler next year. They are making teams run one plate car. Why not go ahead and test a 1.5-mile track as well?

Claire B. Lang: On my show on Tuesday, Nextel Cup director John Darby said: "There is a huge feeling in the garage -- and I believe in my heart -- by the time we complete '07, the teams will be pushing all of the chips into the middle of the table and I would predict what we would see in '08 would be the Car of Tomorrow across the board a year early."

Dave Rodman: I think it's a little too early to tell, on that. I think teams have to get a fix on how inconsequential or detrimental it is to have to prep two types of cars.

Garage PassTony Stewart doubts Car of Tomorrow will be a success for NASCAR Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

B. Duane Cross: Sixteen COT races in 2007 -- including half the Chase races ... what's the holdup on going whole hog in 2008? That eliminates the two-car prep -- and reduces two-car prep seasons from two to one.

Dave Rodman: If it is going to be a "one size fits all" solution, 2008 would probably work, considering they will have another half-year and a bunch of races to work on its intermediate aero program.

Ryan Smithson: Depends on how well the car runs at places like Darlington and Dover.

Claire B. Lang: I agree.. They already want that to happen so it will happen. Done deal. Already in the script?

B. Duane Cross: Anyone else have a hankering' for a COT die-cast in your stocking this Christmas?

Ryan Smithson: It wouldn't fit in a stocking.

Claire B. Lang: It would be like a flying brick collector piece.

B. Duane Cross: I know, it'd have to be a big stocking, but ...

Claire B. Lang: The talk I heard was that the look of the cot was designed for the younger generation the skateboarders to make NASCAR more hip.

Jewel: NASCAR's golden girl. Credit: Autostock

Ryan Smithson: I already bought a COT die-cast, but I dropped it, and it fell apart. The wing came off, the splitter came undone.

B. Duane Cross: Tony Stewart has been pretty vocal about the COT. Has anyone seen Smoke in one of these?

Ryan Smithson: If NASCAR wants to be more hip, stop paying Jewel. That sounded like a wake.

Claire B. Lang: Ryan, you don't think the younger generation of skateboarders would love the look of the car? You are the pup of the bunch.

Ryan Smithson: So we're putting the future of NASCAR in skateboarders' hands?

B. Duane Cross: I think Darby's take is spot-on; this isn't -- and should not be -- about attracting the sk8r crowds.

Claire B. Lang: No, but he said it can't hurt.

Ryan Smithson: People still skateboard?

Claire B. Lang: That was so yesterday.

Ryan Smithson: 1987. The movie Rad.

B. Duane Cross: Yeah ... thanks, Tony Hawk. Dude couldn't get a prom date, so he cast skateboarding on all the kids of those parents who rejected him.

The opinions expressed are solely of the participants.