Head2Head: Veteran's Day

Replacing a veteran driver with an untested young talent is like trading in a trusty car with plenty of miles left on the warranty for the flashy new model in the showroom. It may look like a good deal but you won't know for sure until it's too late to do anything about it.

The best thing about young talent is the unlimited potential. The worst thing about young talent is not knowing whether they'll ever reach that potential. That's why a veteran driver is a stablizing influence on a team.

Why would Robert Yates go out and hire someone like Ricky Rudd -- who was racing in Cup before many of the current drivers were born -- to pilot the No. 88? Because he knew what to expect from a driver of Rudd's expertise, someone who wouldn't crash a lot of cars and would provide consistent finishes.

Obviously, Bill Elliott brings six championship provisionals to the Wood Brothers, but he's proven that he still has the talent to get a car in the show without having to resort to NASCAR's rule book. Even though his average finish is 28.2, Elliott's been better than what he's shown.

Consider the case of David Stremme and Sterling Marlin. When Marlin left Chip Ganassi at the end of the 2005 season, it was Stremme who stepped into the No. 40. Since then, Stremme has two top-10 finishes compared to Marlin's one -- but since running eighth at Talladega this spring, Stremme has only one finish better than 20th, compared to three by Marlin.

Stremme has the potential to do great things, but Marlin -- with 10 victories under his belt -- has the benefit of years of experience. It's a matter of preference, and right now, sponsors would rather have the shiny new model.

Regan Smith and Aric Almirola may be the future of Ginn Racing, but unfortunately for Marlin and teammate Joe Nemechek, they lose rides that were solidly in the top 35. Whether the younger generation can keep them there is the key.

Before the AARP crowd gets its Depends in a wad, let me say this: I'm not a geriatricphobe; I don't have an aversion to old people. What I do have is two feet planted firmly in reality, and in today's NASCAR there is less room for track-hardened experience.

Of course there is a place for old-school drivers in NASCAR -- on merchandise row, signing autographs. The sport is youth-oriented, and getting younger with each passing season -- which translates into another year closer to retirement, forced or by choice, for the veterans.

Today's twentysomething wunderkinds are seasoned wheelmen before they strap into a Cup Series car. These up-and-comers are well-versed in how to drive, and teams are more than willing to trade sheet metal for gaining big-time experience. Get the right sponsor and the sheet metal bill will pale in comparison to the money generated by Driver X's promotions.

Youth sells, especially with the demographics that NASCAR is targeting. Companies are looking to push product, so from a P&L standpoint it's out with the old and in with the new.

More and more of the old-school grass-roots fans are being put out to pasture. NASCAR is in an enviable situation; as Yogi Berra once said of Coney Island: "It's so crowded, nobody goes there any more." The same thing may be said of stock-car racing, but right now everyone involved is reaping the benefits of being part of the crowd.

Times change -- and the sport must evolve if wants to stay ahead of the curve. And who better to take the curves at 180 mph than a hotshot who looks good on camera?

NASCAR is in a unique time in its history. The sport is young enough to have a portion of its fan base remember the "good ol' days," but a majority of today's newbies couldn't care less about yesteryear. It's a tug of war that continues to cost talented vets their jobs, while at the same time supplanting those drivers with fresh faces that also have a not-too-distant expiration date.