Track Smack: Merging, Chasing and laying bricks

What do you make of the Ginn/DEI merger -- for both parties in the short term and for their suddenly joint future?

Joe Menzer: I guess it shouldn't have caught me by surprise, but it sure did. Despite Ginn Racing's obvious recent troubles, I thought they just tried to do too much, too quickly and that they would eventually right themselves and move forward on their own. I was wrong.

David Caraviello: Bobby Ginn did what any good developer does -- he bought a property and flipped it. It seems like a good deal for DEI, which suddenly has a lot of brand-new equipment and Mark Martin. But it smacks of Ginn being in over his head, and needing a way out.

Duane Cross: The merger makes a lot of sense, if your name is Bobby Ginn. He got in over his head and had to do something -- and merging with DEI isn't the worst-case scenario for any team. In fact, it's probably the best thing that could happen to his drivers.

Joe Menzer: Not if your drivers were named Sterling Marlin, Joe Nemechek -- or, apparently, Regan Smith. I guess I never should have believed Bobby when he spouted all that stuff about having a five-year plan and being in it for the long haul -- which he said only six months ago!

David Caraviello: Hey, six months in the real estate business seems like five years.

Joe Menzer: Well, he might have believed all of that himself six months ago. But racin' ain't real estate!

David Caraviello: Remember that scene on the media tour, Joe? How they were going to spend all this money and expand? Buying all the airplanes and the seven-post shaker rig?

Duane Cross: If it were, my man Richard Davis would be leading the points! (I love his A&E show.) But this also goes to an issue that will continue to fester in the sport: You must be part of a larger operation if you want to succeed. And despite having three cars, Bobby was, it turns out, a one-car operation.

David Caraviello: But Duane, does any of this happen if Ginn finds sponsorship for the 13 and 14 cars? True, all appearances are that Bobby bit off more than he could chew. But if sponsors materialize for his other two cars, maybe Ginn Racing still exists.

Joe Menzer: Yep. Mark Martin kept saying that Ginn Racing would be remembered as the Little Operation That Could -- but in the end, they couldn't. And the end came mighty quickly.

David Caraviello: Joe, if Mark Martin could carry an under-funded operation like Ginn, he'll do fine under the DEI banner.

Duane Cross: That's just it -- Ginn couldn't do it. Whose fault is that? Not for me to say, but it seems there are a lot of big-time teams that have "associate" sponsors just because they're Mr. Big Shot Team ... when they could be a primary on another organization's hood.

David Caraviello: Exactly. It's like sponsors would rather be on Kyle Busch's car for 10 races than be on Joe Nemechek's car for 36.

Duane Cross: It's a no-win situation for these small-time teams that are / were perceived to be big-timers.

David Caraviello: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin are suddenly teammates. There's a win-win situation.

Joe Menzer: What I want to know next is what happens to poor Regan Smith -- not to mention Ginn developmental guys like Jesus Hernandez, Kraig Kinser and Ricky Carmichael?

Duane Cross: Mark Martin will now be driving an RCR-powered car ... reckon he'd like to have been in that position in February?

Joe Menzer: I don't know. I think this has the looks of a mess for the remainder of this season. Truex and Junior will continue to run well, but after that, I wonder?

Duane Cross: Don't be too quick to toss Junior in there; he's still gotta drive it like he stole it to fend off Ryan Newman & Co. who are charging toward No. 12. Meanwhile, Aric Almirola must be loving life right now. On the other hand, Regan Smith ... not so much, Joe.

Joe Menzer: Regan Smith appears, at least at the moment, to be the odd man out. Which is unfortunate for him. You have to feel for him.

David Caraviello: And Ricky Carmichael, who sank his future into an organization that no longer exists.

Joe Menzer: Although I've got to believe that the new hybrid organization will continue to work with him. He's a marketing dream, and apparently has some ability that should transfer from Motocross to, eventually, with hard work and a little luck and if teams don't keep folding from underneath him, Nextel Cup.

Duane Cross: It's a good time to be involved in NASCAR's "Golden Age." ... And here's your pink slip.

Joe Menzer: You're not talking to US, are you, Duane?

Duane Cross: Ha! No, just channeling Jay Frye during his sit-down with Regan, who did get five nights and four days at one of Ginn's resorts, free of charge.

With the number of chances to move up into the top 12 before the Chase rapidly dwindling, who drops out and who sneaks in when it's all said and done?

Joe Menzer: I say Kyle Busch gradually falls out, along with maybe Clint Bowyer. As for who sneaks in, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the two Penske guys -- Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch.

David Caraviello: I wrote last week that Dale Jr. would be the odd man out, and every race fan in America with an 8 sticker on his car tried to burn down my inbox. It was nothing personal, people.

Joe Menzer: Geez, and I thought all the race fans were too busy firing off e-mails to me about the recent Good Tony/Bad Tony column I wrote about Stewart! I separated them into Good Fan/Bad Fan piles!

David Caraviello: And I thought they all hated Duane because of his Gordon piece!

Duane Cross: The next seven races will be interesting. Ryan Newman, who has the same average finish as Junior at the next seven tracks, is only 60 points back -- and he could make up that deficit Sunday. It's eerie how similar Junior and Newman are at these tracks (chart below).

Joe Menzer: Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch have been steadily coming on for a while now. Busch already would be in the top 12 if not for his stupid attack on Stewart in the pit box earlier this season.

David Caraviello: But Duane, while both of the Penske cars have clearly improved, are they championship material? And Kyle's too good to fall that far that fast.

Duane Cross: Championship material -- probably not. But Chase material -- yepper.

Joe Menzer: I'm the guy who said Kyle was going to fall. And he will, mark my words. He's a great talent -- but there is too much bad karma now swirling around that lame-duck team.

Duane Cross: There are only a handful of cars worthy of contending for the title. The rest of the Chase field is racing for a better spot at the table in New York.

David Caraviello: Joe, did young Kyle cut you off in traffic on I-77?

Joe Menzer: For one thing, it's only a matter of time until Kyle is closed out of the Hendrick competition meetings entirely. And the way he's been talking, one of his current "teammates" might look to put him into a wall somewhere. Not that I would necessarily blame them!

Duane Cross: Nah, Kyle will be cool. ... But I guess the DEI-Ginn merger clears the path for Kyle to join RCR's stable. Kyle will make the Chase -- and he'll be one of the handful of drivers in the late-season mix. It's his final shot at an up-yours as he leaves Hendrick.

Joe Menzer: Well, obviously he's not going to DEI now. And that's where it looked like he was headed for a long while. So DC, who replaces Dale Jr. in the Chase then? And you two think the rest of the 11 stay the same?

Duane Cross: Newman -- he'll pass Junior and fend off Kurt for the 12th spot. And even then, if Truex bobbles a little bit, Kurt could slide in and Penske have two rides in the playoffs. I just don't see Clint falling off the pace and missing the Chase.

David Caraviello: Well, I have been universally lambasted for picking McMurray to rally and get in. But Truex will not bobble, boss. He's been as solid as anyone the last month.

Duane Cross: He has been ... since DEI has been giving him the A-level equipment. But I won't go there ...

David Caraviello: Duane Cross, are you suggesting a pecking order?

Duane Cross: Would I do that?

Joe Menzer: Speaking of Penske, any chance Kyle Busch ultimately fools us all and ends up there?

Duane Cross: Kyle and Kurt as teammates ... wow, it would be interesting to hear The Captain tell them to go to their rooms after a squabble.

This weekend the boys head to famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400. Just how big of a deal has this event become for NASCAR?

David Caraviello: It's huge. Drivers know and appreciate what the place means. Just as many of them were in awe of former F1 ace Juan Montoya, many are in awe of Indy.

Duane Cross: It's not the Daytona 500 -- and I don't think it will eclipse the Bristol night race. Indy is a big race; nothing wrong with being one of the Big Three. But it's like Kyle Petty said: "Everyone wants to win at Indy, sure, but it's not Daytona and never will be -- at least for us. For us, it's always going to be Daytona. Indianapolis will be the place for open-wheel racers."

Head2Head

Does Indianapolis deserve to be held in high regard in terms of NASCAR's historical tracks?

• Complete story, click here

Joe Menzer: Don't forget the Coca-Cola 600, guys. (I could be imagining it, but I thought I heard Humpy Wheeler just whisper that in my ear!) Seriously, though, who would have thought 20 years ago that the Coca-Cola 600 would get as much attention, or more, than the Indy 500 when they ran on the same day.

David Caraviello: Bristol night race? Are you serious? Hey, it's great TV. And it's a great place. But it's not Indy. A.J. Foyt didn't win at Bristol.

Duane Cross: Richard Petty never won at Indy ... so what makes it the place in stock-car racing lore?

Joe Menzer: Man, you're always knocking Bristol. I told you last week, DC, it's the Wrigley Field or Fenway Park of NASCAR. Jimmy Spencer once said so himself! I think I read it in a book somewhere.

David Caraviello: I'm not knocking Bristol! I love Bristol. It can provide the best racing on the circuit. But it's not Indy.

Duane Cross: Yes, Indy is a landmark -- but it's still an open-wheel joint.

Joe Menzer: As I stated last week, Indy doesn't yet have enough NASCAR history behind it to lay claim to any great stock-car racing legacy there. But they are indeed building it.

David Caraviello: It's not about stock-car racing, but racing in general. The sense of history is palpable when you walk through the gates. It's the Augusta National of motorsports. At no other track do you get that feeling.

Joe Menzer: Now wait a minute. In golf you have the Hooters tour or whatever you call it, and then you have the PGA Tour. They don't let the Hooters guys on Augusta. ... Are you saying that NASCAR at Indy is like the Hooters tour being allowed on Augusta?

Duane Cross: Wanna talk palpable -- walk into the Bristol bullring about 8 p.m. Aug. 25. That is palpable; you can feel it in your toes!

David Caraviello: Hey, nobody's questioning that. Bristol is awesome. But walk into Indy when it's empty, and you get the same feeling.

Duane Cross: I do at Bristol. Of course, I prefer Cheerwine to chardonnay ... but that's just my raisin' coming into play

Joe Menzer: The racing is better at Bristol for these guys, no question. And that's the bottom line. I happen to think Bristol is pretty cool even when it's empty, too.

David Caraviello: Admittedly, Indy can produce some dog stock-car races. But strategy at the end is always interesting. And the place itself makes up for it.

Duane Cross: I want part of my ashes spread at Bristol.

Joe Menzer: Duane, don't you mean you prefer Cheerwine mixed with, um, something? Something maybe a little stronger?

Duane Cross: Nah, I don't cut my Jack with anything!

The opinions expressed are solely of the participants.