Track Smack: Are all the COT issues taken care of? (cont'd)

3. For some reason, some people seem upset about the finishing order, and the circumstances, after Martinsville. Do racing teammates equal different rules?

Dave Rodman: If you don't think they do -- you're a dope.

David Caraviello: Maybe you could say that if Gordon didn't hammer the back of Johnson's car twice in the closing laps. It's not like he just followed him to the finish without even trying.

Dave Rodman: The problem for Rick is; he's been through this before -- with Schrader and Rudd at Martinsville and sheesh -- Vickers and Johnson at Talladega. I'd say once is enough but he's already beyond that.

Raygan Swan: I didn't believe Jeff Gordon when he said he tried his hardest to move JJ.

Dave Rodman: Of course: Tony Stewart, Dale Jr. or even Matt Kenseth might have roughed up JJ even more and won the race. Problem is none of them could catch him.

David Caraviello: I doubt Hendrick is on the box saying, "This belongs to Jimmie." His guys are running 1-2 -- he wants them to finish 1-2.

Dave Rodman: I meant to put in my "Gordon legend" story that the front of Jeff's car was severely concaved. He beat the crap out of him -- which just speaks to how capable these drivers are, and how sturdy and well-matched these COTs (or whatever we've chosen to call them) are.

David Caraviello: The big question isn't whether there were team orders. It's whether Jeff would have tried harder if he hadn't owned the car in front of him. That said, Gordon seemed royally peeved, both on the radio at the end of the race and afterward on pit road.

Raygan Swan: Good point DC. I didn't think about that one, so the pouting on pit road was unnecessary.

Dave Rodman: A little earlier we were talking about developing these cars and learning about them. I think that was another case of that. No old rules work. But trust me, they'll figure it out.

David Caraviello: Yeah. I wonder if part of Jeff's frustration was kind of a, "what do I do now if the old tactics don't work anymore?"

Dave Rodman: Classic case of which foot is the shoe on? He was peeved that JJ body slammed him off 4 to the line. Wished it was the other way around, in which case he would have been in Victory Lane laughing about it.

Raygan Swan: What would Tony Stewart have done if Hamlin was in front of him?

David Caraviello: Maybe the same thing. Hit him hard enough to try to move him, but not hard enough to wreck him. Remember, these guys are still learning how to drive these cars.

Raygan Swan: True. And it's not as easy to move the cars because of the even bumpers.

Dave Rodman: Jeff was mad he lost. Good for him -- that's the emotion the sport needs. And like I say, there will be a good wreck here in one of these upcoming races where a guy's gonna go "Whoops" and we'll have a better idea of where the line is.

David Caraviello: That's for sure.

Dave Rodman: Bottom line, I thought those last 40 laps were pretty stellar racing -- in a COT, CST or FTD.

Raygan Swan: I actually watched that race, lap-for-lap, without falling asleep so yes, it was exciting!

Dave Rodman: What do you think Big E would have thought of the COT?

David Caraviello: Big E wasn't big on a lot of changes.

Dave Rodman: Yeah, but he adjusted -- and he excelled in that ol' Corvette at Daytona. I think the COT would have been right up his alley.

Raygan Swan: I'm too young to know, but he'd be pretty ticked off if his foam caught fire!

Dave Rodman: See that, you know him better than you knew you did -- and you never knew him! And I bet HE would have known how to move JJ.