Track Smack: Are all the COT issues taken care of?

1. After two COT races, how "stinky" an issue are foam, brakes and whatever else, as we look towards Phoenix?

David Caraviello: The foam is a huge issue. You can't have something in the racecar that's going to burn up. NASCAR might have been caught a little off guard by it, and its good they immediately made it issue No. 1 to be resolved before we get to Phoenix.

Dave Rodman: The foam issue is particularly troubling, as Matt Kenseth so eloquently pointed out, because "nothing man-made that you burn can be very good for you." But having said that, the fact that relatively few teams are having issues with it is a good thing, I guess.

Raygan Swan: I agree. But after talking with the folks at Dow Automotive, they say it is not responsible for the symptoms drivers are complaining about: Headaches, dizziness, etc. They are standing behind their product and say it's safe.

Dave Rodman: Holy cow. I'm sorry to hear that, Raygan. Sounds like typical corporate CYA. I'd say it's safe if it stays in the state it was delivered in. It's good to see NASCAR jumped right on it, sent the engineering staff to Richmond and is doing what it needs to, to make sure it stays that way.

Raygan Swan: Yeah. Dow more or less passed the buck and said it's a NASCAR issue, they merely supply the foam and they aren't responsible if the crews don't know how to install it properly.

Dave Rodman: Well, that would tell you NASCAR needs to do a better job of a) explaining how to install it or b) inspecting the installation in pre-race tech -- and they've reacted so bravo to them.

David Caraviello: The fact that the first two races were on short tracks likely complicated things. Pieces like brakes and tailpipes get hotter on short tracks, because the cars can't get enough air through there to cool things down.

Dave Rodman: David, I think you make a good point about the short track phenomenon. I hardly think brakes would be an issue at Phoenix, no matter how hot it gets out there.

David Caraviello: That doesn't mean it's not an important issue, though. You can't have drivers wondering when something inside their cars is going to melt.

Dave Rodman: If that keeps occurring, NASCAR needs to mandate toxicology screens as part of medical clearance.

David Caraviello: Right now it's just tough to figure out which of these issues are only problematic when the COT is on short tracks and which are going to be problematic wherever the thing races. And once we get to Darlington and bigger tracks, the exhaust systems shouldn't get quite as hot. At least that's what crew chiefs are saying.

Dave Rodman: And again, as with everything else involved in the overall development of the COT -- some teams are "getting it" and some others are a little slow on the uptake.

Raygan Swan: I'm looking forward to a break from the COT.

David Caraviello: Soon they're all going to be COT races, people. Get used to it.

When drivers complain, listen!

Drivers are a certain breed, but they are inside the car and have knowledge that no one else does. So David Caraviello wonders why we ask the drivers to stop complaining when if ignored, the consequences could be disastrous.

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Dave Rodman: Uh-oh, Raygan. You know you picked a 5-of-7-race COT stretch to enter this wonderful realm, right?

Raygan Swan: Yeah, really! I still don't understand why we are calling it "COT."

David Caraviello: Car of Today, right? The acronym still works.

Dave Rodman: I honestly think it will be the COT until it's the OCU -- the Only Car in Use.

David Caraviello: As opposed to COBF -- Car of Burning Foam.

Raygan Swan: I like COBF.

Dave Rodman: Or now that they've allegedly fixed the foam, the HSC: Hard to Stop Car.

2. With more teams either bringing in partners or talking to potential partners, what's the state of partnerships in NASCAR? And does bringing in big investors mean even more bickering, backstabbing and throat-cutting?

Dave Rodman: I might have missed something, but I found it interesting that in successive weeks, Ray Evernham and Richard Petty were visiting Mr. Puck. Sorry, I used to follow hockey when I lived in New England, so I don't recall the Montreal gentleman's name. Gillett, I guess?

David Caraviello: I fail to understand how so many people think this is a new phenomenon. Didn't [team owner Richard] Childress bring in investors years ago? Didn't Roush partner with Yates? Didn't Evernham partner with Valvoline? Didn't Ganassi partner with Sabates?

Dave Rodman: True, true and true. But it seems this is taking it to another level. When RC did it, it was done quietly enough that you really had to have your head to the ground to pick up on it.

David Caraviello: Yes, the partnerships are becoming more high profile, and they're starting to bring in people from outside the sport. But this is nothing new.

Dave Rodman: And it's no secret that all of a sudden, with the additional adjustment RCR has been able to make with its capital influx -- they are a bad-ass bunch across two series right now.

David Caraviello: You're right, Dave. He really started this phenomenon. You can probably trace the resurgence of RCR back to when RC brought in investors to raise more cash.

Dave Rodman: For better or worse, we might never know how much back-room politicking, backstabbing and bad-mouthing might be going on.

Raygan Swan: As the sport gets bigger, so does the competition. And teams need help to offset cost. I think it's cool to see the Red Sox involved with Roush Fenway. It helps expose the Northern states to the sport.

David Caraviello: Um, isn't there a race in Pocono? But Raygan's right. It's cool to see different entities get involved.

Raygan Swan: Yes, but further North, like, New York, Boston. How are the NASCAR TV ratings up there?

Petty open to selling part of team

Petty Enterprises, along with Evernham Motorsports have conducted informal talks with George Gillette, owner of the Montreal Canadiens, about a partnership with their race team.

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Dave Rodman: New Hampshire has been all but a sell-out ever since it began running Cup races in the mid-'90s. Short track racing is huge up there, and the people crave their Cup fixes. It's the same thing with upstate New York. The Glen was packed in 1986 for that first race, which was no surprise to me given the short track climate up there.

David Caraviello: Right now, it seems like the outside investors are letting the racing people handle the racing end. You wonder if and when that's going to change.

Raygan Swan: Bottom line on this partnership topic. I would love to see more diverse backers enter into the sport. But I see your point. They need to be involved monetarily and marketing-wise, not as much with on-track decisions.

Dave Rodman: I think what Raygan meant about Roush Fenway and the Northeast is that it potentially exposes the sport to, if not a new class of persons, then persons who might not have previously looked at motorsports with any interest.

David Caraviello: Correct. Remember, the Red Sox can't advertise outside of Boston because of MLB rules. This is their way of getting around that.

Raygan Swan: Exactly. I see really interesting B2B opportunities here and ways for NASCAR fans to reap the benefits.

David Caraviello: I believe that is the first time the phrase "B2B" has ever been used in Track Smack.

Dave Rodman: Yeah -- I knew Raygan would raise our demographic.

Raygan Swan: What? Not really. Sorry -- remember where I come from.

Dave Rodman: A lot of fans might say there's too much "business 2 business" in NASCAR already.

David Caraviello: Speaking of TV ratings, this is a good time to make the obligatory mention of Mark Aumann's 19-inch TV. I get so many emails from fans who ask me about it. They just love that topic.

Dave Rodman: Did anyone offer to donate a replacement? NASCAR fans are like that, you know... Or invite him over for cheeseburgers and race watching?

David Caraviello: They just want to hear more about it. They can't get enough of it.

Raygan Swan: What happened? I'm new here.

Dave Rodman: Joe took Mark to task for watching a race on a 13-inch TV at his mountain retreat. It instantly became a pig-pile.

Raygan Swan: Wow!

Dave Rodman: Track Smack = Equal opportunity disrespect. Or no one is sacred. Something like that.

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.