Track Smack: Some teams ready for a full COT docket

1) NASCAR made a late-breaking announcement Tuesday the COT would be fully implemented in 2008, so who's ready and who ain't?

Joe Menzer: It's pretty obvious who's ready. Hendrick, despite the constant complaints about the COT from both Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch, is ahead of the curve -- and so is Joe Gibbs Racing, particularly with Denny Hamlin.

Raygan Swan: Evernham needs to catch up and Ganassi is getting there quicker.

Dave Rodman: Obviously, Hendrick and Gibbs are a few steps ahead of the rest, but as we suspected, the rich aren't gonna lose any of their advantage with "everyman's car" in place.

Raygan Swan: For the teams trying to catch up, it's going to be like trying to catch up to someone that's older than you. Big sis always wins.

Dave Rodman: Ain't gonna happen, true.

Joe Menzer: In fact, they've gained more advantage -- at least for now. They have tested the COT more, simulated more stuff on their 7-post shakers, which not all teams have -- so they have more data on it.

Raygan Swan: So until something changes, we'll see the same drivers out front and it's going to get old.

Dave Rodman: Well, unless someone can really challenge Hendrick's panzers, it will get a little, shall we say, dry.

Joe Menzer: Look, Hendrick has earned all the kudos they're reaping these days -- plus Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are two of the best drivers out there. But from a fan interest standpoint, when is enough, enough?

Dave Rodman: Gas prices might have more to say about day-to-day race attendance than Hendrick domination, at this point.

Joe Menzer: What surprises me a little is that the Penske cars haven't been better in the COT races. I thought they would be right there with the other big teams.

Dave Rodman: Penske, more than anyone else, I believe, is really showing some progress. Unfortunately, they can't race in a brother-safe bubble. Hey, Ryan Newman doesn't have a sibling who races, does he?

Raygan Swan: These under-funded teams just don't have the resources and the people to do the research and produce the chassis. And the certification process with NASCAR takes a while.

Joe Menzer: It was good, I think, for the sport that Harvick held off J.J. to win the All-Star race.

Dave Rodman: But wouldn't it have been better if Mark Martin passed them both? Talk about the ultimate payback.

Joe Menzer: I guess maybe the bigger question is this: Is NASCAR jumping the gun a bit by going all-in with the COT for 2008? I don't think so, but I know some guys, particularly Gordon, do.

COT implementation forces new timetable

Now that the COT will go full-time in 2008, teams are readjusting their schedules which has owners pleased but some drivers still questioning the move.

• Complete story, click here

Dave Rodman: If it's gonna suck, it's gonna suck through 2012, so you might as well concentrate on it all-out right about from the get-go. Hey -- Kyle Petty said go all-in for the second half of 2007. That's some guts.

Raygan Swan: Well it's like a band-aid; you have to rip it off really quick so the pain doesn't last as long. It's the same with the COT. These smaller teams can't afford to keep doing R&D, etc. on two different cars.

Dave Rodman: No one can, though it's the same old story. If these team owners have a quarter, they'll spend 30 cents. Or try to.

Joe Menzer: You are so right about that. Of course that goes for most writers, too!

Dave Rodman: This is the new, namby-pamby NASCAR. Give 'em a break. When they downsized the cars in '82 they just had at it at Speedweeks. There was no gradual implementation.

Raygan Swan: Hah! That's a good one, Dave.

Joe Menzer: You're just old-school, Rodman. Or just plain old and resistant to change. It's gonna be fine over time.

Dave Rodman: Oh yeah, because the 2010 season will be coming shortly after 2008. They'll figure it out eventually and today's parents are always having children, so there will always be at least a few fans.

Joe Menzer: I think it will be fine once these guys have time to work on it and figure out what they can and can't do, that will make them turn better. That seems to be the big issue.

Dave Rodman: It's interesting the smart people like Todd Berrier have ideas to "fix" it. Hahahahahaha. By the time they are done, though, I wonder if we'd be right back to the Car of Today? With a wing.

Joe Menzer: I don't think so. I don't think these cars can be manipulated in nearly the same manner. And I think that's sort of the point of them -- in addition to the improved safety, etc.

2) Who do you guys like in the World Wide Wrestling World Tag-Team Championship: Juan Montoya / Kyle Busch or David Gilliland / Kurt Busch?

Raygan Swan: JPM and Kyle! Let's get ready to rumble!

Joe Menzer: Now we're talking fun! I was gonna take Kurt, just because I'm getting kind of sick of Kyle's antics. But then I remembered how easily Jimmy Spencer jacked Kurt up a few years ago.

Dave Rodman: Their weight disadvantage is only a few pounds.

Joe Menzer: And like you, Dave, Spencer is old. He was then, too.

Dave Rodman: Yeah, but he still looks good. Just like yours truly. Right...

Joe Menzer: And Juan probably knows martial arts or something. I don't see Gilliland knowing any dirty tricks. By the way, is there anybody out there that's not mad at JPM these days?

Dave Rodman: It will be neat to see if someone just plain wrecks him, or if they do it slyly -- kind of like the accident Juan and Ryan had at Homestead.

Raygan Swan: Kurt Busch has the body of a 12-year-old girl so I don't see him doing any damage! Maybe with the help of his wife.

Joe Menzer: Yeah, well, Kyle isn't exactly Arnold Schwarzenegger, either!

Dave Rodman: Well, for maybe the first time, I think we started to see the inkling of the legendary JPM from Formula One. He was absolutely emitting sparks Saturday night -- and this was well after he was out of his car, when he obviously was getting goaded by people telling what everyone else was saying about him.

Raygan Swan: At least Special K is taller and a bit broader. He would so clothes-line Gilliland!

Busch bros. wreck in All-Star Challenge

An unusually clean Nextel All-Star Challenge erupted into brotherly chaos on the second lap of the final segment of the event, as Busch brothers Kurt and Kyle got together and ended each other's evening.

• Complete story, click here

Joe Menzer: At least Kurt came out and talked about it after the incident. I know I waited for Kyle to come out of the infield care center and he snuck out a side door or something.

Dave Rodman: On the other hand, you have to hand it to Kyle for opting out of the chance to say the wrong thing and adding insult to injury.

Joe Menzer: As for JPM, what do you mean we're seeing it for the first time? Did you not see him take out Tony Raines in Martinsville? Or tangle with Newman a couple of other times? And bump some folks out of the way at Bristol? JPM has been driving like this all year!

Dave Rodman: But he's been pretty taciturn out of the car.

Raygan Swan: Kurt never misses an opportunity in front of the camera! Kyle had to go beat something up in the hauler. I did hear that he kind of lost it.

Dave Rodman: Under the same circumstances, wouldn't you?

Raygan Swan: Hey it's NASCAR -- leave him alone. He's just looking for a place to fit it! Who cares if he's pissing people off, he's a racer! That's what racers do! And Newman screwed him in Homestead first Dave!

Dave Rodman: That was Joe that said that, Raygs.

Joe Menzer: I know what JPM did in the Nextel Open was stupid, but I love the fact that he's driving as aggressively as he is. It's old-school.

Raygan Swan: Remember the freaking fireball welcome Newman gave him?

Joe Menzer: He's trying to get to the front. Nothing wrong with that, he just needs to be a little more patient about it.

Dave Rodman: Maybe my short term memory is shot, but Saturday was probably the worst thing Juan has done, yet. Mexico was just over-aggressive. The Open was just idiotic.

Joe Menzer: I mean, the first turn of the first lap of an All-Star event is a little over the top! But it did help make an otherwise mostly boring night quite a bit more interesting. As did the Busch brothers tango.

Raygan Swan: Some people race to live, others live to race. Others just want a freaking million dollars! I'd get a little excited, too!

Dave Rodman: Well, it's all part of the learning process. And I'm betting, after that, he'll learn a few more lessons in pretty short order.

Joe Menzer: Yep. I thought he would win two or three races this year. But he's starting to make it so it will be tough for him to get by anybody, any time, without getting put into the wall.

Dave Rodman: I still think it could happen. And face it, winning isn't easy for anyone, these days.

Raygan Swan: If someone was going to screw with him on the track, I think it would have already happened by now and from the one, the only Tony Stewart!

Joe Menzer: Oh yeah, we forgot about the Stewart incident.

Dave Rodman: Speaking of going nuts for a million -- I'd almost pay to see the All-Star Challenge at Richmond.

Joe Menzer: As for the All-Star at Richmond, it would be fun -- but I don't see it happening. This is an event embedded in Charlotte, even though the crowd was down a little the other night.

3) When it comes to Jimmie Johnson at Lowe's Motor Speedway, does anyone not named Johnson need to bother showing up Sunday?

Raygan Swan: Kasey Kahne! Hah! Just kidding! Joke, joke, joke!

Head2Head: Ending Hendrick's reign

Bill Kimm and Duane Cross debate which team has what it takes to challenge Hendrick Motorsports for NASCAR supremacy.

• Complete story, click here

Dave Rodman: Hardly, though Harvick, Martin, Gordon and Busch, for starters, would slap me down. But to ensure some parity, I vote to race the Coca-Cola 600 in Thunder Roadsters, in honor of following the Indy 500 to the line.

Joe Menzer: Kahne is a different driver now than he was when he won both events at LMS last year. He doesn't have the same confidence, and apparently not the same equipment, either.

Raygan Swan: I don't think anyone would noticed if he'd stay home, other than the 100,000 screaming tweens!

Joe Menzer: Well, David Stremme might notice. I think he might be looking to pay him a visit sometime during that long 600-mile event. But with all that's gone on lately -- Junior was in the news for something, wasn't he? Everybody forgot about the Kahne-Stremme fat-fight.

Dave Rodman: I think that was a momentary aberration.

Raygan Swan: I'm not sure what has happened to that momentum he had a few weeks ago. They were the fastest at the Lowe's test so maybe he'll pull something out this weekend.

Dave Rodman: You mean he's replaced his bunny?

Joe Menzer: Well, Raygs is the one who first showed me the Kahne-Stremme You Tube clip where they threw some verbal jabs at each other.

Raygan Swan: Ha! I love that nickname BTW. That was my name in high school.

Joe Menzer: And it will be again now, too.

Raygan Swan: Sweet! OK, so back to Lowe's and if anyone will win besides Johnson.

Joe Menzer: I thought we were going to get into J.J.'s dominance at Lowe's after bashing Kahne a bit.

Dave Rodman: To get back to the original topic, I think Kevin Harvick showed he had plenty for J.J. -- even though it was only a few 20-lap runs. However, those guys come up big in big events -- so it will be interesting.

Raygan Swan: I vote Special K, to win.

Dave Rodman: And Mark Martin ain't much of a sprinter, particularly at his ripe old age, so it will be interesting to see how competitive he is Sunday evening. J.J. is not a shoo-in, by any means.

Raygan Swan: He needs to win so he can keep his job at Hendrick.

Dave Rodman: Kyle is nowhere near going anywhere. It's a lot easier to tone someone down than it is to fire 'em up.

Joe Menzer: Yeah, well, you said it. Beating J.J. in a series of 20-lap segments is nowhere near to being the same as holding him off for 600 miles at J.J.'s favorite track.

Dave Rodman: And considering Kyle's got two potential winning cars at his disposal week in and week out, I wouldn't see him making that choice in 50 years.

Joe Menzer: You assume, by the way, that young Kyle is rational. He is proving that oftentimes he is not.

Dave Rodman: Like his twin brother, Juan, right? Focused racers.

Raygan Swan: He's not. You're right, Joe -- he's an embryo.

Joe Menzer: At least Juan stops to talk to the media even after something goes bad -- although he can be difficult to deal with sometimes, too.

Dave Rodman: I think Kyle is taking too much heat for that move Saturday night. Too bad Kurt's spotter was taking a butt break and neglected to tell him someone was inside him.

Raygan Swan: Hah! A butt break? Meaning he sat down or smoked a ciggy?

Dave Rodman: That's a leftover from the RJR days. Had a smoke, obviously. Stepped to the back of the stand to not offend his fellow spotters. Nah. That's not that genteel a crowd, I hope.

Joe Menzer: Um, geez, I could see doing that during the 600. But during the second lap of the final segment of the All-Star race when you're going for a million?!? Don't think so.

Raygan Swan: Right!

Dave Rodman: Yeah, you're right. He blinked, then. And Kyle was that quick.

Raygan Swan: No wait, what about Stewy as a favorite? He's been quiet lately. He must be wrapped up with that girlfriend of his again or doing home repairs at the Depot!

Dave Rodman: I think the current ad is his best one yet. They should have used the Matt clip from the Daytona 500 a couple years ago, though. "Tony!" would have been in a different tone of voice, though.

Joe Menzer: Is there any doubt that Jimmie would have caught Harvick if that All-Star race had been even three or four more laps longer?

Dave Rodman: Well, he had been dogging him, but I don't see him passing him, giving him two or three more weeks.

Joe Menzer: Anyways, it's hard to say who was right or wrong on that Busch deal. I do know Kurt was surprised to see him there to the inside, and might have overreacted. But Kyle probably stuck it in there a little prematurely.

Dave Rodman: Premature doesn't work in a 20-lap heat race.

Raygan Swan: I need a butt break!

Dave Rodman: Kurt was right -- they should have split the different on the inches they each encroached -- and the half-inch they gave probably would have made the difference.

Joe Menzer: Now we're talking about inches?

Dave Rodman: Well, they got 600 miles to work it out.

Joe Menzer: Right. So who wins the 600?

Dave Rodman: Jimmie Johnson. He has got well beyond giving them away, as he often did in the recent past.

Raygan Swan: Yes!

Dave Rodman: He will celebrate the announcement of the full-time COT by winning again.

Joe Menzer: I can't reveal my pick yet. But it won't be Johnson. I've got to come up with someone who can help me gain ground on Raygs and the rest in our Pick 'em standings.

Raygan Swan: No way, Joe! Pick Kasey Kahne, he's soooo going to win! I have insider knowledge, so do it! Trust!

Joe Menzer: That was code for saying I think it will be Johnson but don't want to pick him and don't have a clue who else to pick!

The opinions expressed are those solely of the writers