Smack: Has the field finally caught up with Hendrick?

1. Roush Fenway Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing have combined to win four of the last five Nextel Cup events. Has everyone caught up to Hendrick Motorsports?

Raygan Swan: It was only a matter of time for JGR. So many times they had the fastest cars on the track, they just ran into either bad attitudes or bad pit stops.

David Caraviello: Roush is looking really strong, but we're in a stretch without a lot of COT races. That's where Hendrick is at its best. We start going back to COT events, the pendulum might swing the other way.

Joe Menzer: I think the harder evidence that the other top teams at least are on their way to catching up is in the points standings. Jeff Gordon still leads the way, but Jimmie Johnson has fallen to seventh and Kyle Busch to ninth.

Raygan Swan: I could see Roush struggling a bit, but not JGR.

David Caraviello: That's going to be the key for Roush -- how good are its COT cars? They weren't very good early in the year. They'll have to be better as we near the Chase.

Joe Menzer: RCR, Gibbs and Roush Fenway drivers are now sprinkled throughout the top 12 and looking like they might be able to actually challenge for the championship once we get to the Chase.

David Caraviello: Hendrick's not lying down by any means. But it seems hard to think they can rip off another 10-of-14 streak, like they did to open the season. Kenseth and Edwards look to be the equal of Gordon and Johnson right now.

Joe Menzer: Roush is still behind on the COT. They'd be the first to admit it. But at the beginning of the year, they were behind on everything --CORN, COT, whatever. They're working hard on all to get back to a level playing field. You remember the CORN, don't you -- Kurt Busch's self-described Car Of Right Now?

Raygan Swan: Ha! Hilarious, yeah in Dover, Jamie McMurray said they were way behind on the COT program and wasn't sure what they were doing to catch up other than to do more testing. And Edwards and Kenseth have their crew chiefs, Gordon and Johnson don't.

David Caraviello: Hey, they were doing zero outside testing early in the year. That's a big reason they were behind. Now they're doing more, and it's showing on the racetrack.

Joe Menzer: Well, he sounds kind of clueless then about what's going on in his own shop. Jack hired like six new people, finally bought a seven-post shaker and a hauler dedicated to nothing but ramping up the testing program. That's actually a lot.

Raygan Swan: I know Gordon and Johnson were fine immediately after the suspensions, but maybe that will play a factor now.

David Caraviello: And those are also items that teams like Hendrick have already had in place. No question they've been playing catch-up. But they've made up a lot of ground in a relatively short amount of time.

Joe Menzer: Correct. That's why they're behind. Even Ginn Racing had a seven-post shaker before Roush Fenway.

David Caraviello: That's hard to believe

Joe Menzer: Well, maybe that's why it looks like Ginn Racing is going broke! Well, maybe not broke, but um, hurting a little financially.

David Caraviello: I wouldn't say Ginn is going broke. But they've made some pretty drastic moves over there, which leads us to ... (Continued)