Track Smack: Junior, Kyle and ... um, Matt Kenseth? (cont'd)

Dave Rodman: Having said that, it's impossible for me to imagine a team not getting behind Dale Jr. to the point they would flat brawl you bloody to win for him. That's tough to contend with.

David Caraviello: Junior's days of finishing top-five in points are a few years behind him. We all know he's capable of getting back there, if the distractions are eliminated and the cars don't break down.

Gibbs signs Busch

Kyle Busch has signed with Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 18 Chevrolet beginning in 2008.

• Complete story, click here
• The 'Real' Kyle Busch: Q&A
• Menzer: Busch adds to puzzle
• Caraviello: Reversing decline?
• Message Board: Sound off!

Dave Rodman: He's been running well enough to do it, but you have to finish the deals.

Joe Menzer: I don't think just getting into the Chase makes you a true championship contender. KB finished 10th in points last year -- it's not like he was right there at the end, pushing Jimmie Johnson for the title.

David Caraviello: Joe, you get in, you have a shot. Bottom line, you can't win the Super Bowl without making the playoffs.

Dave Rodman: Yeah. Joe, I don't disagree with you -- but in NASCAR 2005-6-7-8, getting into the Chase is a huge first step. And if you can't even do that, you got a fair ways to go.

Joe Menzer: But there is a difference between a team that gets in as a Wild Card and goes out in the first round, if you want to use the NFL analogy. Those teams aren't considered true Super Bowl contenders until they at least get to a conference championship game. Kyle Busch hasn't been to that game yet.

2. The Juan Montoya-Kevin Harvick shove-fest at The Glen made for great TV (watch video). So was it good for the sport, a major misunderstanding, will it make for retribution and should it have been penalized?

Dave Rodman: You know what would be an instant pay-per-view hit? Wire every driver -- but you have to pay to hear 'em. Name your price. In the case of "the match," it's a little difficult to comment much, based off the video alone.

Joe Menzer: Penalties? Are you kidding me? NASCAR needs some more of this stuff, not less! It wasn't just great TV -- it was great for the sport. It showed some of its harder edges, like in the old days.

Dave Rodman: Of course, we've heard plenty about what was said, after the fact, thanks in large part to Sirius NASCAR Radio's hustle -- but man, it seemed like, while Harvick's hand to the arm was not quite a conciliatory gesture, JPM was the more aggressive, the quickest.

Joe Menzer: Roadman, Harvick was out of the car and in his face, immediately putting Montoya on the defensive. When you're put on the defensive in a situation like that, I don't think you can blame JPM for getting aggressive -- especially if Harvick was threatening to kick his ass. (We're allowed to say that on NASCAR.COM without getting penalized, aren't we?)

David Caraviello: Joe Menzer has just been penalized 50 writer points and suspended from Smack for six weeks.

Joe Menzer: I've been suspended from Smack for six weeks? Hmmm, and I just came off a vacation. But I guess I could take another one.

David Caraviello: It truly made the race fun to watch. But the people calling for penalties need to keep a sense of perspective. This happens from time to time, and unless somebody throws a punch or uses a car as a weapon, no penalties are needed.

Joe Menzer: As for retribution, if Harvick hasn't gone after Montoya yet on the track for some of the other stuff JPM has done, it's probably not going to happen.

Dave Rodman: I don't think NASCAR would ever make the mistake of emasculating the sport, i.e., fining you for leaving your car, fining you for not walking into the ambulance in 15 seconds, fining you for using bad judgment in picking a parking place. Hah!

David Caraviello: The anti-Montoya xenophobes needed about two seconds to start e-mailing in manifestoes about how JPM should be suspended. Nobody seemed to notice that it appeared Harvick laid hands on him first.

Joe Menzer: More e-mails from NASCAR.COM Nation!

Dave Rodman: You gotta love the diversity that Juan brings to the sport -- almost like a movie, and not some of the bad ones we've seen lately. He said he went off because Kevin was "rude ..." Hah, again.

David Caraviello: Hey, JP isn't blameless here. Things clearly escalated. But calling for suspension? Please. Have there always been so many knee-jerk reactionaries in the fan base? I thought the fans liked this stuff?

Dave Rodman: And to backtrack, I think the time for retribution is long gone for anyone who has any thought of competing in the Chase. Then again, a la Mr. Excitement, not many of these guys forget too easily. Stay tuned.

Joe Menzer: Hey, and what about the point that Truex booted JPM from behind? Or should JPM not have been blocking him so aggressively?

David Caraviello: When these cars are running so closely together for so long, this kind of stuff happens. That's racing. Where have I heard that before? (Continued)