Track Smack: Talla-whata? (cont'd)

David Caraviello: I can't see that changing. So you might end up with fewer younger guys looking for extra seat time, and more older names because the sponsors want them there.

Joe Menzer: Well, there is the crux of the issue. Will Busch/Nationwide sponsors continue to pay what they are paying now? And if they scale back, will that affect the leverage they have to say who sits in the drivers' seats?

Dave Rodman: If they don't sign the check without driver X in the seat, I'd say they do.

Joe Menzer: It could be that the Busch/Nationwide Series becomes more of a developmental series like it used to be, and maybe like it should be. But going to another level with that, will that mean smaller crowds on their races? And smaller TV ratings, which would mean Nationwide might not get the bang for their bucks that it desires?

Dave Rodman: It isn't like their TV ratings are out the roof now. Even Cup is down, event-by-event, across the board.

David Caraviello: I'll be honest, I think the sport will benefit if this becomes more of the series that it used to be, with less Buschwhackers -- do we have to call them Nationwidewhackers now -- and more guys working their way up. There's too little team-driven driver development in this deal compared with other series.

Dave Rodman: With the COT on board, teams are going to go to the Craftsman Truck Series for driver development, which is probably good for that series. They've got that rock 'em, sock 'em racin' that Joe likes so much.

Joe Menzer: Agreed, David. It makes more sense. But it might not make more dollars, which is what it's all about with these guys. Already you've heard some top teams say they are planning to scale back their Busch -- uh, Nationwide -- programs next year because of the COT car disparity.

David Caraviello: But if an associate sponsor is paying extra cash to be the primary on a Busch car, and they want that Cup guy in the Busch car for X number of races, they're going to get him. Nobody says no to dollars in this deal.

Joe Menzer: I say put Caraviello behind the wheel in the Nationwide Series and see if he has what it takes! He's got plenty of seat time on his X-box -- or is it PlayStation?

David Caraviello: I'm a PlayStation man, Menzer. Watch out -- that's like Ford and Chevy right there.

Joe Menzer: I knew it! I'm an X-box man. One more thing we don't agree on, dude.

David Caraviello: Video games, barbecue, who's better in basketball ... yeah, we have quite the list.

Joe Menzer: Rodman clearly is the eating champion, though. No one disputes that.

Dave Rodman: Amen (urrp) to that.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the participants.