Track Smack: Can anyone catch the Dynamic Duo?

1) Big trouble for the third consecutive Chase race last weekend at Talladega. Bottom line, fifth place is 204 points out, so is it a four-man Chase?

Dave Rodman: As I've said right along, Johnson's comeback last year, I don't think, could be replicated by anyone. So barring a complete collapse, which isn't gonna happen to those Hendrick cars, it's four 'til the end.

David Caraviello: Not sure if you can quite say that yet. There are what, 51 points between fourth and sixth? I mean; those guys in fifth and sixth are clearly at the breaking point.

Joe Menzer: I know I'm going to catch heat for saying this, but I almost think it's a two-man race -- Gordon and Johnson. One of them is going to win it. Stewart might pull something fantastic off to make a run at it, but Bowyer, I still believe, is going to fall off.

David Caraviello: But if we get at Charlotte what we've seen the last three weeks, somebody can make up ground. So I don't think you can completely eliminate Harvick and Edwards quite yet.

Dave Rodman: Despite Chad Knaus' reticence at Kansas to put them in the favorite's role, those two HMS cars are definitely the favorites for every positive reason you could come up with.

Joe Menzer: The thing is, now Gordon and Johnson are going to one of their favorite tracks -- and for someone else to catch them both now, at least one of 'em is going to have to have some serious missteps down the stretch.

Dave Rodman: I just don't see them falling off the face of the planet, and that's what it would take for anyone more than 200 points behind at this point, to jump over four people.

Joe Menzer: I see them being more consistent than Bowyer over the last six, easily. And Stewart has a lot more ground to make up.

Dave Rodman: Don't forget, at this point last season Johnson was only about 156 points out. So he was in the position Tony Stewart is now.

David Caraviello: Granted, the 48 and 24 are the only two cars in this that have shown durability week after week, from the regular season into the playoff. But what happens if Bobby Labonte goes sideways in front of one of them Saturday?

Joe Menzer: Why are you picking on my man Bobby Labonte? Just because he lost it last week (I still say something on the car must have broken) doesn't mean he's going to lose it again!

David Caraviello: Not picking on him, Joe -- using him as a representative example of a non-Chaser taking a Chaser out. Maybe Teresa Earnhardt sabotaged his car!

Joe Menzer: Well, I just did a Head2Head argument on that. Johnson was 156 out heading into Charlotte and still 146 behind after. But Road-kill, weren't you just saying that no one could replicate what JJ did last year?

Dave Rodman: I just don't see anyone scoring five consecutive first- or second- place finishes, which is what he did. Not no one, not no how. Of course, I did also say a week or two ago that if anyone could do it, it would be Tony Stewart.

Joe Menzer: Well, then you should pick one side of the argument or the other and stay on it! You can't be a fence-sitter on Smack! It's a 25-point penalty!

David Caraviello: And remember, Charlotte was a wreckfest in the spring. It made Talladega look peaceful by comparison. Something like 28 cars took damage, including Gordon's. That happens again, the ballgame changes.

Dave Rodman: Joe, it sounds like you're much more of an argumentative sort than I.

Joe Menzer: You are probably right about that. (See, I'm not arguing with you on that one). (Continued)