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).

Dave Rodman: And even though I said Tony was one who COULD do it, I still think the chances of it happening are slim -- he's too darned volatile and there are too many Bobby Labontes in the field. (That's 31 non-Chase drivers for all you BL fans.)

Joe Menzer: As for Charlotte being a wreckfest, of course anything can happen anytime these guys take to a track anywhere. But maybe now Gordon and Johnson are going to be more careful than ever to stay out of trouble.

Dave Rodman: This Chase craziness has to end sooner or later. What did they have in the spring, a harder tire and new pavement?

Joe Menzer: Yes, I believe so. Meaning they had both, I think.

David Caraviello: They had a tire that gave people problems in the daylight and when the tires were cooler. Lots of impatience early didn't help, either.

Joe Menzer: I just want to see the Busch brothers take each other out again. See if it gets them talking in group therapy or something.

Dave Rodman: I feel like the package they have in place for Lowe's this weekend will be more stable. And as damned fast as that place is, I think the boys can adjust and deal with it. I don't necessarily feel like desperation will play a role.

David Caraviello: Dave, you must have the technical specifications for every Nextel Cup race posted on your wall.

Joe Menzer: The only one who truly will be desperate will be Stewart, if the laps are winding down and he's in position to contend for the win -- or at least finish a good bit ahead of Gordon and/or Johnson.

Dave Rodman: Tony won't necessarily be desperate, but at some point he has to start finishing ahead of the 24 and 48, or he'll end up like Kurt Busch. Poor guy picks up positions in the standings week after week and continues to lose ground to the leaders. Classic Chase -- you have to beat the guys you're racing for the championship.

Joe Menzer: Same goes for Bowyer, too; although I don't think he's ever finished higher than 19th at LMS.

Dave Rodman: With five races left, if they're ahead of those Hendrick guys they won't be desperate a bit. And considering that at least three of the Chase teams -- those who are 300 points out -- are only racing for wins at this point; that does make them a lot less cautious. And they are still damned good race teams.

2) The RCR/DEI engine conglomerate went all-in with the Chevy R07 at 'Dega and went bust. Was it a good move or not?

David Caraviello: Well, it wasn't exactly an auspicious debut. But I don't think you can judge a new engine program on one race.

Joe Menzer: Was it a good move? Um, well, let's go to the tale of the tape. Five engines blown. One car wrecked to smithereens before we could find out if it was going to make it. One car that finished. I would say it was not a good move, then.

Dave Rodman: It was ballsy. The program had been in development and I lost track if those were the first fully combined, new R07s they did. But with the RPMs they had to run with the mandated gear rule, it's almost mind-boggling they were the only front-line Chevy team to try it.

David Caraviello: And you have to wonder -- with a combined four Chase drivers between the two teams, why not wait until next year? It seems like you'd want to minimize any unknown variable with seven races to go in the championship.

Joe Menzer: I guess they had the confidence that it was going to be not only a fast engine, but one that could withstand the high RPMs of 'Dega. But the RPMs in the COT there were higher than ever -- and so in retrospect it was a bad place to go all-in with it.

David Caraviello: It couldn't have helped that their top man, Richie Gilmore, was in the hospital after suffering an aneurysm. Richie is a good guy. We wish him well.

Dave Rodman: Most definitely we're wishing all the best for Richie. I hope he makes a complete recovery and, really, that he never has to worry about an engine again. Too good a guy to be put in that risky a position.

Joe Menzer: Ditto for me, on all the good feelings for Richie, of course. We wish him the best.

Dave Rodman: He's too good a guy to have had to roast through what had to be a brutal day for Danny Lawrence and all the rest of those RCR/DEI engine guys.

Joe Menzer: The good news for them is that at least Bowyer survived, and they say that it appears all the malfunctions were exactly the same, in the same place. So it should be easier for them to isolate the problem and get it fixed. But still, it was very costly for them.

Dave Rodman: Well, I ain't that smart, but I thought Almirola parked his before it detonated, and the fact that Kevin's didn't blow a hole out the bottom indicates it was something dissimilar. Steve Hmiel actually said the first three were the same.

Joe Menzer: That's the kind of stuff you hope to find out in testing -- not in the middle of a Chase race.

Dave Rodman: I heard they knew about the potential problem in testing, but didn't have time to redo all the engines they needed. It seems like they would have done as many as they could have, and put them into the Chasers' cars one at a time.

David Caraviello: At least now all the rumors about Dale Jr. being sabotaged by Teresa should end. This program has had its issues all year, and not just in the No. 8.

Joe Menzer: Man, you could just feel the crowd groan after Truex lost his engine -- and all eyes went straight to the 8, wondering more when he would be next, not if.

You had a bad day

The debut of the new engine from DEI/RCR didn't quite go according to plan at Talladega with four drivers ending their day in a plume of smoke.

• Complete story, click here

Dave Rodman: I wonder if their total laps run for the weekend up to the points in the race they blew were close to comparable. And I think Clint's team did some more conservative settings, also. They weren't done by much, but it apparently made a difference.

Joe Menzer: Even if only three of them malfunctioned the same way in the same spot, that's not a coincidence and should be something they can isolate and work on to get fixed quickly. And you're right about Clint. They said he went the conservative route, which was very smart.

David Caraviello: But seriously, guys. We're talking engines here. None of us has any idea. It's not like we're all ASE certified.

Dave Rodman: For better or worse, it'll be nice to get that SB2 / R07 variable out of the equation, probably -- if it is out next season.

Joe Menzer: See, Roadman at least SOUNDS like he is ASE certified!

David Caraviello: I've always had trouble with the SB2/R06 variable, myself.

Joe Menzer: That is the key. To sound like you know what you are talking about in this business.

David Caraviello: And don't get me started on the SB2/R05. Oh, the stories I could tell!

Joe Menzer: It's like when I put a new electrical line in my house for a dryer ... I went with the 220, 221, whatever it took.

David Caraviello: Wow. Menzer quoting Mr. Mom!

Joe Menzer: That was good stuff in that movie, man. You gotta love a guy who dries the laundry in the microwave! I think his microwave was powered by the ol' SB2/RO1.

David Caraviello: You don't get references to 1980s Michael Keaton movies every day in Track Smack! "Want some chili?" OK, I digress.

Joe Menzer: And believe it or not, guys, I am the proud offspring of an electrician. My dad was one of the finest of his profession. I just didn't get those genes, unfortunately. Last time I actually tried to do some wiring, I had to pay a guy several hundred dollars to redo it all when I moved out. Don't tell dad, he would be ashamed!

3) Dario Franchitti will make his NASCAR debut at Martinsville -- in a truck. How will his outcome compare to Jacques Villeneuve's and when might we see Sam Hornish Jr. in a Cup race?

David Caraviello: Gotta give Villeneuve credit. Moving to the back of the field was a class move and likely earned him some respect among his peers.

Joe Menzer: Do you think we will ever see Hornish in a Cup race? OK, that was a cheap shot. I think he will make the race in Charlotte this week, actually.

Dave Rodman: I'd have to check Dario's Richmond IRL results to see how much he liked short track racing -- not that a truck is anything like an Indy car.

Joe Menzer: As for JV, great job in the Cup race at 'Dega. I liked how he handled himself not only in the race, but how he offered to go to the back of the field on the starting grid after qualifying sixth. A smooth move that scored points with veterans who were upset with JV about being in the race -- a Chase race nonetheless -- in the first place.

David Caraviello: But what do the drivers always tell us about Talladega -- that you could teach a chimp to stomp the accelerator and hold the steering wheel -- that in terms of driver ability, not a whole lot is required.

Dave Rodman: Actually, that's in qualifying -- or testing -- mode. Racing is quite another thing, altogether, they mostly agree.

Joe Menzer: Um, Caraviello? A chimp? This isn't PlayStation, man.

David Caraviello: I think Tony Stewart said that once. Maybe I'm thinking of him because he has a pet chimp. Or maybe they said a reporter could do it. It's the same thing.

Dave Rodman: Depending on whether or not Dario tests, I'd say it's iffy that he'll get in, depending on how many trucks enter.

David Caraviello: In that respect, these guys probably picked a good place to jump into stock cars for the first time. But every first time out will be different, and almost certainly more difficult.

Dave Rodman: I wonder when they really came up with the idea for Jacques to drop back. You're right, it was a PR coup and made perfect sense. As JV said, he had to learn how to come from the back to the front anyway -- and scoring points in the process was certainly priceless.

David Caraviello: But you wonder if someone whispered in his ear.

Dave Rodman: To put the PS on JV, his run Sunday before he knocked the wall down with about 25 or so to go certainly made up for that goofy move on Saturday in the truck race.

One of the boys

Dario Franchitti, the 2007 IRL champion, is making the switch to NASCAR and is doing everything in his power to make sure he fits in with the other drivers at the track.

• Complete story, click here

Joe Menzer: I really can't see Curious George having any success behind the wheel at 'Dega. Maybe in Charlotte, though.

David Caraviello: Curious George would rock Talladega; with the dude in the hat on the pit box.

Joe Menzer: He might have been able to qualify better than Hornish at 'Dega, however.

Dave Rodman: Lay off on Sammie already -- the guy's a multiple champion.

David Caraviello: Joe, what did Sam Hornish ever do to you? Screw up the wiring in your house?

Joe Menzer: Dang, there's another unintended cheap shot at Hornish; who is really a decent guy and a great driver. He just needs to make a race so I quit taking potshots at him.

Dave Rodman: Poor Sam. I thought it was interesting Don Miller said at Kansas that even though they would keep adding races to his Cup schedule until he made a few -- he would not do any Busch, Truck or ARCA events.

Joe Menzer: And the crazy thing is that's probably what he needs to do Hornish, that is, not Curious George.

David Caraviello: Maybe Curious George could tell us what's wrong with the SB2/R07. I hear he's quite good with a wrench.

Dave Rodman: Even tougher calling a Penske Racing car tuned by Roy McCauley "nowhere" -- but this is a tough venue to jump into, as they've found out three weeks in a row.

Joe Menzer: While we're talking about former open-wheel guys, we would be remiss not to mention that Montoya had a real nice run at Talladega. He just got shuffled back right at the end.

Dave Rodman: I thought you were gonna try to position Curious George as a former Formula One World Champion. But Montoya was in good company in getting shuffled -- though he did a good job before that.

Joe Menzer: What I want to see next year at Talladega is Curious George on the hood of someone's car. Now that would be goofy -- but cool at the same time! It would have to be a yellow car, of course.

Dave Rodman: If they pay their money they can take their chances, same old story.

Joe Menzer: A chimp couldn't have said it better, Mr. Road-kill!