Smack: Kyle's no surprise, Carl's prize and clear skies (cont'd)

2. Carl Edwards won at California, Matt Kenseth ran top 10 all day and finished fifth, and two other Fords were top 15. Has Roush Fenway solved the new chassis -- and what about the other manufacturers?

Dave Rodman: Daytona and Talladega are critical to the championship, but as everyone says, performance-wise they are an anomaly. As I said on Tuesday, I think the even sprinkling of manufacturers through the top 10 after two races, both in the California results and driver standings, bodes well for everyone.

Joe Menzer: I thought you asked about Roush Fenway solving "The Car We Aren't Allowed To Call What Half the Drivers and Crew Chiefs and Owners Still Call It?"

Dave Rodman: There was never a doubt that Jack would get atop this chassis. I like that image: Picture Jack in armor, with a whip, pulled through the clouds by eight mustangs -- with each foot atop a ... new chassis.

Raygan Swan: Ha! Were you about to say the "C" word, Dave?

Dave Rodman: I know I was. And you know what, having to call it what I did rather than the COT kinda ruins the imagery for me. It's done the same for some of the fan base, from what I'm hearing.

Joe Menzer: You know, the car Roush Fenway got behind on last year when they supposedly tried to do the right thing and didn't test it as aggressively as others?

Autostock

Carl Edwards' victory may have shown that Roush has caught up in the CWAATCWHDCCOSCI.

Carl Edwards' victory Monday at California was a small part of the bigger picture for Roush Fenway, writes Mark Aumann.

• Complete story, click here

Dave Rodman: Great, Joe! The CWAATCWHDCCOSCI. That takes acronymity to an all-time low.

Raygan Swan: Yeah, Joe -- but Jack Roush apologized and is moving on, moving on into Victory Lane. No one had anything for that No. 99 this weekend!

Dave Rodman: Acronymity. Is that a word?

Joe Menzer: It's a better word than "discomfiting."

Dave Rodman: Ouch! Point -- Menzer! But anyways, Jack Roush was embarrassed last year -- and in this business, you don't want to have Jack Roush, embarrassed, going up against you.

Joe Menzer: Seriously, though, you've got to give Roush Fenway a lot of credit. They do seem to have caught up on "the new car."

Dave Rodman: There's no question about that. If you think about it, Carl won two of the last seven races with the car last season. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the Roush Fenway crowd caught up -- and ran up front.

Joe Menzer: And you are right, Roadman. You don't want Jack on a mission, if you're the other guys. And you could say he's on a double-mission now -- remember his rant against Toyota a little over a year ago.

Dave Rodman: Chevrolet was carrying the banner at the end of last year. The neatest thing, to me, is how Penske, Ganassi and even GEM have stepped up in their Dodges; and how JGR's arrival has indeed stepped Toyota up across the board -- but specifically with those Gibbs boys, particularly, kicking on the gate to Victory Lane.

Raygan Swan: So if Roush keeps providing excellent equipment, Carl and Matt keep performing, who will be out of a job in 2009 when NASCAR forces Roush down to four cars?

Joe Menzer: David Ragan.

Raygan Swan: Oh, man! I really like him -- such a nice guy, and funny!

Joe Menzer: Pretty simple, I think. Unless Ragan somehow gets on a roll and shows something -- or unless Carl starts throwing real punches at Matt!

Dave Rodman: This is a very discomfiting topic, since these guys are trying their guts out every week -- and in racing, so many elements have to come together for success to occur.

Joe Menzer: There he goes again with that word! He loves it!

Raygan Swan: No kidding, but I'm still laughing about the "real punch" comment, Joe!

Dave Rodman: Don't worry about Carl -- he's a Roush Fenway lifer. Then again, who wouldn't have said that about Mark Martin, back in the day?

Joe Menzer: Well, I have to add that the word "discomfiting" has made me flinch during this Track Smack -- more than once!

Dave Rodman: To get back on track, I think age and general development work in David's favor if he keeps making progress. Roush Fenway has a pretty good Nationwide program, and "worst case," I believe he would land there.

Joe Menzer: There is always the Yates operation, too, should they finally get sponsorship and survive. Ragan could end up there, much the same way J.J. Yeley ended up at Hall of Fame after getting pushed out at Gibbs.

Dave Rodman: But it comes down to getting it done, as we said before. Without knowing exactly whose contracts are where, you've gotta think it's between David and Jamie. Since Jamie has proven he can do it and bad luck can't keep dogging him, I'd see David possibly stepping back to Nationwide and the other four guys standing pat, but there are a few miles to go before that point.

Raygan Swan: I think Carl got bigger in the offseason! That Under Armour deal must keep him on the weights even more now!

Dave Rodman: Are you voting for body templates, Raygs?

Raygan Swan: Yep! (Continued)