Smack: The crystal ball is blurry regarding Newman

1. Penske Racing has cut ties with Ryan Newman effective at the end of the year. Is this the best move for both parties?

David Caraviello: A spilt seemed inevitable, but I was a little surprised at the way it went down. Reading through the lines, it seems Penske got tired of waiting for Ryan to make up his mind, and cut him loose.

Raygan Swan: I think Ryan is going to benefit from a fresh start. Penske can troubleshoot through their struggles and Newman, in my opinion, will find long-term success and satisfaction with Stewart's new team.

Joe Menzer: I know Penske pulled the trigger on him, but don't you guys get the feeling that they felt Newman was probably going to leave anyway -- so they more or less tried to save face by breaking up with him first?

David Caraviello: Joe, that's the way it seems. But knowing what a class act Newman is, he might have allowed the separation to look like Penske had initiated it.

Raygan Swan: The way driver-team break-ups happen is always open for interpretation.

Joe Menzer: Like the way Raygs used to cut guys loose before she got married!

Raygan Swan: Ha! I'm not good at break-ups; I go into silent mode, much like Newman these days.

Joe Menzer: "You can't break up with me! I already broke up with you!"

David Caraviello: Ryan even said last Saturday that he was trying to be respectful of Penske during this situation, and given all they've done for him, you can see him letting the eventual separation come from the team -- especially if he has in mind where he'll end up.

Raygan Swan: I could see that, David. Newman is a classy individual with a lot of respect.

Joe Menzer: Either way, I think he was -- and still is -- going to end up with Tony at the new Stewart-Haas operation. And I think, as we've all said, the fresh start probably will be good for him. Plus he would then be reunited with Matt Borland, the man with whom he has had almost all of his success at the Cup level.

Bye Bye Newman

Instead of waiting for Ryan Newman to make a decision, Penske Racing made the first move, announcing they are cutting ties with the driver after the '08 season.

• Complete story, click here
• Menzer: Dominos can fall
• Newman weighing options

David Caraviello: Newman was almost synonymous with the Penske operation, but he had run his course there. Winning the Daytona 500 was about as high as it was going to get. And in all honesty, he deserves better equipment than they've been able to give him.

Raygan Swan: OK guys, can I tell you how exciting that would be for me? Two Hoosiers in one stable, it'd be like the Alabama Gang but with Indiana boys.

Joe Menzer: It really comes back around to a bigger question that has been asked previously: What the heck is going on at Penske and why isn't their NASCAR side of things better with all the resources they have?

Raygan Swan: People working together over there seem to be an issue, as the philosophy has changed with management positions.

David Caraviello: But Newman talks about wanting to win championships. Can he do that in what will essentially be a rebuilding operation, and starting the year outside the top 35? The defending champion could miss the Daytona 500.

Joe Menzer: I bet he won't. No one qualifies better than Ryan Newman.

Raygan Swan: He can, it just won't be immediately, but happiness in the workplace with people you enjoy is worth the wait.

David Caraviello: That's true. But in all honestly, if you want to win a title, isn't that fourth car at Childress a better option? I mean, all three of those cars have run up front for two years now.

Raygan Swan: If I had my pick between Tony and Kevin Harvick, I'd pick Tony every day for a teammate.

Joe Menzer: Perhaps, but have I told you guys how happy I am in the workplace -- working with people such as yourselves that I enjoy. It was worth the wait to get this job!

David Caraviello: So you're saying that the contentment Newman will find alongside his fellow Indianian Stewart will be worth the startup hassles, Joe?

Joe Menzer: No, I was just saying how much I enjoying working with you. But now I'm having second thoughts ... Seriously, I think Newman ends up at Stewart-Haas for better or worse -- and I think they will be competitive out of the gate, better down the road in a year or two.

2. Joey Logano is back in a Nationwide car this weekend at Madison, Ill. Would promoting him to Sprint Cup next season be too much, too soon?

Joe Menzer: Nope. And you can count on it happening. I see no scenario involving the No. 20 car where it would make more sense to put somebody else in there.

Raygan Swan: JGR likes to promote from within the company, and everyone has a relationship with Logano now. He's going in that No. 20 car, and he'll get ready even if it may be a bit soon. He'll make it happen.

David Caraviello: I wonder about that. I mean, NASCAR has its fair share of Casey Atwoods, can't-miss kids who get great rides early and never put it together. But JGR has no choice here. They almost have to put him in the No. 20, or risk losing him.

Raygan Swan: Good point David, and I think Hamlin and Kyle need to give up the Nationwide seat a little to give Logano some more racing experience. He has plenty of experience testing the JGR Cup cars.

You're up Logano

With Tony Stewart departing Joe Gibbs Racing, all eyes turn to 18-year-old Joey Logano as the possible heir apparent in the 20 car.

• Complete story, click here
• Life after Stewart at JGR

Joe Menzer: Hamlin is a perfect example of how it's done at JGR. He protested that he wasn't ready to make the jump to Cup a few years back -- and they said, tough, learn on the job.

David Caraviello: Yeah, Raygan, I would like to see him getting a little more seat time at the national level. I mean, if he is the heir apparent in the No. 20 Cup car, he needs more races in the Nationwide Series this season.

Raygan Swan: Maybe when JGR makes a decision, we'll see him on the track more. Logano seems to go crazy when he's not racing. Don't blame him, he's been doing it for 13 years.

David Caraviello: I mean, the guy's on the cusp of getting a Sprint Cup ride, and he has all of four Nationwide starts. Four! I understand he only recently turned 18, but are four starts enough to know he's ready for the big time?

Raygan Swan: No, and that's why Hamlin and Busch need to step out of the Nationwide car and let Logano take it from here. Not just stand alone events, those won't give him the racing experience he needs.

David Caraviello: Tony Stewart's getting some starts in that Nationwide car as well. I think who drives when is sponsor-related, and those guys don't like to budge.

Raygan Swan: While we are planning the kid's future, who is his sponsor going to be for 2009? Home Depot?

David Caraviello: I believe they have one year left on their deal with JGR, but beyond that nothing is certain. This housing market isn't helping their bottom line.

Joe Menzer: Well, I know times are tough. But you can't tell me that JGR won't be able to find a sponsor for Joey Logano and that No. 20 car beyond 2009 -- even if Home Depot backs out a little, or even a lot.

David Caraviello: As we learned with Dario Franchitti, sponsors aren't always keen on backing a relative unknown. And despite the results Joey has shown in four starts, he's still something of an unknown. Now, the kid goes out and wins three more Nationwide races this year, things change.

Joe Menzer: You bring up a good point there, except I would argue that Logano is less of an unknown in stock cars than Franchitti was when he came on with Ganassi. Plus, Ganassi's track record, well maybe it's been (up to now) great in selling sponsorships, has never been all that great on the track -- at least in NASCAR.

David Caraviello: And the Gibbs team isn't going to be able to wait before they name a successor in that No. 20 Sprint Cup car. If they want to keep people from trying to poach Joey, they need to give him some guarantees he'll be in that car soon.

Raygan Swan: Logano has a lot of selling factors that other drivers don't, like youth and his ability to reach other markets.

Joe Menzer: This is Joe Gibbs Racing, man. They're winning all the races right now. Joey Logano is the Next Big Thing not just at JGR but in NASCAR. It's entirely different.

David Caraviello: Yeah, I know. I just don't want to see the kid put in there before he's ready. But of course, the only way to find out if he's ready is to just put him in there.

Joe Menzer: I know, I know. And you mentioned Atwood. Reed Sorenson, speaking of Ganassi, might be another you could throw in there. But from all accounts I've heard -- and you've got to put a lot of trust into Coach Gibbs and J.D. on this one, which I do -- Joey and his family are very well-grounded and that will help him.

Raygan Swan: Can you imagine the microscope he's under right now? I know he handles pressure well, but this is unreal, the hype that has surrounded him this season.

David Caraviello: And it's only beginning.

3. NASCAR has taken 10 Nationwide Series engines to its research and development facility for examination. Does that circuit need rule changes to level the playing field?

David Caraviello: You know, NASCAR used to make a habit of changing rules in mid-season, and to their credit, they've gotten away from that. There's no reason to start doing it again now.

Joe Menzer: Well, first of all, I applaud them for taking the engines to the R&D center for a closer look. As long as they share what they find with the media, and therefore the fans, as well as the teams themselves, it should put to rest many questions.

David Caraviello: But Joe, are these engines failing inspection? I mean, what's their reasoning? If they're legal, and they're passing inspection every week, then what's the problem?

Raygan Swan: I would agree that mid-season rule changes are not good. I don't mind rules, but next season would be the better time.

Possible changes

Following the Nationwide race in Chicago, NASCAR took 10 Nationwide Series engines to its research and development center for evaluation.

• Complete story, click here

Joe Menzer: Then test 'em and tell the world they're legal, and also tell everyone once and for all that there is no major difference in horsepower between the different manufacturers' engines. Backing up, J.D. Gibbs addressed this at Chicagoland -- pointing out that his guys have worked very hard, changed the way they approach the whole Nationwide deal, and then they have success and everyone wants to say, well, it's because the Toyota engines they're using are more powerful.

David Caraviello: Well, here's the thing: there can be a difference in horsepower, even if they're all legal. Everybody assumes that if somebody does a better job of building something, then they're cheating.

Joe Menzer: If they're more powerful because these guys are working harder within the box NASCAR has put them in, then, hey, more power to 'em! Nothing wrong with that.

Raygan Swan: Certainly NASCAR will get a smaller box then, like the Sprint Cup Series.

David Caraviello: Agreed, Joe. If those engines are better, and they're building them within the same constraints as everyone else, and they're passing inspection every week -- then everybody else just needs to get better.

Joe Menzer: It's funny, too, that last year Childress enjoyed very similar success in the Nationwide Series -- winning, what, 13 races? I don't recall an uproar then calling for an investigation into their GM engines.

David Caraviello: I mean, this is like saying Carlos Zambrano must be doing something illegal because he's a better pitcher than most others. Some people do a better job of building cars. Some people do a better job of driving cars. And some people do a better job of building engines.

Joe Menzer: At the same time, all I'm saying when I say I applaud them for taking the engines in for a closer look is that now they can look at them and then come out and say, OK, this is the deal. Or if something illegal is being done, then pounce on that, too.

Raygan Swan: I can see how rules can hamper innovation and competitive edge, sort of like some complain about in the Cup Series.

David Caraviello: And correct me if I'm wrong, but NASCAR hasn't said they're considering rules changes. That's being inferred because of NASCAR's actions.

Joe Menzer: As far as actual rule changes, I think we're all agreed that they shouldn't change anything in the middle of a season. That's ridiculous and NASCAR has been ridiculed for doing that in the past. That would be like us saying Bill Kimm is allowed back to do Track Smack in the middle of a season, when we all know that is not going to be the case. Unless we're desperate and five or six people go on vacation again.

David Caraviello: Or if Joe's laptop crashes for the second time today. I remember back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, NASCAR tinkered with rules almost on a weekly basis to try and keep all the manufacturers happy. They got hammered in the national media for it. Nobody wants to go back to those days.

Raygan Swan: I wish my computer would crash right now, because I have no opinion on this topic of rules! I think we already have too many.

David Caraviello: Sounds like it's about time to wrap this up. Maybe it's time to take Joe's crashing laptop to the research and development center for examination.

Joe Menzer: Amen, brother. Are you guys using Toyota computers? They seem to have more power than mine!

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writers