After one week, the early Chase advantage goes to ... (cont'd)

3. Jay Frye has turned down an offer from Stewart-Haas Racing to remain as vice president of Red Bull Racing Team. So that prompts a natural question: Which of the two organizations will be better next year?

Bill Kimm: Great question, and a hard one to answer. I'm going to say Stewart-Haas, though, just because I'm not sure who is going to be in the No. 84 and with Smoke and Newman, that's a pretty solid 1-2 punch.

David Caraviello: Red Bull. As great a driver as Stewart is, and as solid a driver as Newman has been, that Red Bull team is the big up-and-comer in the sport right now. Vickers should contend for a Chase berth next season.

Dave Rodman: Whether or not you take into account what the advancement of Scott Speed will mean to Red Bull Racing, I think the bulls will be better for the season next year. I bet Brian Vickers could make the Chase, whereas I think Stewart-Haas will struggle too much early to come back.

Still Bull riding

Jay Frye has signed a multi-year contract extension with Red Bull Racing Team to remain vice president and general manager of its Sprint Cup Series operation.

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Bill Kimm: Two drivers contending for the Chase is better than one, David.

David Caraviello: I didn't say Stewart-Haas will have two drivers in the Chase. Right now, we don't even know if they're going to have two drivers in the top 35.

Bill Kimm: Are you crazy? First you say GEM a pretty good team and now you are telling me that Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman are going to struggle to stay in the top 35?

David Caraviello: Ryan Newman can't make the Chase in a Penske car, yet you're penciling him into it in one that's currently 34th in points?

Dave Rodman: I'm worried about the chemical balance on not only that second team for Stewart-Haas, but also how well Tony will operate with an engineer running his deal. I hope it's obvious that's not a knock on any individual, but Zippy is an old-school crew chief who's made great adjustments to keep pace with current events.

Bill Kimm: Ryan Newman came close to making the Chase in a Penske car, but Dodge is a sub-par manufacturer. Put him in a Chevy owned by Tony Stewart -- yes, he will contend for the Chase.

David Caraviello: Kimm, your knee-jerk reactions are giving away your political tendencies. First, I never said GEM is a pretty good team. I said merge all their stuff with all of Chip's stuff, and you could have a pretty good team. And second, I don't think those Stewart-Haas cars are going to exactly slay people right off the bat.

Dave Rodman: Bill, I can't believe you're still beating that "Dodge has been bypassed" drum. Not true -- and there's been a severe imbalance for Ryan Newman since the Matt Borland heydays, so I'd make no guarantees there.

Bill Kimm: Dodge is not a strong manufacturer in the sport -- why don't people see that? Yes, Kasey won two races and yes they had a good Daytona 500 -- but other than that, what has the manufacturer done?

Dave Rodman: And we have to see what the owner point dynamic is for them. Scott Riggs has done a workmanlike job of getting one Haas CNC car back into the top 35, so if Newman gets those points and Stewart leans on his past champion status, they may be OK, relatively speaking.

David Caraviello: But man, Dave, those cars are going to have to be a lot better to reach the immediate goals Stewart -- and Bill Kimm, evidently -- have for them. And I just don't think that's a one-year turnaround.

Bill Kimm: Dave -- Newman is too good a qualifier to not make races, and I wouldn't be surprised if Smoke still has five past champion provisionals in his back pocket at the end of the season.

David Caraviello: That's fine. That gets them into races. But history shows us that teams that have to work just to get in don't fare very well once the event starts.

Dave Rodman: The stats show Dodge has been best of all on the superspeedways. And that they have been beset by the worst luck and happenstance of anyone, as well. The Dodge boys told me that, but I see no reason to doubt them.

Bill Kimm: Ha! Dave buying in to the PR hype -- hopefully you don't select our next president that way!

David Caraviello: Hey Bill, last we checked, you're the one standing next to fake columns in a football stadium. But I digress ...

Dave Rodman: DC, I've said since the beginning that Stewart would be no magician -- and that they would take a beating for some period at the beginning of the season. He's done some good things, but the jury is still out. And Jay opting to stay at Red Bull, I think, is a very telling statement.

Bill Kimm: Why? Because things are turning around at Red Bull and he wants to enjoy the fruits of his labor?

David Caraviello: Jay's done a phenomenal job. Executive of the year, in my opinion. A.J. has improved dramatically and they have someone who might be the next Kyle Busch -- Scott Speed -- waiting in the wings.

Bill Kimm: Exactly, who wants to leave that?

David Caraviello: It's a good situation. No astricks needed.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writers.