Rookie Smith comes up big for short term and longer

If I were you, I'd highlight March 30 in my day-minder, as one of those dates you need to return to at the end of the year -- or the end of the Sprint Cup Series season -- and reflect on what it meant to the final outcome.

Continually beating up NASCAR's top-35 lock-in system is no one's goal, but the fact is, the system is here -- if not to stay then at least for the 2008 season -- and dealing with it, for 25 percent of the Sprint Cup field, is disconcerting, to say the least.

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So a big hat's off this week to rookie of the year co-leader Regan Smith, his crew chief, Doug Richert and their No. 01 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet team after Smith was the best rookie performer for the second consecutive race and the third time in six races this season.

All they did was race their way from 39th in Sprint Cup owner points heading into this past weekend's Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville -- albeit only 39 points out of 35th -- to a locked-in spot this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

You can't minimize how huge that is, not only in the big picture as Smith races mainly Dario Franchitti, who he tied this week in rookie points thanks to Smith's career-best 14th-place finish, and Sam Hornish Jr. for the rookie title, but also in the short term as they prepare for this weekend's Samsung 500.

Richert knows all too well how disruptive contending with the top 35 week in and week out can be; it radically altered his demeanor and ultimately cost him a job last season.

Smith, God bless him, has only 13 career starts, so he hardly knows what to think from week to week -- but he proved this past Sunday and even throughout the weekend that he knows how to produce when the chips are down, and how to swing momentum in his favor.

"It's very important," Smith said. "You want to get your guys pumped up and you want to have something you can go to the shop and keep your head high about. They haven't had much that they could this year to this point and now hopefully they can."

Smith's car has been running so far at the finish in all six races, but his finishes -- four worse than 31st and a best of 26th -- haven't shown either his or his team's potential.

And while remaining in a guaranteed spot is not guaranteed beyond this week, putting them in a position to tune their race setup on Friday instead of thrashing to make the race can't be under-estimated (read more). (Continued)