Track Smack: Time is a tickin' on Roush Fenway (cont'd)

2. Did Casey Mears and Dale Earnhardt Jr. deserve stiffer penalties for their run-in Saturday night in Phoenix?

Joe Menzer: Nah. I didn't see this as that big of a deal. Probably the only reason it's being discussed so much is because one of the players involved is Dale Jr.

David Caraviello: Of course not. This stuff is childish to be sure, but far from worthy of NASCAR "lowering the boom," like some said they would. I believe this is exactly what Edwards and Kyle Busch received for a similar incident last year at Bristol -- probation. And we all know what probation means in NASCAR. Virtually nothing.

Law in own hands?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasn't happy with Casey Mears and let him know it on the cool-down lap. Should NASCAR have set penalties for such infractions?

• Complete story
• Your turn: Weigh in
• Video: Junior spins Mears
• Both drivers get probation

Dave Rodman: If there's a simple way of checking the progression of penalties for pit road assaults, that's the only way to tell if this one was consistent. And as long as everyone understands that Mears is on probation for running after Earnhardt and banging into the back of his car on pit road -- not for spinning him out -- no harm, no foul. Move on.

David Caraviello: Joe hits the nail on the head. Junior is involved in a meaningless fracas, and it turns into Watergate. If he's not part of this, nobody cares.

Joe Menzer: Wow. DC2 is saying I'm right. That happens about as often as my wife tells me I'm right about something.

Dave Rodman: Hmmm. I think we've all been right once or twice of late.

David Caraviello: Well, Joe, given that you have that invasive root canal scheduled for later today, I decided to be nice. And I must say, deciding against anesthesia is quite a manly thing to do.

Joe Menzer: Well, being that I'm working the race this weekend at Talladega, I do think it's worth following up with the two guys to see what they say and see if there are any lingering anger issues. But I doubt there will be. And then, as Roadman said, it will be time to move on. And speaking of Talladega, I always like to get a good teeth cleaning in before I go down there. You want to be able to fit in with the crowd.

David Caraviello: Joe, those shiny bicuspids will surely mark you as an outsider. That, and the fact that you won't be wearing beads shaped like human body parts. Back to the topic at hand, we love Junior Nation and all, but sometimes they really need to dial it back. Amazing how quickly somebody like Casey Mears -- as nice a guy as there is -- can be elevated to public enemy No. 1. It really is a "with us or against us" kind of thing.

Joe Menzer: With all these fancy terms you're throwing out, maybe you should have gone to dental school.

Dave Rodman: But you know, race drivers never forget. This may rear its head back up somewhere, sometime. So never go to sleep on it. And Talladega is the only track on the circuit where every cavity on your vehicle is searched for weapons. Front seat. Back seat. Glove box. Console. Trunk. Makes you feel like an extra in "Cool Hand Luke."

Joe Menzer: One of the greatest movies of all time.

David Caraviello: Well, I wouldn't go quite that far. But back to the issue. Funny how everyone wants drivers to be all emotional and everything, and then when something like this happens, they want to crucify somebody because their guy was on the wrong end. Can't have it both ways. And the truth of the matter is that Junior was way loose at Phoenix before Mears got to him. Of course, Mears most certainly did get to him.

Joe Menzer: I see very little wrong with a little post-race antics like what happened with Edwards and Kyle Busch at Bristol last year, or what happened with Junior and Mears. Shows they're human and have emotions. It's like arguing with an umpire occasionally in baseball.

Dave Rodman: Well, they should be happy he got emotional and then only got six races' probation. Or are you saying they're disgruntled because he got spun out?

David Caraviello: I'm saying many in the fan base claim to want one thing, and then raise a fuss when it actually happens and their guy is involved. They want action. They want rubbing and racing and bent fenders. They want emotion and controversy. Oh, but just keep my guy out of it! Sorry, doesn't work that way.

Joe Menzer: There is nothing wrong with occasionally allowing fans to see a little of that passion that boils from within. They love it, and it reminds us all of how deeply these guys care about doing well. But again, if Junior is not involved in what happened last Saturday, this is a mere footnote. Remember that when Carl and KB did it at Bristol, they had been fighting for the lead. Totally different and more relevant to the big picture that day.

Dave Rodman: Except the consequences can be much more serious -- and I think that's what the penalties are designed to preclude, or decrease. What they ought to do is brief these guys that under no circumstance will they detach or remove any of their safety gear until the place is completely quiet.

David Caraviello: That's right. Make 'em wear full helmets until post-race inspection is complete. Of course, that would make interviews a little difficult.

Dave Rodman: But as if we didn't know, it indicates the massive burden an underachieving Junior carries. Again, he had reached a point where he wasn't running half-badly, thanks to finagling some track position, and all of a sudden he's in the wall. It figures Casey says he overdrove the corner when the lap before, Junior made a great tail-out save of a truly evil car coming off Turn 4.

Joe Menzer: Hey, Mears was high-tailing it to another great 20th-place finish.

David Caraviello: Watch out, Joe. You'll have the Mears bunch on you now. (Continued)