Track Smack: All-Star race becoming three-ring circus (cont'd)

2. Which driver is Hendrick Motorsports' best shot at the Cup Series title -- Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, or Mark Martin.

Dave Rodman: Might be Mark Martin, because he continues to insist -- and I, for one, tend to believe -- that a championship really doesn't mean that much to him. But he might have the best shot of his entire career at carrying it out, and Mark has that assassin's cool precision and surgical ability to take your heart out and you don't even know it's gone. Johnson and Gordon, of course, are known commodities with Johnson obviously having the edge given his three-on-the-trot, but the way Mark's going right now and assuming he'll only get better, Martin's the one.

Mark Martin

2009 Cup stats

Wins	2
Top-fives	3
Top-10s	6
Poles	3
Avg. Start	10.1
Avg. Finish	17.8
Lead-Lap Finish	7
DNFs	3
Rank	11

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Raygan Swan: As much as I want Mark Martin to finally get a Cup title so he can finally retire for real, it's Jimmie Johnson with the best shot. Especially after Darlington, you just can't keep him down. He survives everything.

David Caraviello: Hands-down, it's Johnson. Absolutely nothing against Gordon or Martin, either of whom could win the title. But what Johnson did Saturday night at Darlington, going from the back to the front again and again, was amazing. The cat can get through anything.

Raygan Swan: Right, and I don't see Gordon and Martin, their teams, having that ability.

David Caraviello: Well, I wouldn't go that far. Let's not forget how Jeff won Darlington two years ago, with his engine smoking like Old Faithful. And Mark shouldn't even be here right now. All these guys are defined by perseverance.

Raygan Swan: Yeah I guess, but it seems to me that Johnson is more capable. Last season Carl Edwards couldn't even make ground on J.J. when the No. 99 was winning races.

David Caraviello: On that, Raygan, I totally agree. I think Jimmie gives people the shakes. Makes them nervous. They know he can overcome almost anything, they know he's going to be there at the end, and they know he has a patent on how to win titles under the Chase format.

Raygan Swan: Yeah, it's like he can be in the back of the pack with 30 to go and the leader thinks he's safe ... then all the sudden he just comes from out of nowhere!

Jeff Gordon

2009 Cup stats

Wins	1
Top-fives	6
Top-10s	8
Poles	0
Avg. Start	9.7
Avg. Finish	12.3
Lead-Lap Finish	9
DNFs	0
Rank	1

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Dave Rodman: Mark's not retiring -- and if you were paying attention, he never retired. He's been pretty explicit in what he's doing and what his goals are. If he were to win the championship this season it might be the perfect storybook ending. But for Mark, the end is nowhere in sight. For one, he'd honor his deal with Rick to drive next year; and second, he'd certainly be in a position to keep winning, and that's most important to him.

David Caraviello: Well Dave he did have that big "Salute to You" press conference a few years back. That sure seemed like a planned retirement tour to me.

Dave Rodman: J.J. is a tough hurdle to get over, no question. And with what he's accomplished the last six or seven seasons, you have to feel like there's not much he and that team can't overcome. On the one hand, saying Mark has the ultimate loose attitude and the ultimate stock of experience is true -- but Chad, Jimmie and that team are, almost without question, the most formidable combination in Cup history, all things considered.

David Caraviello: Martin is playing with house money right now. Which Hendrick driver has the most race wins so far this year? That would be Mark Martin. Take away those two engine failures, and the guy might very well be leading the points.

Raygan Swan: I wish Martin the best, but it's hard to bet against Johnson.

Dave Rodman: Mark had Jimmie covered in the Southern 500 -- though he did have the advantage of being out front, which was proven over and over again to be an almost unbeatable advantage. At various points Saturday evening, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano and Ryan Newman all looked to have real good shots at winning.

David Caraviello: Well, Johnson didn't have anything left Saturday night. He had used up so much car coming from the back again and again, there wasn't anything left in the end. So I don't think we can consider that truly representative of their abilities.

Jimmie Johnson

2009 Cup stats

Wins	1
Top-fives	5
Top-10s	7
Poles	0
Avg. Start	13.0
Avg. Finish	13.7
Lead Lap Finishes	8
DNFs	1
Rank	4

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Dave Rodman: I think one thing might be certain -- even with 13 or 14 races to go until we lock-in the Chase field, I think the Hendrick mob has a pretty good chance of stinking up the championship run and potentially going 1-2-3. Heck, if you consider the Stewart-Haas boys default teammates, they could easily take five of the top-six or seven spots at the end.

David Caraviello: Is everyone forgetting about Kyle Busch? I mean, I totally agree with what you're saying, Dave. But I don't think we've heard the last of Rowdy yet. And I think he's getting a little overlooked in this Hendrickmania.

Dave Rodman: Kyle still has to prove he can be consistent. He's already proven that, on his day, he might be the best pure talent currently going. And that would make him the lone non-Hendrick individual in that top group. And Roush Fenway and RCR -- and for that matter, Denny Hamlin -- aren't going to rest between now and then. So while that's what it's looking like, pretty premature, all the same.

Raygan Swan: The Stewart-Haas combo is interesting and pleasantly surprising. And as for Kyle, he'll be up there all right. After last season's Chase, the racing gods owe him a few breaks.

David Caraviello: Either way, Rick Hendrick looks to be the big winner here. We thought his team couldn't be better than it was in '07. Looks like it is. (Continued)