Track Smack: Stewart will build on All-Star victory

1. Tony Stewart won his first race as owner/driver with Stewart-Haas Racing Saturday night when he captured the All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Can a victory in a points race be far behind for the two-time champion?

Raygan Swan: I do believe a win is in the near future, maybe not at Lowe's, though. He has one win already but his strong tracks are yet to come. He's got road courses coming up, Indy. And in the last 11 races, he has finished second or third four times. He's primed.

Joe Menzer: Well, he's never won the Coca-Cola 600 -- although he did win the fall race at LMS in 2003 -- but he had never won an All-Star Race prior to Saturday, either. It's obviously only a matter of time now before he reaches Victory Lane in a race that counts in the standings, and it could very well be this Sunday night.

Dave Rodman: Nope. I don't know if you could say the floodgates might be opened. If that were the case, Kyle Busch would win every week, right? Or Jimmie Johnson. But both Stewart-Haas cars have quickly proven they can win any week -- so any week from here on out, they might. Wasn't that a 600 Tony dominated a few years ago. I don't remember -- I think I fell asleep. No, wait a minute -- I was there, I darned sure didn't fall asleep and as much as you can't say "he shoulda won" in this sport -- because you can't say that. He shoulda won.

Joe Menzer: The 600 is such a long race and you no doubt ate so much food, I don't doubt for a moment that you probably DID doze off, Roadman.

Dave Rodman: If the 600 was at Texas or Dover, I'd say "check." Those places do it right when it comes to snacking down. But we're here to race. Obviously the All-Star was a cobbled-together, miniature version of the 600 and with as good as Tony's car was at the end -- and let's face it, how good a shoe the guy is has never been in question -- I'd say he'll be in it to win it at the end.

Joe Menzer: You know, it's easy to poke fun at the 600 for being so long. I mean, Jimmy Spencer used to joke about eating hot dogs during cautions (OK, so with Spencer it wasn't a joke, it was reality). But I really like this race. I like how it's a test of endurance for the driver and his equipment. I like how different strategies play out the last 100 miles.

Test session

After 100 laps in the All-Star Race, many drivers left the track confident about what was learned and could be applied to the Coca-Cola 600.

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Raygan Swan: Getting back to Tony, I was chatting with his mom over the weekend and she made a good point about his attitude. Tony now has something to take care of -- a team, employees, a driver and he is really enjoying the responsibility. I think this has given him a renewed outlook on racing and a real drive to win.

Dave Rodman: Sounds like he'd make a good daddy -- or Pam just wants to be a gramma -- and doing it to 150 or so race team employees ain't getting it for her.

Raygan Swan: Yeah Dave, she just rolls her eyes at that subject but Tony does a fantastic job of mothering all the animals on his property here in Indiana. He does have a maternal side, if you will, and I think we are seeing it right now with his new team.

Joe Menzer: OK, I'm gonna stay away from that. I kind of envision Tony being like Adam Sandler in Big Daddy. Good for the movies, but in real life ... I'm not so sure. But let's stay on topic here. We're talking about when he's going to win a points race.

Dave Rodman: Look at it this way -- could happen anywhere, anytime. He's been great at Lowe's. He's been great at Dover. Pocono's like a road course and we know his record there. Any place, any time.

Raygan Swan: I say Sonoma.

Joe Menzer: It sounds like we're in agreement that it will be very soon and very possibly in this Sunday's 600. Look, he's obviously in good equipment and in a good place mentally now as a driver. After what we saw in the final laps Saturday night, he has to be one of the favorites going into the 600.

2. Jeff Gordon underwent a minor procedure to alleviate the pain in his lower back. Will this help him endure the grueling race that is the Coca-Cola 600 or could it possibly end up backfiring on him, so to speak, and make it even more difficult for him to last the 600 miles?

Dave Rodman: Well, if Jeff made it through his charity go-karting deal, and then through Thursday's practice session, he'll have a pretty good idea. I will say this, there are very few people who know exactly how much pain he's been in -- but I would put a lot of money down on Jeff Gordon being maybe one of the best-equipped in the Cup garage to deal with it, persevere through it, and to win despite it.

Joe Menzer: The fact that Gordon felt it was necessary to undergo the procedure so close to this race speaks volumes about how much his back has been bothering him. Anyone who has ever had any kind of back pain has some idea of how painful it is to do much of anything -- let alone sit in a race car and try to drive it at speeds of nearly 200 mph for five hours at a time.

Lessen the pain

In the last few years, Jeff Gordon's back pain has become worse, so the four-time champ had a procedure done Monday to allieviate some of the pain.

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Raygan Swan: Seemingly the procedure, facet block, has little to no side effects. It's just a numbing agent in the joint, either it will work or it won't. But he is already accustomed to driving with back pain. So I don't think it could backfire. The important thing is that he is working out now to help remedy the problem or at least strengthen some other muscles back there.

Joe Menzer: Minor procedure or not, I wonder how much back pain may have contributed to his struggles to win races last season. It certainly could not have helped, that's for sure.

Dave Rodman: The hardest thing about it might be having to think about it all the time and trying to avoid doing things that would aggravate it. As simple as that seems, I bet it's not.

Raygan Swan: I recall Kasey Kahne talking about back pain as well a couple seasons ago and he had a special seat made. His was disc-related and his back would swell, I believe, so these problems are not uncommon for drivers.

Dave Rodman: I could see it taking the better part of a season to work out exactly how to deal with it. But if it was an issue -- and assuming it's not gotten better, in fact, it's gotten worse to hear Jeff talk about it -- his results this season show he has made the necessary adjustments. Like Jeff said, it was only during cautions where he even noticed it. While they're under green, baby, drivers at this level can focus. At least most of 'em can.

Joe Menzer: Well, I'm certainly not going to compare myself to Jeff Gordon (I weigh a little more). But to put this in perspective, I know when I had back pain about 18 months ago, one of the things they told me was NOT to sit in the same position for longer than like 30 minutes at a time. If you did, it risked causing spasms. Now can you imagine having back spasms while driving a race car at high speeds? I can't.

Raygan Swan: It would be nice if NASCAR could implement a therapy room or get a trainer.

Dave Rodman: Motor Racing Outreach had that at race tracks each week -- does that facility and those people not travel with the series any more?

Raygan Swan: No Dave, they no longer get the donations for it. And now the wives don't have a place to work out either and only a handful of tracks have gyms.

Joe Menzer: I'm sure he can get whatever treatment he needs at any track -- whether it's provided by NASCAR or not. Remember when Elliott Sadler hurt his back last year and was in danger of missing the race at Martinsville because he could barely walk the day before? He flew in his own doctor and got it worked out so he could race.

Raygan Swan: You're right Joe, these drivers have personal chefs even. Of course they could fly their own docs down but what about a place they could get treatment before the race like NFL players?

Dave Rodman: We forget -- but I bet they don't -- that these are professional athletes who have the ability and the contacts to get whatever done that they need to do their jobs. Not like us ordinary guys who have to plan and prepare and in a lot of cases, scrimp and save to make this stuff happen.

Joe Menzer: The saddest thing of all is that this no doubt is adversely affecting Jeff's ability to play golf on the Wii video gaming system in his motorcoach!

Dave Rodman: I thought he was a tennis buff?

Raygan Swan: I thought he liked to ride his bike and that is what irritated his back problem a bit.

Dave Rodman: So it's a cinch he's not joining Carl for his ride across Missouri later this summer?

Raygan Swan: Ha, right Dave.

Joe Menzer: He loves the Wii tennis, and said he has found a way to "flick his wrist" to play that game on the Wii without aggravating his back. But hey, if the "facet block" works its magic, he could be playing Wii golf -- and maybe even a little Dodgeball, or whatever else he wants -- in no time. He might just win a race, too. And I'm not talking about just on the Wii system.

Dave Rodman: If he can pick up Ella with no limits that would be the best payoff of all.

3. Sunday will mark the 50th running of the 600-mile event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Fans recently voted on the track's Web site to name Kasey Kahne's 2008 All-Star Race victory "the greatest racing moment" in LMS history. Were they on target, or did they miss the boat with this vote?

Joe Menzer: Glad you asked because this one has been bugging me. And I'm hoping now -- after I've written several imminently fair pieces about Kasey and even made peace with one of his family members who was convinced (wrongly) that I had some kind of personal vendetta against him -- that I will come off to even Kahne's loyal fans as simply being objective on this. But THERE IS NO WAY that was the greatest racing moment in this track's rich history.

Dave Rodman: It was their vote -- both for the moment and when they voted in Kasey -- so who are we to question it? I guess it figures, if they voted him in, in such an avalanche, then the obvious follow-up would be to vote it their favorite moment.

Charlotte Moments

Mark Aumann looks at the more memorable moments in Lowe's Motor Speedway history, including the fiery crash that claimed Fireball Roberts.

• 1960: Curtis Turner
• 1961: David Pearson
• 1964: Fireball Roberts
• 1975: Dale Earnhardt
• 1975: Humpy Wheeler

• 1976: Janet Guthrie
• 1983: Richard Petty
• 1989: Darrell Waltrip
• 1992: Jeff Gordon

Raygan Swan: Ummm, I was there and don't remember it so for me it was forgettable.

Joe Menzer: Roadman, are you serious? The fans voted it that way so you're just going to go along with it? It wasn't even the greatest moment in ALL-STAR history, let alone the entire racing history of the track. Not even close. When did you become milquetoast, Roadman?

Raygan Swan: Kasey Kahne is a fabulous driver, very popular with the ladies, etc. But when it comes to creating unforgettable memories on the track he does not come to mind. Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, those drivers come to mind and of course all the legends starting with Petty.

Dave Rodman: I said it was their vote. If you asked me my vote that would not even make the radar screen.

Raygan Swan: What is your vote Dave?

Joe Menzer: Well, Mr. Milquetoast (I've always loved that word), I think we ARE asking your opinion. The question is whether or not the fans hit the mark with their vote. Let me throw out a few better suggestions. How about we start with the All-Star Race? There was the 1987 Pass in the Grass (even though it wasn't really), the 1989 Tide Slide where Rusty Wallace spun out Darrell Waltrip, and, of course, what they have labeled One Hot Night in 1992 when Kyle Petty and Davey Allison dueled it out. Allison won but had to be taken to the hospital after wrecking at the line.

Dave Rodman: The best and most thrilling moment by far was when Kyle Petty loosened up Big E and, in a way, swatted him aside and then drove on to (try to) win the All-Star, only to have Davey Allison come arrowing up the inside to beat him at the stripe -- then wreck. You just can't, I'm sorry fans, get more thrilling than that.

Raygan Swan: That sounds more worthy of a vote, Dave, but for me I was stuck in open-wheel country growing up watching the Indy 500 while you all were down South so I'll just go with Gordon's first win in 1994 at LMS. I didn't watch it but he beat Rusty Wallace and that's spectacular enough for me! Joe, if you are opening it up to the All-Star Race -- then the Busch brothers wrecking in 2007 is my fondest memory.

Dave Rodman: Raygs, as far as being impactful, that was a great one -- especially him bawling in Victory Lane. I can't say the race was that great, or even memorable. But that's never the case -- a great finish always wipes out the fact of a pathetic race, every time.

Joe Menzer: As was the case last Saturday night at LMS, by the way. Great last 10 laps. Boring before that. But all anyone will remember is the finish.

Raygan Swan: Ok, well, I'm a sucker for a crying man so I'm sticking by my choice.

Joe Menzer: I am tearing up as we speak.

Dave Rodman: Geez, the All-Star Race is one after another. Luckily I was at a sports bar when that rainstorm debacle occurred -- when the field went down into Turn 1 and 2 and pig-piled, only to have NASCAR play the "special event" card and allow everyone to bring out back-up cars to cover up the fact that none of their spotters noticed it was raining. My point was, you had to eat and drink to get yourself through the couple hours in which they re-tooled the field and dried the place out. Priceless.

Joe Menzer: I actually was covering the NFL at that time, but was at that race as a fan with my parents, who were in their early 70s at the time. My mother, bless her heart, just would not let us leave early. We stayed until the bitter end after all the rain delays and I think my dad had to drive my brother straight to the airport for his flight out.

Dave Rodman: Actually, my bar tab that one time was kinda steep, from what I remember.

Raygan Swan: Oh, and the Casey Mears' waterworks show was good too guys.

Joe Menzer: If he wins one again, it not only will be memorable but this time Jack Daniel's will no doubt pick up the tab.

Dave Rodman: Have you ever noticed where no one goes back in history to pick on anything -- but that first 600, where the race track came apart and on-the-fly accessories like asphalt-chunk-screens were created has to rate for something.

Joe Menzer: The problem with fan votes on stuff like this is that they have incredibly short memories. No doubt some of the early 600s were far more memorable, but if they weren't on TV or they were more than 10 years -- or 10 minutes -- ago, they are quickly forgotten by the masses. That's the sad truth of it.

Dave Rodman: Even black moments eclipse Kasey's win, as cool as it was. Losing Fireball would rate in a list of top-five events of all time -- depends whether or not you want to list 'em by category or not.

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Raygan Swan: You're right Joe, and the sport has so many new fans. Young fans as well. Most of 'em don't even know who Fireball Roberts was.

Joe Menzer: The Fireball wreck certainly was memorable, if for all the wrong reasons. Also, what about the year Janet Guthrie ran in the 600? That's pretty memorable. What about the one where Richard Petty won but they accused him of running an illegal engine? You could go on and on. My point is that Kahne's victory, though I can see where many thought it was special, shouldn't rate anywhere close to the greatest moment in LMS history.

Dave Rodman: And in terms of being outright thrilling -- it would be difficult to hold the 600 up to the test in that light. Too long. Too much going on. And Joe, I think Richard's big engine episode occurred in a fall race -- but it WAS at Charlotte and you're right -- the poll was supposed to take in everything that ever occurred there, right? It all circles back to the fans and their sense of entitlement -- it was their vote, it was their win so it's their moment. Let 'em rest.

Joe Menzer: Yes. It includes the fall race and I think you are right about that. But after much deliberation in my own mind ... I vote for the day Raygs walked into the media center for the first time. But, dang it, now you've got me tearing up again.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writers.