Track Smack: Cup's new contender Smoking field

1. He's fresh off his first victory of the season, and he leads the point standings. Is Tony Stewart asserting himself as the favorite for the Sprint Cup title?

Raygan Swan: I believe so, because his best tracks are yet to come. Sonoma, Watkins Glen, the Brickyard -- his consistency at places like that is amazing. I think he will continue to be a favorite.

Joe Menzer: Well, in my mind, until he's mathematically out of it, the favorite to win the Sprint Cup title still has to be three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson. So I won't label Stewart the favorite, but it sure looks like he'll be in the small, final mix.

David Caraviello: Honestly, Tony is making this look way too easy, isn't he? I will admit, I expected him to have a certain degree of success this year. But not this much, this soon. I'm wondering if it's going to level off, or if he's got things rolling so well over there it won't matter. But I will agree with Joe -- until somebody actually beats Johnson, I'm not going to believe it. He's still the favorite until he's out of it.

Joe Menzer: The thing is, Ryan Newman is better than he's been in a while, too. So you know the entire organization is doing things right, and that Stewart getting to Victory Lane twice in less than a month (counting the All-Star win) is no fluke.

Raygan Swan: Maybe he doesn't seem like the favorite because he doesn't win like eight races in a season like Carl Edwards or Johnson have. In his first Cup title he only won three, and then in 2007 he only won five. But he is consistently in the top five and top 10 every week now.

Joe Menzer: I'm thinking that this time, at the end of the season at the news conference hyping Ford Championship Weekend, there will be three drivers on the podium talking about their chances -- Stewart, Johnson ... and Jeff Gordon.

David Caraviello: You know, this is quite a follow-the-leader sport, and I wouldn't be surprised if Tony's success inspires a whole new generation of owner/drivers. Of course, they won't all have the advantage of Hendrick equipment, and inheriting a team that already has the basics in place. But if he's making it work, you know others are going to be thinking about it.

Joe Menzer: You mean like Jeremy Mayfield?

Raygan Swan: Ouch, Joe. Very ouch.

Joe Menzer: Sorry.

David Caraviello: OK, that may be a stretch. But seriously, people in NASCAR will follow anything that works. For right now, at least, Tony is making this work. You have to think some other drivers are looking at him and thinking, "I could do that."

Joe Menzer: I don't know, David. This is a very unique situation. You had an owner who was sitting in jail, you had a general manager in Joe Custer who had a very creative thought about a driver who just happened to be coming up on the end of his contract ... and then the other part of the equation is that the existing Haas operation already had a working agreement with arguably the best organization in the sport in Hendrick Motorsports. Average Joe Driver isn't going to have all these pieces in place -- ever!

Raygan Swan: Yeah, and there are few active two-time champions out there in the garage who can basically woo quality staffers to take a big risk and come work with them.

A 'special' one

The smile on Tony Stewart's face was unlike any other. Joe Menzer says the Pocono victory was much the same, and more could be expected from Stewart-Haas Racing.

• Complete story, click here
• Why Stewart-Haas can win it
• Stewart conserves fuel to win

David Caraviello: Tony's greatest attribute in this area may be that he's so hands-off, and can let other people carry a lot of the load. A lot of other drivers might try to micromanage everything. Tony seems very good at just delegating and racing, so he's not burdened as so many owner/drivers in the past seem to have been. And the Hendrick thing certainly sets them apart, no question. So what's it going to be like at the end of the year if Joe's scenario plays out, and Rick is trying to beat his own stuff for a title?

Raygan Swan: With one of his old employees, Darian Grubb, no less. But look at Michael Waltrip Racing, for example. After a few seasons, they are just now starting to figure some things out, after hiring and firing and overcoming scandal. It's not easy. The framework has to be in place like it was at Stewart-Haas Racing

Joe Menzer: I will say that MWR has made great strides in three seasons. And let's not forget -- they've won the same number of points races this year as Stewart-Haas!

Raygan Swan: Yeah, Joe, but David Reutimann doesn't have seven top-five finishes.

Joe Menzer: I know. I was joking. But MWR has made positive strides. Reutimann has been pretty solid nonetheless.

David Caraviello: Still, if Tony knocks off Jimmie in Homestead using Hendrick equipment, you've got to wonder what the reaction will be in Rick's shop.

Raygan Swan: Chad Knaus will have six heart attacks. How could he deal with that? The man already works around the clock seven days a week. He might try to clone himself if Tony beats Jimmie.

David Caraviello: I don't know if the world could handle two Chad Knauses! (Continued)