Johnson still has sizeable lead, but no longer a lock (cont'd)

3. Is it a good time to be a small organization, given that drivers such as David Stremme, Bobby Labonte, Casey Mears and Reed Sorenson are evidently looking for rides for next year?

David Caraviello: OK, none of these guys is likely to set the world on fire. They've all had better chances in better rides, and for whatever reason, they didn't work out. But if you're a lower-level team looking for someone who can make races and be moderately competitive ... the pickings are pretty good right now.

Career Overview

Bobby Labonte

• 2000 Cup Series champion

• 21 Cup Series victories*

• Since 2007: One top-five, seven top-10s (106 races)

* None since 2003

Casey Mears

• One Cup win (250 races)

• Best points finish: 14th (2006)

• Has driven for Ganassi, Hendrick, Childress

Reed Sorenson

• One top-10 in 2009

• No top-fives since 2008 Daytona 500

• Career average finish: 25.2 (143 races)

David Stremme

• Three top-10s (108 starts)

• Made just one start in 2008

• Replaced by Brad Keselowski after 33 races this season

Dave Rodman: I bet Bobby Labonte is signed by tomorrow. And I'd say this -- if I was a small organization with aspirations to soar places, I'd be looking at someone like Brian Ickler -- or, if he wasn't already relatively locked up, a Trevor Bayne.

Joe Menzer: A small organization, like what? JTG Daugherty Racing? It has an up-and-coming driver in Marcos Ambrose already lined up, I believe, for the next two years? What other small organizations are out there that actually are relevant any longer? Maybe TRG Motorsports -- especially if you ask Roadman!

David Caraviello: Dude, we're not talking relevance. We're talking smaller, scaled-back, or shoestring organizations that show up each week (or every other week) trying to make races. There are more out there than that. And given the contraction that's gone on in the sport, it looks like some decent enough drivers may trickle down to them.

Dave Rodman: You could lump all the new teams into that group. Phoenix Racing has always had an effective, multi-divisional program going on. TRG and Front Row Motorsports are just two more small groups that have big aspirations -- and like James Finch, Bob Jenkins has the personal horsepower to make something happen.

Joe Menzer: And I'm just joking about TRG. I do admire that it does more with less -- as I do admire the way Furniture Row Racing does the same.

David Caraviello: And let's not confuse these guys with JTG, which has an alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing, and has a driver who's capable of winning races at some point. The organizations we're talking about aren't likely to be in a position to win races, unless one of them catches lightning in a bottle the way Phoenix did at Talladega.

Dave Rodman: It was remiss of me to omit Furniture Row. Barney Visser is a pea in a pod to those other guys, and it has a solid young guy in Regan Smith. Maybe one of these veterans fits into a second car there? I don't know. But with the great crop -- both in numbers and talent -- of development drivers, I'd be nervous if I was out of work without great stats on my resume.

Joe Menzer: But let's get back to the original list. Of that group, who really should get excited about putting David Stremme, Casey Mears or Reed Sorenson in a seat? They've all had their shots and failed, mostly badly. I would say the only guy who I think deserves to get somewhere and for once stay with the same crew chief, etc., for at least a full season might be Mears -- but then he had his chance basically with the same Hendrick team that Mark Martin is tearing it up with this year.

David Caraviello: Joe, we know that. But again, what are these organizations looking for? Someone who can qualify and maybe crack the top 20 every now and then? In that sense, a guy like Casey or Stremme is a find. To be fair, Richard Childress hasn't officially announced the future of his No. 07 team yet, so maybe Casey could still end up there in some capacity next year. But it's late in the season, and we haven't heard anything, and that usually does not bode well.

Joe Menzer: If I owned a small team, I would be looking to a young, relatively unknown developmental driver to put in the seat. Or at least be looking to put one of those guys in a Nationwide seat and start getting him experience. I was just at a function [Tuesday] and spent some time talking with Andrew Ranger, who is looking for a Nationwide ride next year. That kid seems to have talent and is sharp and all he seems to need is experience at a higher level. And he's just one of many like that.

Dave Rodman: But without knowing exactly what Travis Kvapil or David Gilliland, particularly, have in play, they go to the top of that list. Kvapil is a former national series champion and what those two did with those shoestring Yates cars last year was impressive. And Joe, you're right -- Ranger should be on someone's list. Did he just win his second Canadian Tire championship?

Joe Menzer: Yes, Ranger just won his second Canadian Tire championship in three years, I think. He had six wins -- three on ovals and three on road courses.

David Caraviello: Hey, everybody agrees Ranger has big-time talent. Just ask Carl Edwards. But you don't exactly further his career by putting him in a Cup car that does not have the means to be competitive. That's a kid Roush or Hendrick should have an eye on, not TRG. That's like expecting a high-school All-America basketball player to consider Iona or Bowling Green.

Dave Rodman: Look at it this way. Insiders who know what they're looking at can tell as much about a guy racing for 25th -- or 35th -- as they can someone racing for fifth.

David Caraviello: The only thing worse than not getting a big break in NASCAR is getting one in a car that's not any good. Many, many careers have been ruined that way.

Joe Menzer: Wait, wait, wait! I didn't say Ranger should jump to a Cup car. I said he's looking for a Nationwide ride and all he seems to need is experience at a higher level to continue developing! And why the shot at Bowling Green, which you know is my alma mater? I didn't say anything about the South Carolina football team choking away another season?

David Caraviello: Is it still football season?

Joe Menzer: Ask Roadman. He's the stick-and-ball expert this week!

The opinions expressed are solely those of the participants.