Track Smack: Dover

Who is stronger right now? Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Jimmie Johnson?

Lee Montgomery: Well, geez, after Charlotte, that's an easy answer. Johnson. But "right now" is an abstract phrase. Things change so much in the sport that it's hard to tune into "right now."

Ryan Smithson: For the run to the title, I still give Earnhardt Jr. a slight edge. The 8 car is immune to qualifying slipups, and they really have not had one mediocre result since they won in Atlanta.

Dave Rodman: Right now? Coming off that performance in the 600 the first nod would have to go to J.J. -- but to do what he did with what he had to work with, I'd still favor Junior for the long-range unofficial "title" -- that is, after 26 races.

Marty Smith: Lord, that's like asking who's prettier, Faith Hill or Catherine Zeta Jones? I have to give the nod to Johnson, mainly because his pit crew is so stellar. Junior's boys have stepped up huge this year, but I still think Johnson's is slightly better.

Dave Rodman: Ryan -- did you forget that race in which they virtually never got better than 18th? I haven't forgotten it since it kinda screwed my fantasy team...

	Faith Hill

Ryan Smithson: Catherine Zeta Jones is prettier, Marty. But pick someone else, ok? Those two have like nine kids between them.

Marty Smith: That doesn't mean they aren't hot, dude.

Lee Montgomery: Faith Hill is my choice. Then again, I'm listening to Gretchen Wilson.

Ryan Smithson: Rodman, I was really impressed how the 8 fought back on Sunday. He's ready to win the title, son.

Dave Rodman: Absolutely. That's what I said earlier in the year and I am not backing off it now.

Send a nice letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Marty Smith: Anyway, back to the Junior/Jimmie debate. You know what's a huge score for Johnson that many folks may not realize? They have a ton of tests remaining.

Ryan Smithson: How many, Mart?

Marty Smith: Several, Smithson. It's sick that they were that dominant at Charlotte and didn't test. They were so good at Martinsville that they cut a scheduled two-day test short, to one day.

Send a mean letter Marty Ryan Dave Lee

Ryan Smithson: Shoot, Marty, they have a ton of tests left because of Hendrick, you know? And DEI is pretty much a two-car show these days.

Marty Smith: That doesn't matter anymore, Smithson.

Ryan Smithson: Naw. Don't reckon. But knowing Vickers has all those tests can't hurt, though, you know?

Lee Montgomery: That's a good point about J.J. not testing at Charlotte. I'd forgotten about that. Boy, that dude was awesome the whole two weeks there.

Weird Fact of the Week  Marty Smith has used the word "poo" for two straight weeks in Track Smack.

Marty Smith: That's why I said in Last Lap that, all dynamics considered, Jimmie's run was the most dominant I've seen.

Dave Rodman: Short-term, I'd say we're gonna see a new point leader after this weekend, given J.J.'s history at Dover; and Junior's too, for that matter. Even though he won in the Busch Series, I keep seeing that wall-slap in my mind -- Ouch!

Ryan Smithson: Y'all remember the Gordon race at Dover when he led 380 of 400 laps? That was the most dominant race we've seen since we took over the site in 2001, boys.

Ryan Smithson: Trying to remember when that was. I think Junior finished third that day despite a spin.

Lee Montgomery: What? Statboy is stumped?

	Ah! My foot is stuck!

Marty Smith: I mean, when it came time to get up on the wheel, he got up on the wheel. When he split Gordon and Kahne, the whole media center started yelling. It takes a special deal for that to happen.

Ryan Smithson: Not stumped. I think it was June 2001. Park finished second that day.

Dave Rodman: Wow, we are in a different time and place when stuff like that starts happening. Either that, or no one knows what racing is anymore.

Marty Smith: That's just too tough a question to call, honestly. I think, right now, the 8, 48, 17 and 9 are the best teams in the deal. But once again, who really cares about points? They mean nothing, so long as you're in the top 10. So what if Jeff Gordon dropped from third to fourth, ya know? It just doesn't matter right now.

What needs to be the subject of the next NASCAR reality show?

Lee Montgomery: Me. I could use some extra cash. Don't know how much fun it'll be watching me eat, though.

Ryan Smithson: They need to get a superstar, I don't know, pick anyone in the top 10 and just tail 'em, show all the crap they have to go through.

Lee Montgomery: They've got one in the top 10. Two, actually.

Dave Rodman: Huh? Like there needs to be another one? If you ask me, there are about 7-8 too many right now -- though the fact that I have watched virtually none of them keeps me from having too exact of a count...

	Yes, I talked with Kurt Busch. Everything's OK now. We went to Subway for lunch. Credit: Autostock

Ryan Smithson: Rodman, don't shoot off your mouth about them if you've never watched them. Now eat your black-eyed peas.

Marty Smith: Reality TV sucks. My wife loves every last one of those shows ...I just want to watch the Braves lose again, but I'm always watching some grimy people that haven't brushed their teeth in a month make out on a deserted island.

Dave Rodman: I have watched enough of most of them to know that I don't need to be wasting my time -- and I hope that your comment is not an admission that you're hooked on any of them?!?

Ryan Smithson: Man, I love NBS 24/7, but they had Casey Atwood thinking positive thoughts on there. Talk about painful TV.

Lee Montgomery: Mike Helton, 24/7 might be nice.

Ryan Smithson: I watch both of them, Rodman, is that bad? Man, I hope not.

Dave Rodman: Yeah, but you usually hang around the office, so I guess that's your out.

Ryan Smithson: They all come on after the races, man.

Dave Rodman: I would think you'd want to be on the practice range or at the movies or mowing your grass, or something useful.

AUDIO CLIPS In the audio version of Track Smack this week, we discuss whether Elliott Sadler's early-season success will translate into a spot in the Chase for the Championship. / 4:34 Listen

Marty Smith: That deal on FX is hysterical, at times. Kevin Harvick flinging dog poo into his neighbor's yard is classic television.

Ryan Smithson: Ward's had the best segment so far. His kid can shoot those clay geese better than 99 percent of the hunters out there. Kid was like, "pump, boom." They didn't have a chance.

Dave Rodman: I did watch my first "360" over the weekend and thought it was somewhat intriguing, but in the interest of having a life, I could not hardly imagine going out of my way to watch it or anything else...

Lee Montgomery: Especially not when West Wing is on. Or Sanford & Son.

Marty Smith: What? Rodman, you send entry list updates on Saturday afternoons?

Dude, this is your life.

Ryan Smithson: The best Sanford and Son ever was the time Fred won $600, and all the neighbors developed "problems" that required (gasp) money.

Ryan Smithson: Remember that one, Lee?

Lee Montgomery: Of course.

Ryan Smithson: No way man!

Lee Montgomery: One of Lamont's aunt's needed surgery.

Ryan Smithson: Remember when Fred tried to set the world record for staying awake?

Lee Montgomery: And Bubba needed money for his car.

Ryan Smithson: "Pop, you must feel real warm inside." Fred: "Yeah! I got heartburn!"

Lee Montgomery: Yes, of course. Fella bouncing a ball. Someone was singing.

Lee Montgomery: Best insult ever. Fred to Aunt Esther: Esther, "I'm going to put your face in dough and make some gorilla cookies."

Predictions for Dover?

Marty Smith: Jeff Gordon rebounds from last week's debacle to beat Tony Stewart.

Coke 600 Predictions  Not a good week. Not sure if we've gotten a winner right this year.  Marty picked Kenseth (3rd)  Ryan picked Stewart (9th)  Lee picked Kenseth (3rd)  Dave (Picked two, not allowed)

Lee Montgomery: Oh, yeah, Dover. I'm going out on a limb and say Jimmie Johnson.

Ryan Smithson: I think Marty picked the first winner of the year, not sure. I am gonna pick Newman until the boy breaks though.

Lee Montgomery: That team seems to get on a roll.

Dave Rodman: Tony Stewart has got to break through sooner or later and even though I called J.J. to lead the points after the event, I think Tony will come through and (concrete) dust 'em.

Track Smack appears every Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the participants.