Track Smack: A new car and crew chief make debut

1. Joe Gibbs Racing is replacing Kyle Busch's crew chief, Steve Addington, with Nationwide skipper Dave Rogers. The right move?

David Caraviello: I don't know if it's the right move, but it's probably a necessary one. Interesting how the announcement comes on the heels of Kyle's best run in a while, and an event where Addington wins the crew chief of the race award. But the car and driver combination there have just been off for too long, which is why Kyle missed the Chase.

Joe Menzer: I feel real bad for Steve Addington, who seems to be one of the sport's true good guys. He doesn't enjoy media attention, yet he'll always patiently answer any questions you might have—even after a tough run. I actually think this move might be a little premature. I mean, let's look at this statistically: yes, they weren't consistent enough to make the Chase this year. But they have a total of 12 Cup wins together in less than two years. And the guy gets booted out?

Dave Rodman: Should be very interesting, and a good three-race trial to see if it has potential for 2010. I think Dave has made the best of the time since his last foray into Cup and has proven to be a real weapon in the Nationwide Series. He has some experience with Kyle in the Nationwide Series from 2008, I believe—they probably even won at least a race or two—so there is definite potential there if he can be a ringmaster to that ol' beast KB. I dare say if JGR could find Kyle's Chad Knaus, that would make for some interesting Chases for the next five or eight years. Some record books could be re-written, no question.

David Caraviello: Addington is indeed a good guy who has completely redeemed himself as a crew chief. He was the target of a lot of animosity from fans during Bobby Labonte's difficult final days at Gibbs. Clearly, he showed last year that he can still set up a car. Joe, as for being premature … I wonder if it's too late. As early as Loudon in June it was becoming evident what they were doing was not working.

Joe Menzer: Guys, where is the patience in professional sports these days? Is it working right now for Carl Edwards and Bob Osborne? Should they be busted up and Edwards start over with someone new? No. Why is this so different? I will repeat: in less than two seasons, Addington and KB won 12 Cup races together!

David Caraviello: Oh, nobody doubts that. But the falloff on that No. 18 team has been quite stark, Joe. You have to admit that. They had a good first third of the season and have basically struggled to get the cars right since then. I don't think that's happening with the 99. And making the Chase also counts for a lot. I don't think we'd be seeing this had Kyle gotten in again.

Joe Menzer: He wasn't that far off! I think in some ways this is a panic move—endorsed by you!

David Caraviello: I'm not going to throw Steve under the bus here, no matter how badly Joe wants me too. But I remember back in New Hampshire in June was when it first became very evident that something was up with the No. 18 team's cars. Kyle voiced those concerns himself. And that's when the falloff began. They haven't really been the same since. And a driver like Kyle should be in the Chase every year.

Dave Rodman: Their record is significant, yes. And it quantifies their individual worth, for sure. But look at it as a team. In 2008, they were phenomenal, but when they had to deliver, they fell apart. In 2009, again, they excelled in spots but the consistency they needed to put together a championship effort was absent. I don't think that speaks to the individuals' abilities as much as it does the classic chemical imbalance.

Joe Menzer: Well, it's interesting that you say that. Because I spent quite a bit of time taking with Alan Gustafson at Martinsville. And it seems there was at least a slight "classic chemical imbalance" between him and KB back in the day, too. So maybe it's the driver who needs to change his ways.

David Caraviello: I'm beginning to think Joe has a classic chemical imbalance!

Joe Menzer: Listen, it's pretty obvious that Dave Rogers has a very good chance to be one of the next great Cup crew chiefs. I'm not doubting that. I'm just saying that cutting Addington loose from the 18 right now seems a little premature to me. And I deny having a classic chemical imbalance at this time. Catch me after a few Coors Lights on a Friday night and maybe you would have a better case!

Dave Rodman: It's fascinating that Rogers' cars have beaten Shrub's, what, five times this season in Nationwide? And now they get a chance to work together. If things work in a Cup model, this could be the one. I've always been pretty impressed with Dave's skills—despite how humble he and his partner, Jason Ratcliff, have always been. I really don't mean for this to sound as offensive as it does—but Steve is too nice, and too competent a guy to put up with this mess. I think he can be effective in any role. And that isn't dissing Kyle, either—he just needs his guy, and when he gets him, look-freaking-out.

David Caraviello: In some ways this move was probably easier to make because Rogers was around. Talk about a terrific guy who's proven he can set up a car for anybody. Yeah, he had a rocky previous stint in Cup with Jason Leffler, and there was that whole magnets scandal in the Nationwide Series, but the guy shows every sign of being a star in the waiting.

Joe Menzer: You know, another factor we don't know yet is how this all came about. Maybe Addington wanted a different role, or off the road, or whatever. That will come out in time, too. Then it all might make more sense.

David Caraviello: I believe Joe's imbalance is kicking in again!

2. Talladega time. Given Brad Keselowski's win there in the spring, is this the best chance for a non-Chaser to win a Chase race?

David Caraviello: In all likelihood, yes. Obviously, Keselowski is very good there. We've seen guys like Paul Menard and David Stremme have surprisingly strong runs at places like Talladega. And really, it's just a matter of who's up front at the end, and who's going to get booted out of the way this time. Talladega doesn't care if you're in the Chase or not. It's the great equalizer.

Dave Rodman: Well, as I believe it was Jimmie Johnson pointing out at Martinsville, the Chase has been dominated by Chasers since they are the 12 best teams in the sport, and this is the time to make it happen. But Talladega: Winter, spring, summer or fall is anyone's ballgame if they got a decent car and shoe. That's all that last spring proved.

Joe Menzer: And if they can stay out of the way. Listen, we all know the best car and best driver don't always win at 'Dega. And this is Halloween weekend, man. I have a feeling some things even stranger than what would be considered "normal" there are going to take place.

Dave Rodman: P.S., the best car and driver don't always win anywhere, though as we all seem to agree, Talladega is the most wide-open forum we have in NASCAR.

David Caraviello: A Chaser will probably win. But it's far from the lock-solid guarantee it's been thus far. Talladega is really like pulling bingo balls out of a hopper sometimes. Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr., there are plenty of non-championship contenders who could be in the mix late. But who wins? It's all a matter of positioning, timing, fate, and who puts who in the wall.

Joe Menzer: One other thing we learned last spring is that trying to stay out of the way all day and then go for it late doesn't always work, either. That's what Carl Edwards tried to do and he ended up, literally, in the fence on the frontstretch at the end.

Dave Rodman: Well, Carl Edwards tried to block one time too many, and, thank God, he appears to have learned his lesson.

Joe Menzer: Thank God, also, that they have at least raised the catch fence along the frontstretch at 'Dega from 14 feet to 22 feet. His car was way too close to going into those grandstands that day.

Dave Rodman: If anyone bothered to look, it would be interesting to see if they tightened up the fence holes, as Carl suggested. Since they're not selling so well, they ought to seal the bottom 10 or 15 rows anyway.

David Caraviello: I will say, as much distaste as I have for Talladega's style of racing, this weekend does add an element of the unknown because it's probably Jimmie Johnson's worst track in the Chase. He's had some bad runs and some bad luck there, and isn't the sure thing at Talladega that he is at so many other places. That alone probably makes it worth watching.

Joe Menzer: Well, it's always been worth watching—even if you admit it's sort of a guilty pleasure. I always have found races at Talladega to be among the most compelling on TV, because you never know what's going to happen next and they're always running so close together at such high speeds. But man, what happened with Carl—and has happened with others there—was downright frightening, and not in a Halloween-good scary type of way.

David Caraviello: Then again, Johnson's lead is big enough now that he could probably be in the center of the Big One and still hoist the trophy at Homestead. What, only two guys are within the window of the most points you can gain on a driver in one race? And one of those is on the fringe? He gets through Sunday with a reasonable lead, he's golden.

Dave Rodman: Unfortunately, in some ways Mark Martin is almost beaten before he gets to Talladega, he detests it so much. If it weren't for his indestructible emotional fortitude, that could really be a drawback. He might hate it, but you only have to look at Daytona 2007 to realize he can still get it done on the plate tracks.

Joe Menzer: Rodman, weren't you listening at Martinsville when Martin gave himself several little pep talks about racing at 'Dega? He says he's fired up, he thinks he's going to have a good run there, and whatever demons haunted him in the past there he declared have been dismissed.

David Caraviello: I don't blame Mark Martin. I'd hate the place, too. I'd take one lap and turn the car over to a relief driver. Of course, that won't happen. These guys are too professional to let risk affect them like that. But I wouldn't blame them if it were otherwise. Add the whole "a monkey could drive it there" element, and the bingo-ball lottery winner … and I still struggle to find the appeal of racing at this place.

Dave Rodman: It's the ultimate test of professional ability, patience, split-second decision making and strategy. Doesn't get much better, even as nerve-wracking as it is.

3. Richard Petty Motorsports debuts a Ford this week with Elliott Sadler. How much difference will the looming manufacturer change make for this team?

Dave Rodman: As they say, I believe in the NBA (back me up, Joe)—it's a project.

David Caraviello: For their sake, you hope it helps a lot. It would be difficult to be more mediocre, despite Kasey Kahne's Chase appearance. Granted, they have some … let's say, transitional hurdles they're dealing with over there. But this would appear to be a step forward. It needs to be.

Joe Menzer: For Mergers-R-Us? Hard to say, really. Do you think they'll merge with anyone else between now and the weekend?

David Caraviello: I read on the crawl about talks between them and DiGard.

Dave Rodman: What? Lazarus DiGard? That organization has gone beyond worm eaten, haven't they? Kasey Kahne making the Chase was a significant step for RPM. I think if they have the right stuff from Ford, that could be a positive. But for some reason this season, across the board, it seems that Yates has under-performed with what you assume might be the same stuff. So we'll see.

Joe Menzer: Perhaps the new Ford engine will make a difference. But every time questions are asked about it, the answers seem thin to me. Like will there be enough new engines for all the Fords next season, and will there be enough data where all are comfortable running them? And who knows yet if they will make a difference or not?

David Caraviello: Yeah, there's no magic wand here, guys. This is going to be a reclamation project no matter what manufacturer logo is on the nose. Yes, Kahne's Chase appearance was a step forward, but there's no overall consistency on this team. It's been Kasey and three other guys. That's not a team, that's one driver.

Joe Menzer: And let's be honest here. Kahne has had, under the circumstances, an outstanding season. He's won two races, made the Chase, been competitive most weeks … all while it's turmoil around him. And now he has to change manufacturers.

Dave Rodman: I think more than a lot of people, they might be financially troubled, and even merging with Yates won't fix that. I apologize for using it another time, recently, but getting with Ford isn't going to be a magic bullet for RPM. In fact, I feel like Kasey's a total professional, but I think he really doesn't want to jump ship on Dodge.

David Caraviello: I will say this—I believe great teams are great because of who they are, and not because of what cars they drive. You could force Hendrick Motorsports to field a fleet of Kias and they'd still be whipping people every week. We've seen some teams struggle mightily in cars that other organizations win with. Yes, there are differing degrees of support, but that's changing with the declining manufacturer role. Success comes from the inside out, not the other way around.

Dave Rodman: Good point. They need to get a solid lineup, back them up with solid crew chiefs and support personnel, then get the proper funding in place. A lot of those elements are there, but somehow there's still too much turmoil.

Joe Menzer: Success comes from consistency—not just on the track but off it within the organizations that field the cars. And one thing about Kasey's team and crew chief Kenny Francis is that they've stayed together through it all. That makes them the exception at Mergers-R-Us.

Dave Rodman: Well Joe, it took them a couple years after Mayfield and Kenny's Chase-consistent squad was decimated, but now that they're there, I think they'll consistently be a weapon if they can get luck on their side.

David Caraviello: To think that RPM is going to roll out Fords and everything will suddenly be rosy, just because Roush has had success with Fords—no. This is a team that has a lot of internal issues to be resolved. That's going to help them more than a new manufacturer will. RPM could announce tomorrow that they're going to field Lamborghinis, and they'd still be lagging behind the title contenders. Although a Lamborghini of Tomorrow would be quite a sight to see.

Joe Menzer: It's sort of like this weekly Smack lineup. For me to think you guys are going to respond intelligently to all of my creative and provocative insights overnight is not realistic. You will have to work at it to become more consistent.

Dave Rodman: Excuse me, I need to get back to the chemistry set to find the right combination for Joe!

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writers.