NASCAR Roundtable: Is there a changing of the guard taking place?

Kyle Larson won again at Michigan on Sunday. With his rise to stardom and the three first time winners so far this season, would it be safe to say we're watching a changing of the guard so to speak at the Cup level as far as drivers we expect to see running up front each week?

Jim: I'm not sure we're seeing a "changing of the guard" - Jimmie Johnson isn't going anywhere soon - but I think the on-track performance is definitely being spread around more in the Cup series so far this season. We already have two Richard Childress Racing teams with victories - neither of which won last season - and Kyle Larson already has two wins in his pocket. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his first race of his career and Erik Jones and Chase Elliott have both been in the mix to capture their first series victories. 

Lee: Absolutely. Better equipment has enabled Larson to flip the switch. With Ryan Blaney's scoring his first win, his confidence is certain to be elevated. Chase Elliott and Erik Jones can't be far behind and it wouldn't surprise me if either Daniel Suarez or Ty Dillon broke through should the stars align. With three wins, Jimmie Johnson shows no signs of slowing down. But for JJ, Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth the competition among the 20 and 30-somethings will make it harder to get to Victory Lane.

Nick: Definitely. In recent years, we've seen drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on their way out while all these newcomers join the Cup level in top tier equipment. Now the rookies of yesterday will become the senior veterans as time moves on. It's nothing new and has been happening since the early days of racing. And I think NASCAR should be very pleased with the amount of young talent entering Cup or on the verge of entering Cup.

Tim: I think we haven’t seen all of the veterans fade to the black by any means – think Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch. Fans better get used to seeing Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and other ‘young guns’ mentioned more and more during races and in Victory Lane for years to come. I also don’t think we’re done seeing first time winners this year either.

Clint Bowyer was pretty upset at the end of the race on Sunday, as was his car owner. Do you feel anything was 'dirty' in the hard racing at the end of the day or is it just a product of the drivers going as hard as they can every lap in Cup races?

Jim: It was interesting to me that Tony Stewart complained about a late-race debris caution that cost some drivers (like Bowyer) good finishes or perhaps a win but at the same time congratulated Kyle Larson on his victory - yet there was a good possibility that would not have happened without the caution in question. My point is this - it's easy to point out the "losers" when something unexpected happens at the end of a race, but there are also "winners" as well. There's a little hypocrisy in lauding the "hard racing" that makes a race entertaining yet criticizing how it came to be in the first place.

Lee: I witnessed nothing 'dirty' in the closing laps, just a lot of drivers digging for positions at the end of the race. After running up front all day, it was unfortunate that Bowyer wrecked and didn't get the result he was expecting. But that's just racing and ill-timed cautions.

Nick: There was nothing unusual about the racing at the end of that one, but I understand the frustration regarding the debris caution that preceded that carnage. I was not happy to see it since it was turning into a real fuel-mileage race and I was invested in seeing how that worked out, but its also nothing new. I remember drivers irked by late-race debris cautions over a decade ago. It's just part of NASCAR, although I wish they would be more hesitant to throw the yellow when it's the closing laps of the race.

Tim: There was nothing wrong late in the race at Michigan in my opinion. Besides, I thought that’s what all the rules changes were made for in the first place, to encourage more ‘hard’ racing and less ‘riding around’ and just getting a good points finish?

Denny Hamlin ran strong all day on Sunday and scored a solid top-five finish, one day after winning the Xfinity race. Do you think he's gotten back to where we'll see him contend for wins on a regular basis on the Cup side?

Jim: Not quite yet. While Hamlin has had some much better performances of late, he's only led one lap in the past three races. Running up front definitely is encouraging but I believe he'll need to start leading more laps before he will find his way to Victory Lane. However, the upcoming road course race at Sonoma and the restrictor-plate race at Daytona are much more of "wild card" races, so a Hamlin victory in either would not be out of the question.

Lee: With just three top-five finishes this season, I'm not convinced that Hamlin - or any of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates are fully back. Although any of the three Gibbs veterans can win on any given weekend, the consistency just isn't there yet. Once the organization figures out what is missing, look out.

Nick: I don't see that happening just yet. Joe Gibbs Racing is making gains and Kyle Busch is on it, but the rest of the team isn't quite there. That organization is still missing something.

Tim: While Hamlin looked very strong at Michigan, it appears to me that there is still something missing in the JGR cars this year. You know the entire team is working hard to get faster and I think it will be something we see improve there in the second half of the season. Remember last year when some thought Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports were in a ‘slump’ during the season? We all remember what happened at Homestead. I don’t know if Hamlin can contend every week yet, but I think he’ll get a win this season.

In the CWTS race on Saturday night, Chase Briscoe came close once again to Victory Lane. How soon do you think he'll score that elusive first win and has his performance this season been a surprise to you?

Jim: I suspected both Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric would require some time to get adjusted to NASCAR racing this season, particularly Cindric as he had much less stock car experience. While I expected Briscoe to do well this year, I have found it surprising he has gotten in the mix of wins as quickly as he has, particularly with the tough penalty his team received for a lost wheel at Dover. To me, that says even more about fast development of Briscoe and his Brad Keselowski Racing team.

Lee: Chase could win as early as this weekend at Iowa. He's in great equipment. He's acclimated quickly to the truck series. And he's just that good. I won't be surprised if we see him in an Xfinity car sooner than later.

Nick: How about this weekend? He can win at Iowa, no question. And his performance isn't shocking, but it's also noteworthy. He is driving like a veteran and has been very impressive all season.

Tim: I must admit I’m surprised by his strong runs this season. I knew he was talented and I thought he could get to a point to where he would contend for wins, I just didn’t think it would happen this quickly. He’s in great equipment but he’s also shown he can get up on the wheel too. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he or teammate Austin Cindric were both in the top three at Iowa Speedway.

Sonoma Raceway will be the first of two road course events this season. Who do you think needs a win the most out there next Sunday and also, who would you pick as a surprise winner?

Jim: Kyle Busch has developed into a strong road course racer and it would not surprise me to see him capture his first points-paying win of the season at Sonoma. Winning the All-Star Race was great, but Joe Gibbs Racing definitely would like to score its first series win of the year. My surprise pick for Sonoma is Michael McDowell - I'm not sure he can win, but I believe his Leavine Family Racing team is strong enough this season to provide him a competitive car for the race.

Lee: Six active drivers have wins at Sonoma. Kyle Busch, who is desperately seeking a victory, leads the tour with two wins. He's also the most recent active winner (2015) with the defending champ Tony Stewart retiring after last year. Still, Busch winning would not be a surprise. Another driver who needs a win -- probably more than Busch -- is Dale Earnhardt Jr. In his last three starts at Sonoma, Earnhardt has amassed the most points. He's also posted an average finish of seventh. Earnhardt is coming off of his third top-10 of 2017. His car was solid off the truck. If he carries his confidence from Michigan over to Sonoma, Junior just might end up in Victory Lane.

Nick: There's a lot of drivers on the list that really need a win, so let me delve into who I think really can. You have to watch Kyle Busch and also his brother Kurt, but I think Clint Bowyer is someone to really keep on an eye on. A.J. Allmendinger is at his best on road courses and he is certainly in desperate need of a good run. As for a surprise winner, watch Billy Johnson. I know the ringers haven't prevailed in Cup in recent history, but he is decent equipment and is a very capable road racer in his prime. I mean, he's coming to Sonoma straight from Le Mans. That No. 43 might turn some heads with him at the wheel...

Tim: I had predicted on several radio show appearances that Kyle Busch could win this weekend at Sonoma. He’s due a win and I think he’s the most experienced and talented Cup driver in the field this weekend. For a surprise, I could see his brother Kurt score a victory too.