Roundtable - How can NASCAR make the sport safer?

 1. Daniel Suarez equaled his career best finish last weekend at Kansas Speedway (seventh). Are you seeing improvement in the rookie driver and how would you rate his season so far to date?

Jim: He is absolutely showing improvement and I think considering everything that's happened to Suarez and his team this year, their performance thus far has been very strong. One of the most important traits for new drivers is to finish races and he's been doing that ever since a crash in the Daytona 500 season opener. Now working with a new crew chief, the obstacles have been many for the rookie driver, but he has steadfastly met every challenge thus far. 

Lee: Suarez is acclimating nicely to the Monster Energy Cup Series. While the Go bowling.com 400 turned out to be a race of attrition, Suarez and the No. 19 team were there at the end to capitalize. Joe Gibbs Racing has yet to win a race this season, which is likely weighing on the organization as a whole. However, Suarez’s three veteran teammates have each earned a stage win in 2017. Suarez has yet to earn stage points. But he’s made gains throughout the races and that’s a great place for a rookie to start. 

Nick: Suarez has been quiet and consistent, scoring those three top tens and finishing all but one race. He is absolutely showing improvement and although he's not setting the world on fire, he is making steady gains every weekend.

Tim: I think Suarez is showing improvement and why Joe Gibbs Racing made a good choice putting him in the seat after Carl Edwards’ abrupt retirement earlier this year. He’s already proven he can win at every level he’s competed in while in NASCAR and I feel a win in the Cup Series can come before the end of the year. But first he needs to win a stage and run consistently in the top five – something I think we’ll see a lot of in the second half of the season.

2. Ben Rhodes and Ryan Blaney both came within arm's reach of winning in their respective races last weekend in Kansas. Rhodes suffered a mechanical failure while Blaney got outfoxed on a late-race restart. How difficult will it be for them to overcome last weekend?

Jim: The disappointment should already be gone and both got great news - their respective runs showed they and their teams are capable of contending for wins in their respective series. Rhodes' issue was particularly heartbreaking since he was leading and the race was ending when his engine blew, but he knows the issue was not of his doing. In my opinion, it's a matter of when, not if both drivers will find themselves in Victory Lane.

Lee: Both drivers are young and resilient. Unlike Rhodes, Blaney didn’t have the fastest car at the end of the race. As the polesitter, Blaney was able to take the lead with 20 laps to go in the race, he gained the track position out of the pits — and it was short-lived. Martin Truex Jr. had the dominant car on Saturday night and held on for the win. Rhodes had a truck not only capable of winning, he was able to pass Kyle Busch for the lead and appeared destined to win before his engine expired with seven laps remaining in the race. Rhodes will never forget the one that got away. 

Nick: I'm sure it only made them hungrier and more confident moving forward. And I believe they've already moved past their respective defeats, although I'm sure Rhodes' will hurt for sometime.

Tim: I think both drivers will get a win this season and that will take a lot of the sting of last weekend away, but I also think they’ll never forget last weekend either and that’s not a bad thing. For Rhodes, his strong showing should give him confidence knowing he can compete with the best of the best in the truck series, while Blaney will probably take the lessons learned on the late restarts and apply that in future races.

3. NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway just announced on Monday they were adding a fourth stage to the Coca-Cola 600. What are your thoughts on the move and timing of it for less than two weeks away from race?

Jim: Stage racing has been an absolute success and dividing the longest race of the year into four equal segments seems like common sense to me. It doesn't matter if it was announced one minute before the race - it doesn't change a single thing teams do until the race begins and every team is competing under the same rules. The fact the idea came together so quickly and with near universal support within the sport shows you how well Stage racing has been accepted within NASCAR. 

Lee: I don’t have an issue with adding a stage in the Coca-Cola 600. I think it will increase the excitement level in a race that has been known to drag on. When NASCAR introduced stages at the start of the season, they were optimistic that the format would escalate the intensity of the racing. It’s done just that. But after 11 races, there’s been time to review the process and what tweaks might be necessary. If I worked for a team, I’d be thrilled for the opportunity to earn 10 additional points in the race. If I’m a fan, I’d be grateful for a break in the action to make a pit stop and grab a beer.

Nick: I have no problem with it and believe it was a smart move. The 600 is the longest race by a full 100 miles and adding a fourth stage to it makes plenty of sense. All it does is give teams some more bonus points to fight for, which is fair considering the length of the event. It also adds a bit more importance to an already prestigious event.

Tim: I think it’s a good idea and I admit, I was skeptical at first about stage racing but its proven to liven up the races so far this season. I think it makes sense to add a stage at NASCAR’s longest race because let’s face it, how many people have really been intrigued with the Coca-Cola 600 between laps 150 and 300 anyway? I think the fact that this came together after the season started shows how drivers, tracks and NASCAR feel about the success of the stages to help improve the racing for the fans.

4. With Aric Almirola suffering a back injury, we're all reminded how dangerous auto racing can be each time on the track. Is there one safety item in NASCAR you feel still needs to be addressed sooner rather than later?

Jim: The first and foremost goal for NASCAR and all tracks should be to ensure every inch of every wall surrounding every track is covered by SAFER barrier. There is no way to quantify how many lives have been saved or serious injuries prevented with their use already. Since we know they work, there is no reason not to use them everywhere.

Lee: As for Almirola’s accident specifically, NASCAR took the No. 43 Ford back to the R&D center for further evaluation. VP of competition Scott Miller said earlier this week that the sanctioning body will review the configuration of Almirola’s cockpit — belts, harness seat — when he’s well enough to discuss it and offer his opinion on the wreck. Safety is always a work in progress. As we’ve seen, when one area seems to be adequately addressed — such as putting SAFER barriers up on a section of wall at a race track, a driver will find another area to hit. NASCAR is still working with the lift off of cars when the drivers spin backwards. Hopefully, we’ll hear news on their discoveries soon.

Nick: There is always room for improvement and NASCAR will investigate Almirola's wreck to look for chinks in the armor, per se. Although I can't think of anything off the top of my head, this isn't the first time in recent years a NASCAR driver has suffered a back injury (Denny Hamlin in 2013), so perhaps there's something there NASCAR needs to look at.

Tim: I think the biggest thing that can be done is complete SAFER barriers around every wall that could be hit at a race track. I personally like the speeds of the cars and wouldn’t slow them down for safety sake, but maybe slow them down so drivers can race instead of just trying to keep from spinning out every lap.