The starting lineup for the second Pocono Cup race on the doubleheader weekend there next year will be set by inverting the lead-lap finishers from the first race. What do you think of that decision?
Dustin Long: I’m fine with it. The distance for the second race will be long enough (350 miles) that those in the back will have a chance to work up to the front. Hey, it’s not like this is has never been done in racing. Short tracks around the country invert their starting fields in features. I’m all for new ideas in NASCAR and seeing if they work.
Daniel McFadin: I’m completely fine with it. Since teams will be using the same cars in both races, it helps ensure we don’t see similar versions of the same race play out over the course of the two days. Also, it may give teams that don’t see the front of the pack hardly ever at least some time in the spotlight. Had this been done this year, Michael McDowell and Daniel Suarez would have started on the front row in a hypothetical second race.
Jerry Bonkowski: While I like the idea in theory, in practice it could be suspect. What happens if a driver in the first race has no chance of winning and decides late in the race to slow down and falls in terms of positions – yet stays on the lead lap – to give himself a better start in the Sunday race? Fans, media and other teams could have a problem with that. It will be interesting to see how this experiment works, especially if we see more doubleheader weekends at other tracks in the future.
Nate Ryan: It’s a good twist, though it might need some tweaking (as Jerry notes above).
Hendrick Motorsports’ announcement Monday that it was changing crew chiefs on Jimmie Johnson’s team marks only the second time since 2010 that the organization has made an in-season crew chief change. What do you think of the move?
Dustin Long: Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team are not just about making the playoffs. They are about winning championships. Who would consider this group a championship contender at this moment? There’s your answer on the need to make the change at this point of the season.
Daniel McFadin: My first reaction upon reading Cliff Daniels’ bio and his history with the No. 48 team was why wasn’t he the first choice to replace Chad Knaus? It seems to me it would have allowed for a much smoother transition into the post-Knaus era for Johnson. It’s fascinating that a seven-time Cup champion is now paired with the youngest crew chief in the series, the opposite of the pairing between Knaus and William Byron, who is the youngest full-time Cup driver.
Jerry Bonkowski: Something had to be done, otherwise Johnson will not make the playoffs. And there’s no guarantee that a new crew chief will accomplish just that. When I first heard of the crew chief change, my first thought was Chad Knaus was coming back with Jimmie. If anyone could get Johnson into the playoffs, it’s Knaus. But I’ll be optimistic that Cliff Daniels will be up to the task and hope for the best.
Nate Ryan: The timing is curious — a road course race in the midst of a playoff points battle hardly seems the optimum place for a crew chief’s Cup debut — but the reasoning is simple. As he strongly hinted after New Hampshire, Johnson had reached the performance ceiling with the leadership of his current team after 21 races.
The Cup series is up to eight different winners in the last eight races. Will the streak continue this weekend at Watkins Glen (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN)?
Dustin Long: Streak continues. Even though the top four in points have won during this stretch, there are enough drivers who can win at the Glen. Throw in some clever strategy and that could open the opportunities to a few others.
Daniel McFadin: My gut feeling is we’ll see the streak end, but Erik Jones is on a hot streak now and he finished fifth at the Glen last year. If it does continue, it’ll be through him.
Jerry Bonkowski: I thought for sure the streak would end at Pocono, but it didn’t. Because Watkins Glen is more of an equalizing race than most races on conventional ovals, I think it’s likely we could see a ninth consecutive different winner. But that will likely be the final race for this streak before it’s broken the following week at Michigan.
Nate Ryan: Between Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano, there will be too many strong contenders to keep the string alive. Brad Keselowski will have a fighting chance, though.
