Should Carson Hocevar Change Anything About His Driving Style?

1) Should there be practice sessions at every track for every NASCAR series? If so, how long should the practice sessions be?

Christopher Hansen: Yes there should be. While it may not be necessary for the bigger teams such as Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, having practice would benefit an underfunded organization like Kaulig Racing that doesn’t get any support from Chevrolet due to the team fielding RAMs in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. I believe one-hour practice sessions would be the ideal way to go, especially if there are any major aerodynamic updates to the car like there will be at Daytona International Speedway in August.

Michael Bellifemini: I think there should be to help the drivers learn their cars better and give the fans at the track more to watch. I’d say sessions should be in between 30 to 60 minutes, and getting rid of the groups would be sufficient. I’d just have everyone go out when they want, just like how it was for a long time.

Jeffrey Boswell: Practice sessions at every single track are not necessary. Not having practice sessions adds a bit of uncertainty to a race, which is always good, and it forces drivers and teams to adjust and adapt on the fly, if needed.

Thomas Dunn: NASCAR should have practice, regardless of track. This is a premier racing series and should be treated as such. Forty-five minutes across all tracks should be enough to dial in a car. The ridiculous notion that speedways don’t need time to be set up has to end. Costs are one thing, but you’re inhibiting teams from bringing their best and fans from seeing overall track time.

2) Should modifications be made to the superspeedway double-yellow line rule after Bubba Wallace’s penalty at EchoPark Speedway?

Bellifemini: No, Wallace’s case was a straightforward one that got made confusing. He lost control of his car darting inside, went below the line and he ended up battling for the lead through turns 3 and 4. If he didn’t want to be penalized, he needed to check up harder, but it was the last lap and it’s hard to tell what’s going on around you from the driver’s seat. I don’t blame Wallace for what he did after going below the line, but I thought it was a pretty clear penalty from what I saw.

Boswell: Before modifications to the rule are made, clarification of the rule should take precedence. In Wallace’s case at EchoPark, did he or did he not improve his position? NASCAR says he did; Wallace says he didn’t. So, clarification is needed as to how NASCAR is deciding whether or not to penalize. In this age of electronic timing, that shouldn’t be an issue. Enforcement of the double-yellow line rule, and any rule for that matter, should be totally subjective and not objective at all.

Dunn: They need to clarify what the definition of intent and/or advancing your position is. Once they do that, a lot of the gray area goes away. I do believe Wallace should have been penalized, but the lack of clarity from the move itself to the potential give-back left people more puzzled than anything. The rule in principle makes sense but the definitions need to be abundantly clear.

Hansen: Absolutely. My understanding was that if a driver goes below the double-yellow line to advance their position, that’s a penalty. NASCAR needs to be more consistent with their wording with this rule to avoid any future instances of drivers trying to gain spots on superspeedways. The penalty should be if a driver actually gains a spot by crossing below the double-yellow line. If not, there shouldn’t be a penalty.

3) With Denny Hamlin’s comments about drivers not working with Carson Hocevar at superspeedways, should Hocevar change anything about his on-track approach with other drivers?

Boswell: First, Hocevar should reflect on his off-track approach with other drivers, improve and repair those relationships and then address his on-track approach. Hocevar probably won’t win any popularity contests with drivers unless he is both the lone entrant and voter, but showing just a minimal amount of contrition for his past behavior would go a long way toward fellow drivers respecting him on the track.

Dunn: Hocevar should keep being himself before we decide to alter anything on a whim. This is a one-race sample size where he also didn’t have manufacturer support at the front of the field when it came down to crunch time. I’m sure there is animosity towards him in the garage, but until it costs him multiple races on non-speedway tracks, he doesn’t have to change anything.

Hansen: No. This isn’t the first time where drivers have spoken out against Hocevar, and it’s not going to end anytime soon. While many drivers have called out Hocevar’s aggressive driving style over the last couple of seasons, he’s going to keep driving the same way: only focusing on himself and his team without worrying what his competitors think of his driving style. With Hocevar in position to compete for his first Cup title this season, I’ll be curious to see if any past altercations will come back around to cost him a chance at the championship when it matters most.

Bellifemini: I think Hocevar should probably take it easier with other drivers so that he avoids problems down the road. However, I don’t see him doing that; Hocevar is going to continue to do what’s best for him and his team, and ruffling feathers will come with that.

4) How will Ryan Newman do in the No. 25 Kaulig Racing free-agent RAM truck at North Wilkesboro Speedway?

Dunn: It’s so hard to jump back into NASCAR and hit the ground running like you’ve never left. For Newman, I’m hopeful for a Top 20, but don’t know if Kaulig Racing and RAM have the pace to achieve that, even with some potential attrition. I just want to see him finish the race and be the pest that he always was when it came to trying to pass him.

Bellfemini: The RAMs have shown inconsistent speed all season, so Newman will take home a top-20 finish. If it’s a chaotic race with crashes and attrition, maybe he sneaks into the top 10.

Boswell: I think the better question is will Newman have an incident on the track that leads to a post-race confrontation? Besides owning the nickname “Rocket Man,” Newman may be best known for not hesitating to confront a driver whom he feels has wronged him. And nothing strikes fear in a pencil-necked driver than being accosted by a no-necked driver — that’s Newman. As for North Wilkesboro, Newman should be able to bully his way to a top-15 finish.

Hansen: Since Newman has been out of NASCAR for a couple of seasons dating back to his last national series start, he will struggle at first trying to adapt to the way the trucks handle. Furthermore, the Kaulig fleet of drivers haven’t really shown raw race-winning pace all season, especially the No. 25 all-star truck. I think Newman finishes Saturday’s race inside the top 15 or 20, completing all the laps and keeping his truck clean.