Should NASCAR Try to Attract More Ringers?

Should NASCAR provide additional incentives to attract more stars from outside of stock car racing?

Mike Neff: There was a nice mix of ringers at Sonoma Raceway. NASCAR needs to work on getting more teams in general every race weekend. The lack of non-chartered teams showing up is still concerning. The sanctioning body needs to work on getting 40 cars every weekend.

James Krause: Absolutely. I’ve always seen motorsports as a melting pot, for both drivers and fans. If you have the skill and drive to crossover between disciplines as a driver, guess what? You can. While NBA and NFL players debate which league is easier to jump into — with none actually daring enough to try — guys like Shane van Gisbergen, Kyle Larson and others are actually doing it in the racing world. Larson’s excursion to the NTT IndyCar Series dominated the headlines during the Indianapolis 500 and van Gisbergen’s NASCAR Cup Series win at the Chicago street course drew fans and press from Supercars to America. For what NASCAR has done to grow the interest in those two series among its fanbase and vice versa, imagine what it could do for other series around the world with more ringers.

Frank Velat: I suppose it would depend on the incentive and who gets it. I’m not sure a cash prize for the driver is the right call. But making the team that the moonlighting competitor the benefactor might not really do anything to attract drivers. There might be something, but I don’t know of a guaranteed way to lure in racing’s best from around the world.

Who between Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch will break out of their funk first?

Krause: Martin Truex Jr. For as agonizing as his finishes like Sonoma have been, it wasn’t due to a lack of speed or performance from the car like Kyle Busch has dealt with frequently this season. Truex has led at least 50 laps four times this season. While none of those races resulted in wins, three of those saw him collect top-five finishes. As long as he’s in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Truex has better odds of breaking out of the slump before Busch does.

Neff: While Busch has the greater, overall, track record, Truex drives for a team who has more speed. Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin have both won races this year and Ty Gibbs has shown quite a bit of speed. Truex will probably break out first with Busch grabbing a win at Daytona International Speedway.

Velat: Truex is more likely to shake it off first. Busch is the…