Should Helio Castroneves Make His Cup Debut At Daytona?

Is Daytona International Speedway a good track for Helio Castroneves to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut?

Josh Roller: I don’t believe a superspeedway should be the first start a non-NASCAR driver makes their debut in a series, including a driver who has four Indianapolis 500 victories. I’d rather see Helio Castroneves make his NASCAR debut at a mile-and-a-half track or somewhere he is familiar with, like Pocono Raceway. In a way, I understand why the idea of making his NASCAR debut at Daytona is attractive. Both Daytona races are essential in their own right to the calendar as a whole. The story is better if he makes his debut at Daytona, but this isn’t 1970. A driver unfamiliar with stock cars does not need to make his debut on a superspeedway — I don’t care who they are. If he has started several NASCAR Xfinity Series races before attempting a superspeedway Xfinity race, then yes, Helio could make his Cup debut at Daytona, but that is not the case.

Andrew Stoddard: I believe Daytona is a great place for anyone making their Cup Series debut, especially an open-wheel driver like Castroneves. While plate races are mentally taxing on the driver, Daytona and Talladega are in general physically easier to get around for a driver unfamiliar with stock cars. Having Helio in the field would also bring further attention to a track on the Cup Series schedule that already brings in high TV ratings and in-person attendance.

Stephen Stumpf: Daytona would be the best because the draft has always been the great equalizer. It gives underdogs a chance to duke it out with the powerhouses, and it would be Castroneves’ best chance of being semi-competitive. And besides, who would turn down a chance to race in the most prestigious NASCAR event on the schedule?

How will interim crew chief Kevin Meendering impact Kyle Larson’s performance, if at all?

Stoddard: I do not foresee a significant change in performance in the No. 5 one way or the other over the next four weeks. Meendering is a long-time Hendrick Motorsports employee and currently serves as the competition development manager, so he is familiar with how the organization works. Furthermore, Meendering has extensive crew chief experience at the Cup level with Jimmie Johnson in 2019 and at the Xfinity level with Elliott Sadler from 2016-2018. Also, we have seen other race teams hold up well with interim crew chiefs in place this season. The most prominent example is the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing…