I have mine at 6.75 degrees and have zero issues with ball going around the track. Does it fail to get around off manual or auto plunge (or both)? If it's manual plunge get a new (stiffer?) shooter rod spring and clean the rod; if it's auto plunge make sure the 'hammer' is correctly lined up with the ball. Also install a new nylon coil sleeve and clean the steel shaft on the auto plunge assembly such that there's minimum friction. The goal is to achieve maximum power transfer to the ball.

Also be sure to run track tests to be sure the magnets and their sensors are working right. Consider cleaning/waxing the track if the track tests out okay.

The pops likely need their leaf switches cleaned/adjusted. My pops are like any other shopped/repaired game. Nothing special to Nascar there.

For SDTM out of car--some have apparently done mods to make it not do that. Mine doesn't do that at all (nice and clean to left flipper every time)--perhaps I have a later revision.

Again, the pop bumper issue isn't related to leveling. Clean and adjust the pop bumper switches.