Ok, I tried optimizing the mesh in the areas you have highlighted with the top edit poly modifier in your stack. I wasn't able to get it to crash, but I am running the update 1 release. Do you have the update 1 installed? I'm wondering if this is tied to a defect that is already fixed.
I can't stand 3ds Max 2017 anymore: it crashes randomly with the most stupid thing (using edge restriction to move a vertex, changing selection mode, deleting edge loops...), sometimes it closes without any notification, keeps alive the proccess 3dsmax.exe after having closed the program or explodes when using the relax UV…