Mammoth Blog

NASCAR celebrates its 60th birthday this year, and even the healthiest of sexagenarians can be excused for taking a deep breath. That's what Brian Z. France, NASCAR's chairman/CEO, wants his sanctioning body and its loyal fandom to do during 2008.

Since 2004, NASCAR Nation has been forced to embrace a series of changes including introduction (and revision) of the Chase championship format, a westward shift of traditional race dates, introduction of the Car of Tomorrow/Today and rebranding of title rights from Nextel to Sprint Cup.

Enough is too much, France suggested, as NASCAR purposely eases off the accelerator in a bid to reconnect with its core fan.

"We're talking about going back to the basics," France said in his State of the Sport address during the annual media tour in Concord, N.C. "Change is good to a certain point. We've got all the change we think the sport can stand and needs. Now we want to build on that."

Always big on numbers, the 60th season will begin Feb. 17 with the 50th annual Daytona 500 -- inaugural race of the first full Cup campaign to be contested with NASCAR's in-house baby, the COT.

"We're worried about how good the racing is on the track," France said. "When I say 'get back to the basics,' it means we want to zero in on making sure that [when] we kick off the Daytona 500, it's the best 500 that we've ever had. We're talking about, is the Car [of Today] producing the best racing in the world? That's what you're going to hear from us."

Admittedly, it's a broad-brushed theme. But France insisted this sport is strong. And NASCAR's hierarchy is convinced its product will remain insulated from any economic downturn, sliding attendance and TV ratings and Baby Boomer fans turned off by the retirements of favorites Rusty Wallace, Terry Labonte and Ricky Rudd and the reduced schedules of Bill Elliott and Mark Martin.

"This is still the NASCAR you fell in love with," said NASCAR president Mike Helton, echoing his boss. "The big things that have happened we think have happened, and we can give [the fans] time to accept."

What to watch for

1. Jimmie Johnson, three-time champion? Having tied Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon's feat of back-to-back titles (1997-98) last season, Johnson's next challenge is Cale Yarborough. The driver who made the term "saw that [steering] wheel" famous, Yarborough is the only man to win three consecutive Cup championships (1976-78). But can any driver come close to winning 10 Cup races, as J.J. did in 2007?

2. All Car of Today, all the time. NASCAR's boxier, safer and more cost-efficient hot rod will contest the entire 36-event schedule after a 16-race baptism in 2007. Off-season testing at Daytona International Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and California Speedway produced concerns about ride heights, lack of front end downforce/grip and getting the car balanced aero-wise. Other than that, the COT rocks.

3. Toyota to win first Cup race(s). Already a championship-winning organization, Joe Gibbs Racing jumped from the Chevrolet to Toyota camp to become the foreign nameplate's premier team. Two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart, new teammate Kyle Busch and holdover Denny Hamlin all flirted with the top of the speed chart during testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, courtesy of engine guru Mark Cronquist.

Story lines

1. Rough driving be strictly verboten. NASCAR wants its drivers to show more emotion, just not as much as Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart displayed after an on-track incident in practice for the Bud Shootout. Later, Stewart allegedly struck Busch while inside the NASCAR hauler.

2. TMS welcomes COT. Cup regulars Clint Bowyer and Juan Pablo Montoya introduced the Car of Today to Texas Motor Speedway during a Goodyear tire test in mid-January. The verdict from JPM? "Hey, it's four wheels, steering wheel, an engine. You know?" That about covers it.

3. Open-wheelers on the clock. Juan Pablo Montoya's bold move from Formula One to NASCAR produced a win and Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors. That's now the bar for former open-wheel stars Dario Franchitti, Sam Hornish Jr., Jacques Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier.

4. Qualifying procedure tweaked. In another attempt to level the playing field, all "Go or Go Home" teams -- those not locked into the starting field in the Craftsman Truck, Nationwide and Sprint Cup series -- will qualify at the end of their respective time trial sessions.

5. NASCAR regulates tires for testing. Teams in the three national touring series will receive an allotment of tires for use at non-NASCAR sanctioned tests. Sprint Cup teams will have access to 200 tires this year, with Nationwide teams getting 160 tires and Truck teams 120 tires.

6. Raise the Cup age limit to 21? The minimum age for competing in Cup is 18, but NASCAR president Mike Helton has been studying the wisdom of a bump to 21. Helton said no decision is imminent, so teams currently working on deals with hot-shoe teenagers won't be affected.

Five drivers to watch

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: NASCAR's marquee personality will be scrutinized on and off the track as the newest member of Hendrick Motorsports' super team. Junior and crew chief/cousin Tony Eury Jr. exited Dale Earnhardt Inc. working on a 62-race Cup winless streak.

2. Jeff Gordon: Sir Jeff emerged as favorite to win the 2008 title in voting on NASCARmedia.com. Gordon fell 77 points short of Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson in 2007, and wants crew chief Steve Letarte to get more aggressive with race-day setups this year.

3. Matt Kenseth: A genuine seat-of-the-pants racer, Kenseth recently bemoaned how the strict rules surrounding the Car of Today and the increasing input of engineers have taken driver feel out of the winning equation. Still, Roush Fenway Racing's ace is a solid title contender.

4. Kyle Busch: The newest member of Joe Gibbs Racing adds his lead foot and hard head to a lineup featuring two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Busch's motivation is proving to former boss Rick Hendrick that he's a better talent than new hire Dale Earnhardt Jr.

5. Kasey Kahne: One year ago, Kahne was being touted as a title contender and the poster boy for Dodge's NASCAR program. Following a winless/Chaseless 2007 with only one top-five finish, Kasey's TV spots have far outpaced his on-track performances for Gillett Evernham Motorsports. source