NASCAR Changes Spark Interest, Enthusiasm for 2009

Since Brian France assumed the role of CEO and chairman of NASCAR in 2004 the theme has been "change." A new championship format (the Chase), a new title sponsor (Sprint/Nextel), a new lucrative television deal, a new schedule and maybe most radically, a new car (the Car of Tomorrow). All the changes unsettled many fans in recent years, but things are now pointed in the right direction for 2009 to be an exciting NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Drivers and sponsors will always change, but the governing body looks to settle down after half a decade of incredible growth and transition. No rule changes are expected for 2009 and the continuity will help swing the attention back to the track where it belongs.

One of the biggest keys for exciting races is the car. With the new Car of Tomorrow (CoT), 2009 poses great hope for good racing. For more than 20 years NASCAR teams had basically the same car blueprint to work on. The result was a sleek, aerodynamically-sensitive model that was heavily reliant on engineering to go fast. In an effort to increase safety and parity, NASCAR phased in the new, boxier CoT in 2007.

The car is still a work in progress, as only a handful of teams have the strength to compete for wins, but by 2009 it should only produce better results on the track. Team engineers, crew members and drivers will have had half of 2007 and all of the 2008 season to improve the car. This means the kinks will get ironed out, tricks (legal or not) will be found, Goodyear will have more data to supply better tires and drivers will continue to understand the limits of the car. It all adds up to more teams with chances to win.

Another reason is the playoff format. In 2004 NASCAR announced a new playoff format to rival other pro sports. The top ten drivers in the point standings after 26 races would qualify for The Chase, a ten race showdown to decide the championship. Everyone's points would be reset after 26 races. After a slight tweak prior to 2007 to place a greater emphasis on winning and adding two more , the Chase will not see any further changes for 2009. Overall the Chase has done its job to increase interest at the end of the season. In previous seasons, the championship was often decided weeks, if not months before the final race in November. What the Chase has done is make every race, and every position on the track meaningful.

Finally, NASCAR is enjoying a golden age of driving talent. From drivers in their prime like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr to the young upstarts like Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin. The talent level at the Cup level is higher, and deeper than ever and with everything else remaining consistent in NASCAR, watch for the drivers to be the big stories again.