NASCAR has changed the Sprint Cup Championship Chase format and the penalty system in order to better deal with cheaters.
Winning races will be more important than just finishing a race to make the new Chase format. A win in the first 26 races most likely will guarantee a driver a berth in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will make the Chase Grid and the Chase field is being expanded from 12 to 16 drivers.
A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Chase race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Chase round. This change will make winning more important than ever before. Remember what Ricky Bobby said “If you ain’t 1st your last!” This will probably make the racing more exciting for the fans; with some rubbing and teams taking more chances on tires & fuel.
This change in the chase also gives a small chance to a wildcard coming out and winning the championship at the end; however I would not count out Jimmie Johnson from becoming MR Seven Time.
NASCAR stated the sanctioning body wants to make it clear to everyone what the consequences would be for breaking the rules.
NASCAR’s Deterrence System has been set up with 6 levels of penalties from P1 – P6. P1 is minor infractions and P6 being major infractions with a black & white infraction penalty system it should deter anyone from cheating. The appeals have also been split into tiers for resolving disputes. On the first level before a three-member Appeals Panel, NASCAR has the burden of showing that a penalty violation has occurred. On the second and final level, only a NASCAR Member is allowed to appeal and they have the burden of showing the Final Appeals Officer that the panel decision was incorrect. Changes are set to be more effective & more transparency.
Car number 3 returns to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the first time since the death of Dale Earnhardt with rookie driver Austin Dillon. Austin is the son of former driver and RCR general manager Mike Dillon and grandson of Richard Childress. He was the Truck Series 2010 Rookie of the Year and the 2013 Nationwide Series Champion.
Smoke returns. Tony Stewart is back in his Car 14 on track after his injury last year & will be racing in the Sprint Unlimited race Feb 15/14. Tony Stewart said “It was better than I was hoping for, honestly I thought we would have some sort of ache or pain that would bother us but it was like a normal pair of shoes. Once we got the relief of knowing we were not hurting anywhere, it was just joy being back out there and it didn’t feel like I was away for seven months. ”
Reported by Wheels.ca in an interview at the Canadian Motorsports Expo in Toronto.
Like son like father. When asked if Danica Patrick would ever win a race Richard Petty said “If everybody else stayed home. If she’d have been a male, nobody would ever know if she’d showed up at a race track,” said the seven-time Daytona 500 champion. “This is a female deal that’s driving her. There’s nothing wrong with that, because that’s good PR for me. More fans come out, people are more interested in it. She has helped to draw attention to the sport, which helps everybody in the sport.”
When asked about Richard Petty’s comments Danica Patrick said ’’People have said things before and will say things again in the future “Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. It makes interesting conversation. In general I really don’t care but I think the high road is easier.”
Asked about qualifying on the poll Danica Patrick said “It would be awesome. The only difficult part of winning pole is doing it again the next year.”
Danica Patrick will drive for Turner Scott Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway next week.
Patrick, who will drive TSM’s third entry in the race, will be behind the wheel of the No. 30 Florida Lottery Chevrolet Camaro for the DRIVE4COPD 300 on Feb. 22. Mike Greci will serve as the crew chief for the car.
The best thing for Danica Patrick to do is win a NASCAR race, besides that her team Stewart Haas Racing could be quite the team to deal with this year.