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The last half-decade or so has brought avalanches of change to the sport of NASCAR. Some of the differences have come naturally, while others have been injected by the sport’s governing body. Most of the alternations made intentionally by NASCAR have been aimed at three goals: 1) Expanding the fan base, 2) Increasing Safety and 3) Making the racing more competitive. Some of what has transpired has been received well. Other parts have not though, and many of the sport’s once diehard “core” fans have been outspoken about their dissatisfaction, with many going as far as defecting from it. All of this has not gone unheard, and NASCAR chairman made it a point at this preseason press conference to address that key group and ensure that the era of drastic changes was over. The 2008 season, therefore, is a watershed season in the history of NASCAR. It will be nine months of constant evaluation by critics, media, and fans everywhere, as the sport tries to “get back to its roots”. However, for the first time in several years, most of the attention will be focused on what happens on the track, and not the rule changes, schedule alterations, and other external factors that have greatly affected things off of it. With that in mind, there still are some big storylines that will affect the 2008 Sprint Cup season, ironically, another name change for the sport’s top series. Stick with StatFox for all 36 of this year’s races. We’ll be offering Race Betting Previews, Stats, Standings, AP driver and race editorials, plus the renowned FoxSheets Race Simulator, the only 1-43 computerized race projection each week. Plus, if NASCAR Fantasy Games are your thing, our partners over at Head2Head Sports are now the engine behind NASCAR.com’s 2008 Fantasy Games. Be sure to visit today to get started playing! Here’s a brief look at the storylines to watch for in 2008. Qualifying Rule Change
The top 35 owner points issue has been looming larger and larger each passing season, as those in that coveted group get automatic qualification for that week’s race. However, for those outside of that window, the process of trying to make the starting field each week can be miserable. In the past, all of the drivers would qualify for positions in a race randomly. This meant each driver was subjected to different track conditions depending upon how early or late in the field they took their laps. For this season, the drivers outside the top 35 will qualify grouped together. This should eliminate any disparities in the conditions and make the process more rewarding for the truly faster cars in the group. Car of Tomorrow…oops, Now
Formerly known as the Car of Tomorrow, it can better be described as the Car of Now, and it makes its full time debut in the Cup Series this season. Famous for its wide frame and rear wing, the COT was in play in 16 dubious races a year ago. Described by drivers with words such as “plow” and “tank”, the car had its ups (Talladega) and downs (Bristol). Hendrick Motorsports had the best handle on the new car in 2007, but Toyota claims to have gained a ton of ground in the offseason. Other team executives are also optimistic since they will only need to be fine tuning a single car this season. That fact should also help younger drivers to make strides this season. New Faces, New Places
As usual, several key personnel moves will be affecting NASCAR this season, none of course bigger than Dale Earnhardt, Jr. leaving his father’s company, DEI, for arch nemesis Hendrick Motorsports. The feud between Junior and stepmother Theresa was a black eye for DEI and NASCAR this season, and now it’s most popular driver has found a new home with the sport’s premier team. He will no longer be in the familiar #8 Budweiser car though. Instead, he will be piloting the #88 Mountain Dew machine. His signing left Kyle Busch to find a new home, and Busch did just that, with Joe Gibbs Racing. The younger Busch will be in the #18 M&M’s Toyota, replacing J.J. Yeley, who moves on to Hall of Fame Racing and the #96 car. Several other cars will be manned by new drivers as well, including a host of guys who’ve come over from the open wheel circuits. Open Wheel Invasion
Juan Pablo Montoya started the phenomenon last season and it seems to have swept over the racing world in full force this year, as former open wheel stars are flocking to the stock car world’s biggest stage. Between Montoya, Dario Franchitti (#40), Sam Hornish (#77), Patrick Carpentier (#10), and Jacques Villenueve (#27), five former Indy Racing League drivers have moved over to NASCAR. In fact, this group represents four of the last seven IRL champions, and the last two Indy 500 champs. Franchitti and Hornish are the two that won the “Greatest Spectacle in Motorsports” and they will be looking to stun the stock car world at the 50th running of the Daytona 500, the “Great American Race”. Incidentally, of the four newcomers, Franchitti and Hornish are also the only two that are guaranteed starting spots for the first five races, having landed with established teams, Ganassi & Penske. With Montoya’s success having blazed a trail, don’t be surprised to see any of these guys being competitive each week. Team Mergers
With economies becoming a larger roadblock on the trail to success in NASCAR, more and more teams are looking to share resources in order to minimize costs and maximize performance. Team mergers are becoming more and more a part of the sport. Just this past year saw the merger of DEI and Ginn Racing, resulting in the dissolving of Ginn, with Mark Martin and Regan Smith coming over as drivers to pilot cars for DEI. Teams like Ganassi, Petty Enterprises, Wood Brothers, and Bill Davis Racing have all been mentioned recently in various merger rumors. With NASCAR’s rule of 4-car maximum teams looming still on the horizon, it’s a good chance we’ll see more compact but stronger teams in the near future, as owners look for that winning yet cost effective recipe of success. Rise of Toyota
Toyota’s debut in the Cup Series a year ago was downright UGLY. On most race days, the Toyota teams were simply lucky to have a few cars in the field, let alone be competitive. It was clear that there was an imbalance between the manufacturers. However, it is believed that Toyota has made generous strides with its cars this year, and early test speeds are enough to suggest that indeed could be the case. There are a several things that have influenced this. First, since committing to NASCAR years ago, Toyota has never been accused of being cheap. In fact, their deep pockets have shone through since the start of last season. Second, the COT was Toyota’s primary development initiative since the beginning. It spent much more of its time and resources developing the current car than the former one. With all 36 races being run in the new car, the success should naturally pick up. Third, the manufacturer snagged the Joe Gibbs Racing team. The same team that has produced Cup champions Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte has moved to Toyota for this season and Stewart, if anyone, will be the flagship driver. Anyone who knows him can attest that failure won’t be an option. Finally, the Toyota teams have rounded themselves out with a number of top drivers, crew chiefs, and other personnel, direct from the competition. This gives an experience and know-how edge that Toyota was short on a year ago. Can Anyone Catch Hendrick?
In a word, Hendrick Motorsports was DOMINANT in 2007. Besides finishing 1st and 2nd in the final point standings, Hendrick Motorsports drivers set the pace a year ago in the COT, most of the season’s key races, and many of the regular series awards. Now, with Earnhardt, Jr. having joined two-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Casey Mears in the lineup, Rick Hendrick may be fielding the series’ first Superpower. How many other teams can boast of a drivers Mears’ level being their fourth option? Jack Roush has a nice stable of drivers in pace once again, and Richard Childress Racing would seem to be closing the gap, as is Roger Penske’s team, but no one else has proven the ability to bring it every week at every track like Hendrick does. The scariest thing is that Johnson, Gordon, and Kyle Busch (replaced by Earnhardt, Jr.) seemed to be at their best in the 2007 COT races, and with that car in play for all 36 this season, the results could be stunning. Or perhaps the best days are behind them? We’ll see starting as early as February 17th at the Daytona 500. Predictions
Here's one man's look at what the final standings might look like in November:
12 Chasers in final order
1. Matt Kenseth
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kurt Busch
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Carl Edwards
6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
7. Martin Truex
8. Jeff Burton
9. Greg Biffle
10. Tony Stewart
11. Juan Montoya
12. Ryan Newman It figures to be an exciting season. If you’ve never bet a race, there isn’t much that matches it. Between driver matchups, position props, and lucrative group and to-win odds, most sportsbooks nowadays provide numerous options to partake in. The best part is that because of still growing demand, the methods used for developing these odds are still being perfected. It’s easy to spot line mistakes each week simply by doing your homework. Be sure to follow StatFox each week for all the racing resources you’ll need to make this NASCAR season one to remember, whether you’re a “core fan” or not!
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