Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, NASCAR
HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Even in the midst of the most dramatic championship scenario NASCAR has had since the inception of its Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff, NASCAR Chairman Brian France said Friday he is still considering changes to the sport, including shortening the length of some races.In a wide-ranging news conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of Sunday's Ford 400 season finale, France shot down the possibility of moving the final race from South Florida and dismissed the likelihood of ever ending the year at Daytona International Speedway, which is a popular fan suggestion. He also spoke about the lagging television ratings and promised to announce impactful changes to the Nationwide Series in January.
Overall, however, France said this year's tight championship is a result of productive changes NASCAR had already introduced. Denny Hamlin's 15-point edge over Jimmie Johnson is the closest margin entering the final race in seven years. And Kevin Harvick is only 46 points back.
"I think the fact that we are so far into the cycle of, 'It's not the new car anymore, it's the car', and various other little things that we did, all have come together to give us ... if this isn't the best racing we've seen in a long, long time, I think I would be very surprised to hear anybody say that it wasn't,'' France said.
I think some of the changes they have in store for the cars over the next year will help image and competition, ie making the nose more "stock" looking and adding some design to the cars so they aren't so "slick." I think in trying to make the sport more marketable to other markets they have watered it down, thanks to Gordon and Burton for trying to fight that... pun intended.
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