CBSSports.com contributor Pete Pistone and staff writer Brian De Los Santos provide analysis on three racing topics.
| 1. Will Toyota break through to win its first Cup Series race in 2008? | |
| Pete Pistone | Brian De Los Santos |
 Absolutely. Bringing in Joe Gibbs Racing was exactly what the struggling manufacturer needed and in retrospect probably should have done from the start, rather than funding upstart and low-budget teams like Michael Waltrip Racing, Team Red Bull and Bill Davis Racing. Gibbs gives Toyota instant credibility, something that was lacking big time after last year's debacle, as well as star power with the trio of Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. Plus JGR's R&D will no doubt have a halo effect on the rest of the Toyota camp, already paying dividends in the fast times we have seen from the Camry drivers in Daytona and Las Vegas testing. Toyota wins multiple times this year with the first coming sooner than later. |  I'd say it's almost a certainty. A couple of things are working in Toyota's favor. One is the switch to the COT for all races in 2008, so, as far as aero is concerned, Toyota is on even footing with all the manufacturers. That means the onus is on improving its engine package and that's where the real coup comes. By aligning with Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota not only adds three great drivers to its lineup in Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, but the organization's engineering expertise as well. As long as the horsepower picks up, at least one of three JGR drivers will win in 2008, if not all three. |
| 2. NASCAR is considering raising the minimum age of a Cup driver to 21. Should it? | |
| Pete Pistone | Brian De Los Santos |
| Raising the minimum age to 21 in Sprint Cup is a smart move that will have several positive effects. It will help young drivers from getting sent up to NASCAR's top division when they're not ready, only to get chewed up and spit out then sent spiraling back down the racing career ladder. It will also help the second and third tiers, the Nationwide Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. Keeping young stars down on the farm, if you will, helps establish those two circuits as development series and gives both an identity, sorely missing from the Nationwide Series. Sorry, Joey Lagano fans, but NASCAR should keep him in the Nationwide Series the next two years. | I don't think NASCAR is considering this move so much for the benefit of the driver, but for the benefit of the Nationwide Series. It has basically lost its reason for being because owners have rushed these youngsters into the Cup instead of giving them a year or two of seasoning in the feeder series. So from a business standpoint, yes, I think NASCAR should raise the age limit. But I also think it will be good for the drivers. It will not only help them mature in the sport, but help them build an identity before they hit the Cup Series. |
| 3. NASCAR tweaked its qualifying system for 2008, but the top 35 owners rule remains. Are the changes enough or does Cup qualifying need a complete overhaul? | |
| Pete Pistone | Brian De Los Santos |
| Cup qualifying as it stands now is a joke. What was once an interesting event has been turned into nothing more than a formality with 35 spots already taken and a handful of drivers left trying to scrape their way into the field. The tweak to let the go or go home group qualify together levels the playing field some, but the Top 35 rule should be completely scrapped. Qualifying to get into the race should have some meaning, and if one of the "stars" misses the show, so be it. NASCAR's insistence on utilizing the Top 35 rule is an example of how the business of the sport is more important than actual competition. | I've previously opined that NASCAR should franchise its top level series, so, in a way, I don't think the top 35 rule goes far enough. Set a limit of 43 teams and these are the only 43 teams that will race the entire season in the Cup Series, then you have equality for all. An owner can switch drivers if he so wishes, but team/car is locked in. I can go on and on about how I think a franchise structure could work, but that's another story. I want to see the best NASCAR has to offer on a weekly basis in the Cup Series. Can you imagine Dale Earnhardt Jr. missing a race at Talladega or Tony Stewart missing Indy because of a qualifying problem? It's preposterous. I know my plan is a slap in the face to the little guy, but the Cup Series isn't a business for the little guy anymore. |
