For better or worse, NASCAR wants to fiddle with Chase, more

If there has been one constant in NASCAR over the last decade it's change.

Since the 2001 season, NASCAR fans have seen new cars, championship formats, television deals, rules and policies implemented nearly every year.

NASCAR CEO Brian France may add a road course to the Chase schedule. (Getty Images)

Based on the comments from NASCAR CEO Brian France last weekend in Daytona, there's more on the horizon.

France touched on three areas the sanctioning body is looking at possibly changing as early as next season, all of which will have a profound impact on the future of the sport.

The Chase

Since its inception in 2004, NASCAR's championship format has been a lightning rod for controversy among long-time fans, some of whom still have not embraced the concept seven years later. But ditching the tired plan of simply adding up points over the course of 36 races and then crowning a champion was the right decision by NASCAR. The old format rarely produced any title drama and more often than not the championship was decided two or three races before the season even ended.

The introduction of the playoff-like Chase brought NASCAR a more contemporary championship system and despite Jimmie Johnson's four straight titles has generated much closer battles for the crown than its predecessor.

Originally a field of 10 drivers qualified for the Chase based on the point standings after 26 races, which was increased to twelve drivers four years ago. According to France, that number could grow to as many as 15 by next year with a different twist to the 10-race playoff run.

NASCAR is considering the addition of an elimination element to the Chase with some drivers being dropped out of title contention through the course of the final 10 races. France is hoping such a plan would produce more "impact moments" and help build the Sprint Cup championship race to a more dramatic conclusion and on par with a Game 7-like atmosphere.

But would it be fair to knock a driver out of a chance to win the championship with just one bad race? The Chase has already watered down the importance of the regular-season point standings where finishing first after 26 races isn't much different than coming home 12th and simply qualifying. Taking a driver out of the Chase field after only one or two races dilutes the importance of the entire 10-event slate.

The schedule

The Sprint Cup Series schedule is long overdue for an overhaul and business dealings inside the sport appear to be the catalyst for one to come in 2011. Both Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) and International Speedway Corporation (ISC) have petitioned NASCAR for realignment opportunities next year. SMI wants to bring a race to Kentucky Speedway as well as a second date to Las Vegas while ISC has plans to tack on another weekend at Kansas. Those new dates will come from inside each company's portfolio with Atlanta and New Hampshire the likely targets at SMI and Auto Club Speedway the logical ISC choice.

But those moves won't be as simple as shifting a date from one track to another. Geographic location and climate have to be considered, which could lead to a massive reconstruction of the Cup calendar.

The Daytona 500 shifts back a week to February 20th next year and if ACS does indeed lose a date, speculation is Phoenix would move up to the track's previous second spot on the schedule with the second Kansas date taking over PIR's old late April slot. Atlanta's spring date is a bit trickier as Kentucky could not host a race during that time of the season and Las Vegas is already set as the third stop. SMI would need to re-arrange other events within its properties, which would lead to a domino effect of changes.

And those changes would no doubt impact the 10 races that comprise the Chase with Vegas and perhaps the road course at Infineon Raceway finding their way into the championship portion of the season.

The Nationwide Series

Sprint Cup Series drivers have dominated NASCAR's number two division for nearly a decade with Martin Truex Jr. the last true Nationwide "regular" to win a series title five years ago.

This season has seen 16 of 17 races won by Cup interlopers.

That could change next season if NASCAR decides to implement stricter guidelines for participation that would curtail the invasion of the Sprint Cup giants.

Among the ideas being discussed are a cap on the number of races Sprint Cup regulars can race in the division or limiting the championship to only Nationwide-specific drivers.

With the full rollout of the next-generation Nationwide car planned for 2011, the opportunity to tighten up the series and help put more identity back into it next year is ideal.

As is usually the case, NASCAR trial balloons are floated by teams, drivers, the media and fans before any decisions are finalized. Based on the initial feedback from within the garage area and the grandstands, tinkering with the Chase isn't being embraced at all while changing the schedule and modifying the Nationwide Series are well received.

We'll know what's in store for 2011 and beyond before the end of summer. You can bet these proposals will create some heated discussions before then.