Limiting change for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season is what Brian France, Chairman and CEO of NASCAR, hopes for.
"We want to minimize change going forward," says France at the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Media Tour hosted by Lowe's Motor Speedway. "The 'Car of Tomorrow' has been an eight to nine year development that we will finally see in all NASCAR Cup races.
"The title sponsor changed again, but past that, we need to focus on the best product in the world."
A few minimal changes were announced by France during a press conference at NASCAR's Research and Development shop.
All money collected for fines throughout the season by NASCAR, will be donated to the NASCAR Foundation which will in turn distribute the money to a variety of charitable initiatives.
On pit road, changes will be apparent as well.
Over-the-wall pit crews will now only be able to hand push their car up to three pit boxes down pit road. Also, outside tire changers will no longer be able to send the changed tire back to the pit wall by rolling it. The tire, instead, must be hand delivered to a crew member behind the wall.
France hopes that fewer changes will mean that low ratings as well as attendance will get a facelift in the years to come.
"Our on-track racing has never been better," France says. "We're looking forward to a full season of the 'Car of Tomorrow' and we're looking forward to the Hall of Fame building being completed in Charlotte.
"We want to grow and evolve, but we want to be mindful of the past."
Teams in all three national series will receive an allotment of tires to use for non-NASCAR sanctioned tests. In NASCAR's Cup series, teams will be given 200 tires a year. In the NASCAR Nationwide Series, teams will get 160 tires a year, while NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams will be allowed 120 tires a year.
Qualifying for NASCAR's top three series will also see a tweak.
The top 35 drivers who are locked into each field by points will qualify first, while all drivers outside the top 35 will qualify together at the end of qualifying.
Under the hood, engines will see added changes to go along with the "Car of Tomorrow."
NASCAR's Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series cars and trucks will see the same safer, upgraded fuel cells that were featured in the Cup series last season.
All three series have modifications to their engines to reduce rpms and horsepower, which will help the life of engines grow longer. This will help smaller one- and two-car teams have the opportunity to use the same components for multiple races.
Sunoco, the official racing fuel of NASCAR, is currently doing research for alternate fuels to help NASCAR and the country become more independent and more environmentally friendly.