It may be the dead of winter, but you don't have to wait long for NASCAR to heat back up.
It's true that series champs were crowned less than two months ago. Yet Daytona testing begins Jan. 6, with the Budweiser Shootout kicking off the season on Feb. 7.
Here's a quick look back at the 2003 winners, and a look at the changes planned for this year's season.
A Look Back at 2003
Roush Racing driver Matt Kenseth took the Winston Cup Series Championship, despite winning only one race all season. Instead, it was consistency that garnered him the most points. Kenseth set a modern-era record with 33 consecutive race weeks ranked No. 1.
Jimmie Johnson, racing for Hendrick Motorsports, took second place, while Dale Earnhardt Jr., took the No. 3 spot. Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five.
In the Craftsman Truck Series, Travis Kvapil won the crown, with Dennis Setzer and Ted Musgrave taking the next two positions.
In the Busch Series, Brian Vickers finished first with the most points. At 20-years-old, Vickers became NASCAR's youngest champ at any level. David Green came in second, with Ron Hornaday taking the No. 3 position.
Looking Ahead
Change is part of life, and the oval track is no different. Here are some of the issues expected to shape NASCAR's 2004 season:
- Kicking the habit. Wireless communications company Nextel replaces Winston as series sponsor this year, which lets NASCAR market to teens. A good move to broaden the sport's appeal.
- Stick to it. NASCAR plans to use stickier Goodyear tires this year. They'll wear out more quickly than the hard tires used last year, changing teams' pit strategy. The hard tires meant that in past seasons, some teams didn't pit late in races, so the races came down to fuel mileage and track position.
- Spoilin' for a change. Cars will have smaller rear spoiler wings this year. This is an effort to make teams less reliant on aerodynamic downforce to make their cars handle properly.
- What's the point? It's expected that the points system will undergo some tweaking, given the way the 2003 season went. Some are calling on NASCAR to reward race winners with more points to avoid the type of ranking that resulted this past year, with Kenseth winning the Winston Cup despite winning only one race and Ryan Newman finishing sixth despite winning a series-high eight races. Although there's much to be said about consistency, let's face it, fans watch a race to see who will cross the finish line first.
Revving Up NASCAR's 2004 Schedule
Nextel Cup Series
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Feb. 7
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Budweiser Shootout
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Daytona Beach, Fla.
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Feb. 12
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Gatorade 125s
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Daytona Beach, Fla.
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Feb. 15
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Daytona 500
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Daytona Beach, Fla.
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Feb. 22
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Subway 400
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Rockingham, N.C.
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Busch Series
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Feb. 14
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Hershey's Kisses 300
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Daytona Beach, Fla.
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Feb. 21
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Rockingham 200
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Rockingham, N.C.
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March 6
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Sam's Town 300
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Las Vegas
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Craftsman Truck Series
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Feb. 13
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Florida Dodge Dealers 250
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Daytona Beach, Fla.
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March 13
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Atlanta 200
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Atlanta, Ga.
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April 17
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Martinsville 250
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Martinsville, Va.
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