Champ Car competitors face adjustments

Change abounds in the Champ Car World Series, which begins its season Sunday in Las Vegas instead of Long Beach, now the second stop on the schedule. Two European circuits have been added to the mix, marking the series' first trip there in four years. Also, the series boasts a revamped points system and a new chassis package.

The question is: Will the latter two modifications affect change atop the standings? Sebastien Bourdais must adapt to the Cosworth-powered Panoz DP01 chassis like his peers but is coming off his record-tying third consecutive driver's championship with all signs pointing to four of a kind.

Just a few drivers need to raise their games a notch to prevent the series from becoming racing's version of Tiger Woods vs. the field. Five-time winner A.J. Allmendinger left for NASCAR, leaving series runner-up Justin Wilson and 2003 champion Paul Tracy to challenge Bourdais. That won't be easy, considering Bourdais remains hungry. More at USA Today