NASCAR will expand Chase for the Cup field this season

UPDATE NASCAR isn’t commenting beyond spokesman Jim Hunter’s statement Thursday that the Chase for the Nextel Cup will include more than 10 drivers this year. But Speedway Motorsports Inc. president Bruton Smith hinted Friday the new number could be 12. "I think you can look for 12, but that’s just my opinion," Smith said on Sirius Satellite Radio’s new NASCAR channel. Smith also said he believes the winner of each race will get an additional 10 points in the changes expected to be announced later this month.

01/04/07 The NASCAR Nextel Cup 2007 season will feature more points for victories and more drivers in the Chase for the Cup, NASCAR vice president of corporate communications Jim Hunter said this afternoon. How many points and how many drivers are being determined, Hunter said during a visit to USA TODAY's newsroom in McLean, Va. "We're still running the models," Hunter said, adding that an official announcement will be made during NASCAR's media tour Jan. 22-26 in Charlotte.