NASCAR provisional rules may be changed

Watch for NASCAR to limit the number of past-champion's provisionals any driver can take to make Nextel Cup races next season to six, series director John Darby said. Such exemptions – providing the 43rd starting spot to the most recent past champion not to qualify on speed or by car owners' points – were first introduced toward the end of Richard Petty's career. The new rule is most likely to affect 1999 champ Dale Jarrett, who will start the season with Michael Waltrip's new team, and 1988 title-holder Bill Elliott, who can be expected to race part time. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Meanwhile….NASCAR has all but ruled out major changes to the point system or Chase for the Championship format, three of the sanctioning body's top officials said Thursday. President Mike Helton, vice president for competition Robin Pemberton and Nextel Cup series director John Darby said if there are any changes, they'll be minor. Helton said there is no need "to fix what isn't broken," and Darby said the most likely adjustment will be a few more points for wins. An announcement, he said, probably would come in January. Darby said NASCAR executives favor keeping the Chase field at 10 drivers, but he wouldn't rule out changing the format to make it slightly easier for someone below 10th place to qualify. Currently, any driver below 10th place who is within 400 points of the leader would qualify, and that hasn't happened yet. Pemberton said NASCAR won't drastically alter the existing formula, partly because of the risk of having someone who wins a few times during the Chase running away with it. Tampa Tribune