Champ 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.

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I love that Mikey hired DJ basically for that reason. And now, well...now.

This will make Michael happy. He hates the PCP.

I hate it too. Along with the top-35 rule.

Mikey hates a lot of things.

My Michael. Not Mikey Waltrip. I don't care what he thinks, he's a boob anyway. :lmbo

He's a boob? I haven't heard that in a while.

You gotta be specifc Carrie :lmbo

Oy. I'm old.

Your fiancee and Michael Waltrip having the same name is an unfortunate coincidence. Oh well, I don't like Mikey the Mouth.

And even more unfortunate is the fact that my Michael's middle name is Peter.

(Obviously this has nothing to do with OUR Peter, but Stupid Phoenix Boy.)

Oh. That does suck.

I'm glad that NASCAR is limiting the past champion's provisional to 6 races per driver. More than likely this would have never happened, but I was concerned that we'd see teams outside the top 35 hiring past champion's every week based on which of their cars needed guaranteed starting spots the most. For example, Dale Jarrett could run the first 5 races in the 44 car and lock it into the top 35, run the next 5 races in the 00 car and lock it into the top 35, and then run the next 5 races in the 55 car and lock it into the top 35. Michael Waltrip Racing could switch the owner points of the cars but still have it appear that Dale Jarrett was racing the #44 UPS Toyota all season.

I don't think that this change will hurt Dale Jarrett as bad as it sounds. He'll probably use a few of his provisionals to make the first five races, but at least he'll make them. After that, points will be adjusted for 2007, and there's a good chance that Dale Jarrett's talent and experience will put him in there over an inexperienced/inconsistent driver and/or struggling team and that he'll never have to use another past champion's provisional. As long as Toyota and Michael Waltrip Racing are decent, which I think they will be since Bill Elliott had a few top 25 finishes for them in 2006, then Dale Jarrett should be fine. If they struggle terribly and Dale Jarrett can’t make the top 35 with a guaranteed starting spot in the first 5 races, then Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann will have miserable seasons.

If Dale Jarrett and/or another new driver and team make the top 35, what I'm most curious about is who they are going to replace. David Ragan? J.J. Yeley? David Gilliland? Kyle Petty? Jamie McMurray? Really, no one's safe, and I agree that something needs to be changed about the top 35 rule. If nothing changes for 2007, it will for 2008 after the disaster that (I predict) will take place with all the new teams needing to qualify on time for just 7 or 8 spots every week.

I like that change.

I'm glad they are changing them as well.

I'm pretty sure that's the most Peter has ever said. :hehe