By Mike Bambach, USA TODAY
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.

NASCAR added the Chase for the Cup in 2004 with the top 10 drivers in the points standings and anyone within 400 points of the leader, competing in the final 10 races for the Cup championship.

Kurt Busch won the inaugural Chase. Tony Stewart won in 2005 and Jimmie Johnson won last year.


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Offtopic, Media Tour is the 22-26 of this month!

This is going to be interesting.

I don't think they should expand the field. I think 10 is the best number to go with. But, of course, Brian will do what Brian wants to do....

This could get interesting..

Yay more points for victories. BOO ON EXPANDING THE FIELD.

I like more points for the win, but I don't know about expanding the field 10 seems to be a good number

I like 10. And I hope it's only a few more points for wins. Maybe 10 or 15 more. Nothing more than that.

I like the more points for winning, but not expanding the field.

Finally they come up with something good!!! I like the more points for winning a race but hope they don't go overboard with the amount of people to make the chase. It will make it more interesting for sure.

whoo to more points for winning!

it's about time they add more points for victories! but i don't like the expansion.

this is going to be a fun season!

I think that it will be more interesting with more guys in the chase

Cool for more points for wins!! I just hope they dont go over board with the # of drivers in the chase!

woooohoooo on the more points for a win..........

one of my major dislikes of the Chase has been that it still does not reward winning a race, so hopefully this will help.

I don't know about expanding the Chase field, i'm going to have to wait and see on that one. But one would think Mr. France has been getting some major phone calls from sponsors not happy about the Chase format.

I'll reserve some judgement for when they make an announcement and letting it play out some, but I still don't know that I'll be a total Chase convert.

UPDATE: Staying within 400 points of the lead no longer will be a factor to get in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. A source close to NASCAR said the governing body is finalizing a plan that will allow the top 12 in points in the 10-race playoff with no provision for how many points a driver is from the lead. The top 10 and anybody within 400 points after 26 races qualified for the playoff during the first three years of the Chase. But because the 400-point margin hasn't been a factor -- seven or fewer drivers were within that range from 2004-06 -- NASCAR decided to set a hard number. Barring a last-minute change, that number will be 12. NASCAR also will award 10 more points to the winner after running several models that showed after 10 the system created more runaway scenarios. An official announcement will come later this month at the media tour in Charlotte. NASCAR officials considered putting in a provision that would allow a driver with the most wins outside the Chase in the playoff, but decided against it. They also decided against expanding the 400-point margin to another figure such as 500.(ESPN.com)(1-8-2007)

Stupid.

I'm very ready for the media tour to get here so we can find out exactly what they plan to do and how Brian France plans to tell us that this is the answer and blah blah blah just like he did a few years ago

12 is better than the 15 I was afraid of, but I still think it detracts from the competitive nature of the sport.

10 points for wins is better. :)

10 points is good! Can't wait to see how the 12 drivers in the Chase will turn out. This is going to be an interesting season. Can't wait! :)