Seven ways to make NASCAR better for '08 season

Jimmie Johnson and the rest of Hendrick Motorsports is starting to feel like the New York Yankees. AP

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Around the world, the Countdown to Christmas has been replaced by the Countdown in Times Square. As 2008 draws ever closer, the New Year beckons a fresh start. With change on the horizon, it's a time to erase the past and concentrate on a better future.

Over in NASCAR country, they're ready to seize that opportunity. After several off-track issues caused mounting criticism in 2007, optimism reigns supreme for a rebound next season.

But while the powers at be are hard at work to make things better, we've been creating a checklist of our own. Here are seven New Year's resolutions NASCAR could use as focus shifts to 2008:

Find someone to challenge Hendrick Motorsports.

Winning eighteen of 36 races in 2007, it was clear Hendrick was in a class above everyone else last year; and that's before they picked up NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for 2008. But while car owner Rick Hendrick and core drivers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Casey Mears are lauded for doing everything right, competing amongst themselves hasn't induced the ratings-juiced rivalry the sport sorely needs. Apparently, the New York Yankees of NASCAR can only be dominant for so long before people get bored. And after a second straight season of ratings decline combined with two straight Hendrick titles, it appears stock car fans could be heading in that direction.

So, who's in the best position to challenge? It seems Roush Fenway Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing are the most likely candidates. Hopefully, they're doing the offseason work needed to take things to the next level.

Ensure Toyota puts all its faith in Joe Gibbs -- without ignoring everyone else.

Speaking of Gibbs, they're a diamond in the rough Toyota likely needed for their program in 2008. A three-car team that's won two Cup championships with Tony Stewart, their driving and engineering talent alone should revitalize a manufacturer that didn't even have a single team qualify for all 36 races last year. It was like the Camry was barely a blip on the radar screen in 2007. Should things change for the better, competition will heat up among all four manufacturers -- good for everyone involved.

The problem is, with Joe Gibbs so head and shoulders above everything else Toyota has, how much of their knowledge will they allow to filter down to other teams? Michael Waltrip Racing, Bill Davis Racing, and Team Red Bull can't endure a second season of despair; otherwise, they won't have sponsorship to come back for a third. So, let's hope Toyota doesn't go too gaga over their new superstars, abandoning their initial team-sharing approach that would elevate all their cars to a more competitive level.

Make the Car of Tomorrow better.

On the verge of making its full-time debut in the series, the CoT's performance is still spotty at best. Drivers complain about its handling, teams complain about its lack of adjustability, and fans complain about the way it looks. Is it safer? Absolutely. But NASCAR's going to need more than a safe car to keep people in the stands. An offseason's worth of engineering and testing will help, but it's increasingly likely tweaks will be necessary in order to get these cars as racy as they need to be. Let's hope the powers that be prove willing to take those steps.

Take Away The Top 35 Qualifying Exemption.

Sorry, this column was about resolutions, not fantasy. The Top 35 rule is likely here to stay for good -- but with its increasing unpopularity, you'd like to think NASCAR would at least take a look at some revisions for qualifying. At Talladega last Fall, the ninth-fastest car got sent home simply because it didn't have an exemption, and there were several other races where legitimate qualifying speeds were thrown to the curb in favor of a slower, full-time car that had a "provisional" to use. Rewarding teams for long-term performance is one thing -- but isn't that what the season-long points championship is for? Speed is about going fast, and one day, hopefully NASCAR will resolve to make a qualifying system where simply the fastest 43 cars make the field.

Fix the stock car talent pipeline.

Entering this season, the Cup series has five Rookie of the Year candidates -- and just one of them has a stock car background. The influx of open wheel veterans into the series has shed light on the series' broad appeal. But at the same time, it raises questions about the state of its minor league system. It took until the eleventh hour for its "AAA" series to get a title sponsor -- Nationwide -- and the Truck Series appears in danger of falling short of a full 36-truck field for Daytona. What's worse, an increasing number of starting spots in those races are filled by Cup stars, willing to race a little extra for additional money, wins, and sponsorship exposure. Their success cuts out opportunities for young drivers to showcase talent, therefore forcing car owners to look elsewhere when an opening occurs at the Cup level -- and creating the chances Jacques Villeneuve, Dario Franchitti, and other open wheelers have to make the switch.

In order fix their minor league problems, NASCAR is looking to prevent drivers in the Top 35 in Cup points to compete for the Nationwide Series championship. That's a start -- full-time Cup drivers have won the Nationwide title the last two years running -- but a firmer commitment to keep them out altogether is in order. Otherwise, NASCAR is in jeopardy of seeing young talent evaporate completely from within its own walls.

Kyle Busch starts a rivalry with Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

No question, the younger Busch heads into this season with something to prove after being unceremoniously dumped by Hendrick Motorsports. He's no fan of the driver that replaced him, either; Earnhardt accidentally wrecked him at Kansas during the Chase, and the two made contact again at Homestead. With Busch landing on his feet at Joe Gibbs Racing, he has the equipment to be a contender; in the process, will he rattle the laid-back Earnhardt enough for the two to start trading barbs? If so, that "ratings-juiced" rivalry NASCAR needs may finally come to pass.

New owners continue to join the Cup series.

After a strong influx of new teams in 2007, just one new full-time car appears set to debut in Cup in 2008, fielded from an organization that already exists in the series. With the retirement of Robert Yates and the aging of such contemporary owners as Jack Roush, Roger Penske, and Richard Childress, it's important for others trying their hand at the sport to have the opportunity to establish themselves. Hopefully, additional owners will come out of the woodwork before Daytona; it's time for these old dogs to compete against a few fresh faces.

(To submit your New Year's resolutions for NASCAR, use Tom Bowles' mailbag form above.)