I mean, A LOT of graphics! I think the theme of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will be ‘Explanation.’ Everybody is going to be explaining how the new qualifying system will work and how the new Chase format will work, so get ready for a bunch of segments dissecting the new formats and whether or not Jimmie Johnson will be able to adapt to them. Let’s all start praying for Jimmie, you guys. (Maybe there’ll be a graphic for that too???) 🙂

For the record, I like the changes. I think it’ll be interesting because of the eliminations and the final race of the season has an automatic “dun, dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuuuuh” factor without anyone having to do any math!

Anyway… In addition to the new Chase format announcement, this week was the annual Sprint Media Tour in Charlotte. That’s where all the teams host the media at their shops and talk about the same stuff they always talk about. It’s our first real, formal chance to see the newly re-configured teams and remember how many people were shuffled around from Silly Season.

I still find it strange that Kurt Busch is at Stewart-Haas Racing, and I’m pretty sure I’m never NOT going to find that weird. My favorite photo has to be that of the Roush Fenway Racing drivers, because I love the suits with the different (sponsor-matched!) shirts. And the Richard Childress Racing photo is pretty awesome because they all look so miserable. 🙂

In other news…

The Hottest Driver Tournament will be returning this year! Normally I always do it in the off-season in the first week of January, but I’ve wanted to make a change to this site and hopefully find a sponsor for the trophy. So I don’t have an exact date yet for when it will start but it will happen soon.