Racerchaser
01-25-2007, 12:14 AM
CONCORD, N.C. -- Dale Jarrett (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=69) won't have the luxury of his past champion's provisional to guarantee a spot in every Nextel Cup event this season.
NASCAR plans to announce before next month's Daytona 500 a cap on the number of provisionals a former champion can use in a season, vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said on Tuesday.
That number likely will fall around six, sources said.
Jarrett, driving for the new Toyota team of Michael Waltrip (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=82) Racing, is the only past champion currently outside the top 35 in points that are guaranteed a spot in the field that would need to take advantage of the provisional for the first five races.
But there is the potential for many more after the first five races when guaranteed spots go from the top 35 of 2006 to this year.
"We just feel there are so many past champions out there that we needed to do something," Pemberton said.
A year ago, two-time Cup champion Terry Labonte (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=65) ran a limited number of races for Hall of Fame Racing to guarantee that team made races early in the season and solidified itself in the top 35.
With the influx of seven full-time Toyota teams and the expansion of other organizations, there was the potential for other past champions to come into play.
"We're just trying to make it fair to all," Pemberton said.
Past champions currently competing full- or part-time: Jimmie Johnson (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=227) ('06), Tony Stewart (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=149) ('02, '05), Kurt Busch (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=195) ('04), Matt Kenseth (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=143) ('03), Jeff Gordon (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=67) ('95, '97, '98, '01), Bobby Labonte (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=64) ('00), Jarrett ('99) and Bill Elliott (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=71) ('88).
The past champion's provisional was created in 1991 in response to complaints that seven-time Winston Cup champion Richard Petty failed to qualify for the spring 1989 race at Richmond.
Only one past champion's provisional is allowed per race, going to the most recent champion who fails to qualify for a race. NASCAR has discussed limiting the number of past champion's provisionals before, particularly after Darrell Waltrip used it a number of times in 1998.
Pemberton also said NASCAR might speed up the timetable for phasing in the Car of Tomorrow. The initial plan was a three-year process beginning with 16 races this season, but some owners have suggested shortening that to two.
"The original COT schedule of three years was recommended by the owners," Pemberton said. "If they want to move that up, we'll revisit that this summer."
NASCAR plans to announce before next month's Daytona 500 a cap on the number of provisionals a former champion can use in a season, vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said on Tuesday.
That number likely will fall around six, sources said.
Jarrett, driving for the new Toyota team of Michael Waltrip (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=82) Racing, is the only past champion currently outside the top 35 in points that are guaranteed a spot in the field that would need to take advantage of the provisional for the first five races.
But there is the potential for many more after the first five races when guaranteed spots go from the top 35 of 2006 to this year.
"We just feel there are so many past champions out there that we needed to do something," Pemberton said.
A year ago, two-time Cup champion Terry Labonte (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=65) ran a limited number of races for Hall of Fame Racing to guarantee that team made races early in the season and solidified itself in the top 35.
With the influx of seven full-time Toyota teams and the expansion of other organizations, there was the potential for other past champions to come into play.
"We're just trying to make it fair to all," Pemberton said.
Past champions currently competing full- or part-time: Jimmie Johnson (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=227) ('06), Tony Stewart (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=149) ('02, '05), Kurt Busch (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=195) ('04), Matt Kenseth (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=143) ('03), Jeff Gordon (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=67) ('95, '97, '98, '01), Bobby Labonte (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=64) ('00), Jarrett ('99) and Bill Elliott (http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/driver?seriesId=2&driverId=71) ('88).
The past champion's provisional was created in 1991 in response to complaints that seven-time Winston Cup champion Richard Petty failed to qualify for the spring 1989 race at Richmond.
Only one past champion's provisional is allowed per race, going to the most recent champion who fails to qualify for a race. NASCAR has discussed limiting the number of past champion's provisionals before, particularly after Darrell Waltrip used it a number of times in 1998.
Pemberton also said NASCAR might speed up the timetable for phasing in the Car of Tomorrow. The initial plan was a three-year process beginning with 16 races this season, but some owners have suggested shortening that to two.
"The original COT schedule of three years was recommended by the owners," Pemberton said. "If they want to move that up, we'll revisit that this summer."