- Richard Childess Racing Bringing Back The #3
- RCR announce in December that they would be bringing back the number know most notably for Dale Earnhardt. The rumors were flying around before the season ended in 2013 that RCR may bring back the number and Austin Dillon would be in the drivers seat. The official announcement sent the Twitter and Social Media world into a frenzy over if it was right. Many mixed feelings by fans have been shared, and now in 2014 we will finally see the number back in the track.
- #SmokeRising
- Last year the Nascar world got a huge shock when Tony Stewart got in a racing accident and broke his leg, resulting in him missing the rest of the 2013 season. This drama started a #smokewillrise following for the rest of the season, and this season all of Nascar will be awaiting Smokes Return.
- NASCAR's New Rule's (New Era)
- When NASCAR Changes something they go all out. "Go big or go home," is what I always like to say. NASCAR seemed to not leave a stone upturned this offseason. Starting with new drafting rules, then onto a new penalty system, and then onto blowing up the Chase as we know it. It will be fun to see how the new Era shapes up in year one, while at the same time it could frustrate teams, drivers, and fans alike.
- The Rebirth of Denny Hamlin
- At the beginning of the 2013 season Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano had a heated rivalry starting up and it was a joy to watch as a Nascar fan. That all ended when the two were racing hard and Hamlin ended up on the wrong end of a crash that sent him into back surgery. Yes Denny got back into the car by the end of 2013 but he was still recovering. In 2014, Hamlin should be rested and ready to take on a full 2014 schedule.
- 7 Time?
- Year to year Jimmie Johnson is always the story line, whether winning or losing, people notice where he is. Well, now that he is 6-Time, can he become 7-Time? Can he/will he join the ranks of Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty as a 7-Time Champion?
- Stewart-Haas Racing
- Well, this past season was eventful for SHR. They let Ryan Newman go, saying they would not be resigning him, and then said most likely they would not go with four cars yet in 2014 until they could be more consistent with 3. Then they signed Smokes buddy Kevin Harvick to take over Newman's spot (does these mean more Stewart "goosing" Harvick's wife?). Later in the season, as a shock to most, Kurt Busch was brought in by Haas as a fourth driver to the team. Will all the personalities coexist? Will the team self destruct? So many stories within the story on this one.
- Brad Keselowski Bounce Back?
- Now yes, I am a big BK fan, but I do believe that this is a story line worth looking at. Between him and Smoke, theyre the only two to take down JJ resently. Plus, BK is always somewhere to be found because he lets his mind be heard. So is there a bounce back? Can Penske get it back together?
- Driver Changes
- Already mentioned in this article, Harvick and Busch both made there way to SHR, but a few other drivers of note have new rides. Newman left SHR for RCR and will take over Jeff Burton's old ride. Maybe some fresh air will get him going, at times he was the best driver at SHR last season, and that was while Smoke was in. Martin Truex Jr got caught up in the MWR scandal and missed his shot at another Chase, now he is out at MWR with no sponsor ship and in at Furniture Row where Kurt just left. Mark Martin is "retiring" but we may see him from time to time as a fill in, plus he is still testing with SHR. Last but not least, Jeff Burton will spend some time in the booth and also some time with MWR part time.
- 2014 ROY Class
- This class is headlined by Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon. Both of these drivers have rides with contending teams that may have decent equipment. Larson will be in the #42 Ganassi ride while Dillon will be in the #3 RCR ride. These two guys could make the ROY chase worth paying attention to. Joining them could also be Michael Annett in the #7, Justin Allgaier in the #51, and Cole Whitt/Parker Kligerman in the #30. The last guys all have different plans for the 2014 season but whoever runs full time may not have the equipment to run with Larson and Dillon.
- Gen-6 Year Two
- Well the first year didn't go so bad for Nascar and the Gen-6. Seems like it went over better with fans then the COT.... Year two seems like it could be a big year though as it seems Nascar fans still want to see some improvement. Throughout the year it seemed like the topic of passing and being able to race someone came up a lot. Testing has been done at Charlotte with the car so maybe Nascar will make some minor changes to help out.
- Iowa Purchased
- Iowa Speedway was purchased by Nascar this off season and it hit Social Media hard. Speculation started right away if they would bring Cup to the track, but Nascar responded with a "not now" approach. Nationwide will still continue to run there, but I, and many other Nascar fans, would like to see a stop at the short track for the Cup Series soon.
- Danica v Ricky Round Two (Extra Credit)
- This one is a bit of a joke, but Danica will always find a way into the story lines. So here goes, my turn, will Ricky pull away from Danica in year two, or will she finally find a groove. Also, could drama start if they break up? I don't want to make this a daytime soap episode so here is to hoping they stick it out together and that a break up isn't the reason we talk about her in 2014.
Well those are my top 10 (plus extra credit) early season 2014 Nascar Sprint Cup Headlines. It will be interesting to see which one of these headlines become a front runner and which end up being a non story. Let the count down to Daytona continue!
**Updated 2/14/14 to reflect some big news, that is now old news, in NASCAR. The new Points System.**
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