Dateline: January 1, 2002

As most of us took a few days to relax during the holidays, the NASCAR teams were busy preparing for the rapidly-approaching 2002 season. Winter testing in Daytona is only a couple of weeks away and soon after that is Speedweeks and beginning of the new NASCAR season.

Here is a quick look at the top stories for the 2002 season.

1. The Winston Cup Championship - Obviously this is the big story every year. Can Jeff Gordon repeat? Will Ricky Rudd, Tony Stewart or Dale Jarrett be able to make a run? Don't let the drivers fool you. The points battle is foremost on their minds right from the drop of the green flag in Daytona in February.
2. The Manufacturer's Battle - Towards the end of last year NASCAR gave some concessions to the Dodge teams, was it too much? Can NASCAR make a truly level playing field? Watch for NASCAR to spend a lot of time in the wind tunnel this year and for them to make a lot of little rule changes to try to maintain parity.
3. The Rookie Class - Certainly we have been spoiled by the incredible talent coming into the Winston Cup ranks over the last few years. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick all had amazing rookie years and have raised the standards for all Winston Cup rookies. This years class includes Jimmy Johnson, Ryan Newman and Shawna Robinson. Can any of them find their way to victory lane?
4. The Sophomore Slump - Traditionally, the previous season's Raybestos Rookie Of The Year winner struggles in his sophomore season. Can Kevin Harvick have another great season like he had in 2001?
5. Driver Safety - NASCAR made some progress in 2001 after the terrible tragedies of the last couple years. Look for safety to once again be foremost in everybody's mind, especially at Daytona and Talladega. Will this be the year that NASCAR finds a solution to the restrictor plate problem?
6. Fan Safety - In the wake of September 11th many tracks increased security at the races including barring fans from bringing in their own coolers. There is a delicate balance to be found between protecting the public safety and infringing on freedom in the name of higher profits. Is the cooler ban a means to protect the fans just another way to force us to spend more money at the track?
7. Changes at Roush Racing? - Jack Roush's drivers had a terrible year last year. Jack doesn't like to lose (and neither do his drivers). If things don't start going their way early in 2002 you will see some dramatic changes at Roush racing as that team struggles to regain the elusive "chemistry."
8. Budding Rivalries - 2001 saw some on-track drama unfold as drivers let their tempers get the best of them. NASCAR will certainly be keeping a closer eye on Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace. With Robby Gordon having a full-time ride for 2002 (What in the world is Childress thinking?) there is a new human caution flag riding around out there with a chip on his shoulder. Watch for more temper flare-ups (and more NASCAR penalties) this year.