France set a goal for the Research and Development Center to improve drying times by 80 percent.

France said:

We engaged third-party help and we’ll have it for Daytona. We won’t be at 80 percent, but we’re going to be dramatically better with a whole new system on how to dry the track as much as 60 percent [faster] and we will get to the 80 percent goal.

The end goal is to see a larger speedway such as Daytona International Speedway dried in 30 minutes, and a smaller speedway like Martinsville Speedway dried in 15 minutes.

The new system uses an air-powered blower, which is followed by a vacuum. The new system is expected to be faster and “greener” in that it will not use the kerosene jet fuel currently used in jet dryers.

He added:

Think of it as giant tanks, scuba tanks, that drive air out and blow water — or anything else — off the surface in a dramatically better way. It’s a big solution. We’re not (all the way) there yet, but it’s ready now.

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said:

Sprint has been very successful in using our sport as a platform to enhance its brand and drive their business. They have been a fantastic partner and we are immensely pleased to continue with Sprint as the entitlement partner for our premier series. This new agreement aligns perfectly with our aggressive five-year plan, which is laser-focused on continuing to improve our product, keep our existing fans engaged, and reach new fans.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said:

NASCAR fans are great customers who reward us with their loyalty.  We’re very pleased to continue to have our brand associated with the most competitive and exciting form of racing in the world.

The Chase will still consist of 12 drivers, under the new format. But, only the top 10 is determined by the drivers points standings. The final two spots are determined by the number of wins in the first 26 races.

Those two spots will go to non-top-10-ranked drivers with the most wins inside of the top 20 in points. They will not be given bonus points for wins and will be seeded 11th and 12th, respectively. This is done to ensure that consistency and winning are rewarded for those in the top 10.

France said:

The fans tell us that winning matters the most with them, so we’re combining the tradition of consistency in our sport with the excitement that comes along with winning. This makes every race count leading into the 26th race of the season at Richmond, when we set the field for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

France also unveiled a new points system for all NASCAR national series. Under the new system, points will be awarded in one-point increments. In the Sprint Cup Series, for example, race winners will earn 43 points, plus three bonus points for the win. Winners also can earn an extra point for leading a lap and leading the most laps, bringing their total to a possible maximum of 48 points.

All others will be awarded points in one-point increments down to one point for finishing 43rd. In the Camping World Truck Series, the last-place finisher will receive eight points to account for the 36-truck field.

France said:

Many of our most loyal fans don’t fully understand the points system we have used to date. So, we are simplifying the points system to one that is much easier to understand. Conceptually, it is comparable to our previous system, but it is easier to follow. 

Also, other competition changes were announced:

• Drivers must now pick a series in which they’ll compete for a driver championship. Drivers still may compete in multiple series and help their teams win owner titles. But they may not compete for a driver title.
• The qualifying order will be set based upon slowest to fastest practice speeds. In the event of inclement weather,  the final starting lineup will be determined by practice speeds. If weather cancels practice sessions, then the starting lineup will be set by points.
• Sprint Cup teams are now allowed five sets of tires for practice and qualifying instead of six. They must return four of those sets to Goodyear in order to receive their race allotment. Race allotments vary according to historical performance data.
• All three NASCAR national series now use the self-ventilating fuel can, which eliminates the need for a seventh over-the-wall pit crew member who held the catchcan to catch the fuel that might spill from the vent on the back of the car.
• NASCAR is working with manufacturers to develop a Sprint Cup car that looks more like their street counterparts. To that end, Sprint Cup cars will feature a new nose that eliminates the splitter braces that appeared on the COT. The new front facia will be smoother, and give the cars more brand identity.

Update: Jayski added some other notes about the new scoring system:

• In the event of a tie for the wild card Chase spots,  the playoff spot goes to the driver with the most points.
• If no drivers have wins after the 10th position, the last two positions in the Chase will go to the 11th and 12th pace drivers.
• The wild card drivers will receive no bonus points and will start with a base of 2,000 points. The previous Chase featured a 5,000-point base and 10 points per win to start the Chase.
• Any penalties will be adjusted for the new system. Last year some penalties were as high as 150 points.
• In the event that qualifying is rained out, the same rules use last season (past champion, top 35, etc.) will be used to determine who makes the race. The starting order, however, will be based on practice speeds.
• Points will not be given to owners that do not make the race, but NASCAR will keep track of attempts.

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said:

The transition to Sunoco Green E15 takes our long-term sustainability strategy to the next level. Sunoco Green E15 is good for racing, good for the environment and good for America. While fueling the same close, door-to-door racing that thrills our fans, American ethanol creates jobs in the United States, helps foster energy independence, and continues the greening of our sport.

Teams have been testing the new fuel blend for months, and reports have been positive.

In addition to having his suit reinstated, Mayfield also brought new claims to light, which he says shows NASCAR illegally interfered with his business, and had personal malice against him — specifically NASCAR Chairman Brian France. Mayfield requested to have those claims added to his suit.

Mayfield claims that in 2006, France had him black flagged during the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The allegations stem from affidavits in which former in-laws of France’s said that he called NASCAR President Mike Helton during the race and asked him to black flag Mayfield. The affidavits were part of a suit between France and his former in-laws, as he was attempting to evict them from a house he owned.

Mayfield alleges that once he pitted, his car was never looked over.

That race is important because Mayfield hit the wall and finished 41st, which Ray Evernham said Mayfield did in purpose. He was released a few days later, which led him to accuse Evernham of being more focused on other teams than others in his organization – a shot at his girlfriend Erin Crocker, who drove for him at the time.  

Additionally, Mayfield claims that NASCAR was upset with him for signing SmallSponsor.com. The sponsor chose to market itself through a deal with Mayfield Motorsports Inc’s No. 41 Toyota. But, Mayfield’s filing states that NASCAR was courting them to sponsor tracks and races.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston denied Mayfield’s claims:

Mayfield’s claims are blatantly false and Jeremy and his lawyers know it. In fact, prior to their filing we notified Mayfield’s lawyers that the allegations were completely baseless and that we had evidence to prove the falsity of the claims. Mayfield and his lawyers chose to continue a campaign of lies and disregard the evidence that was discussed with them.

In 2009, Mayfield failed a drug test and was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for violating the substance abuse policy. In a statement, he claimed that the test was the result of a combination of a prescribed medicine and an over-the-counter medicine. That claim was later denied  by NASCAR’s drug tester. Later, Mayfield filed suit. His suit was later dismissed.

One of the biggest changes, which has already been made public, is the transition from a rear wing to a spoiler in the Sprint Cup Series.  NASCAR instituted the rear wing as it transitioned to the Car Of Tomorrow back in 2007. It was said to be safer, and I think generally, it has been. But, fan acceptance never grew.
 
A car with a rear wing looks much less like the street version of the car. With carmakers struggling so much – and possibly having to justify their participation in NASCAR – it is no surprise NASCAR is working towards making the cars look more like their street counterparts. Thus, the old saying, “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” becomes a little more true.
 
NASCAR evaluated the wing, and put it in for “all the right reasons,” according to NASCAR President Mike Helton. But, support for the wing didn’t increase to the level anybody “thought it should.” So, NASCAR opted to change back to a spoiler. It should add more balance to the car, make it more drivable, and create better racing. Thus far, reviews have been positive.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France added that they hope to have the spoiler ready for debut at a superspeedway by the Texas race in April. It should be ready for tracks smaller than 1.5-mile tracks earlier than that.

Brian France said there was “nothing to report” on whether or not the front end of the COT will change. Helton added that a factor in not changing the front of this car at this time is that they didn’t want to release too many changes for the owners to deal with at one time. The current car features a splitter on the front.

The yellow line rule at plate tracks, which was expected to go away, will in fact stay, “for now,” according to NASCAR’s Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. At this time, NASCAR determined that the rule needed to stay. But, Pemberton said that they will consider changing the rule at a later date. (I’m not sure if it should be changed.)
 
NASCAR also plans to use a larger restrictor plate, the biggest since 1989. The reasoning is that things that were added to the car to improve stability also created drag. So, NASCAR is moving to a larger plate to give power and responsiveness back to the car to offset the increased drag.

The Nationwide Series will introduce its Car Of Tomorrow in 2010. The car is slated to appear in four races, Daytona in July, Michigan, Richmond, and Charlotte. Crews will also be limited in the series in 2010. Crews will now be made up of 15 members, including a driver, a crew chief, a spotter, and seven over-the-wall members. And, N’Wide teams cannot run more than two races without using engines sealed by NASCAR.

In the Camping World Truck Series, double-file, shootout style restarts will debut in 2010. Double-file restarts are already in place in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. In addition, the truck series will move back to conventional style pit stops.

In 2009, rules prevented teams from taking tires and fuel in the same pit stop. This was an effort by NASCAR to save money. Now, teams can take both during the same stop.  Also, truck teams can use a self-venting fuel dump, which will eliminate the need of a catch can.

Update: NASCAR has added a list of banned substances to the 2010 rulebook. The governing body also included its entire drug policy in the 2010 rulebook, for clarity. This comes in response to many complaints that followed the Jeremy Mayfield incident.