NASCAR's Brian France Talks Schedule, Fuel Injectors, Chase

SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- NASCAR Chairman Brian France confirmed the sport is moving toward higher technology, is weeks from announcing "impactful changes" for the 2011 Sprint Cup schedule and is still considering changes to the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship that would make "winning at a given moment more important than it is today.''

France addressed a group of the media in an impromptu news conference trackside at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, less than an hour before Sunday's Brickyard 400 green flag.

He had just spent the previous hour meeting with Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith inside the NASCAR corporate trailer nearby, where Smith said they discussed "many things."

Smith, however, was coy about any progress that might have been made toward his company receiving a Sprint Cup date for Kentucky Speedway or a second race for Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2011.

He also said his company would be making an announcement next week, but declined to give any details.

"It's not complicated for us,'' Smith said, standing alongside his son, Charlotte Motor Speedway President Marcus Smith. "It's strictly NASCAR's decision (about the 2011 schedule) and we work with them and are cooperative. Our relationship has never been better than it is now.''

Smith said Kentucky Speedway could be upgraded and outfitted with additional grandstand seating for a Cup race in 90 days time. He said the 1.5-mile oval outside Cincinnati doesn't necessarily have to be re-paved.

France was unspecific in discussing the schedule except when it came to the health of Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Brickyard 400, whose crowds have declined steadily over the years.

"It's no secret Kentucky is talking about having a Sprint Cup event and it's not that far away and it has implications to Michigan (Speedway) and here from a geographic standpoint,'' France said.

He also confirmed an announcement was forthcoming on the new schedule and could be released sooner than Labor Day weekend, when it is traditionally announced.

"All the requests are in and they all have lots of effects,'' France said. "When anything moves around on the Cup schedule, it has consequences and we're digesting that and making sure it fits in with TV and all our partners.

"My sense is it will all be wrapped up shortly and we'll have some interesting and good changes for our fans.''

France also confirmed that the sport is moving toward some higher tech components for NASCAR's stock cars. The McLaren Formula One team boss Ron Dennis is attending the Brickyard this weekend and met with France. Both men have said during the weekend that NASCAR's move to fuel-injection is all but a done deal.

"We've been very clear here, that we're on a steady match to more technology on the cars, which is unlike our history,'' France said. "There's no question that fuel injection is something we'll evolve to in the short run and we will move toward other technology. .... (that is) affordable and sensible.''

Perhaps the most talked-about potential change for the upcoming season concerns the Chase for the Championship format.

France said at Daytona three weeks ago that NASCAR was serious about making changes to increase the level of drama and suspense.

While France cautioned that not making any changes was also an option, he spoke at great length about ways to improve it.

"There's a lot of people eliminated in the Chase by the fifth race,'' France said. "Maybe we formalize that a little bit and make a 'transfer event' that kind of has the feel that Richmond does.''

He said NASCAR wants the same thing as all the other major sports when they crown their season champion.

"When you get to the final you want an action-packed, close game with lots of story lines,'' France said. "If we can have our format more consistently delivering those results, we'll figure it out.

"We're going to make changes in the Chase we think would serve us well for many, many years in the future. It's not something we are going to react to.

"You're going to have peaks and valleys and when you're in a valley, for whatever reason, that's the time to make the changes.''