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Old Father Time is crossing the track in turn four headed for a new year filled with change for NASCAR competitors and fans. The hints have already been sent flying into the skies like bottle rockets at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Some of the big names and big sponsors have been left out in the cold a few times since NASCAR started the “Chase for the Nextel Cup” format a few years ago. The absences of these major players caused a few financial frowns and it might have even lightened the load in the Brink’s truck headed to NASCAR headquarters.

The racing formula mixers in the offices at Daytona have come up with a plan to “tweak” the format of the new system used to crown the annual champ. Those changes are expected to be announced during the NASCAR Media Tour in Charlotte next month.

The New Year will bring new race cars to the speedways too. The “Car of Tomorrow” becomes the “Car of Today” at the Bristol race, unless the NASCAR executives change their minds. The car was designed by NASCAR to improve driver safety and on-track competition. The jury is still out on opinions concerning the performance of the new race machines.

The new racing season will bring new numbers, sponsors and even the return of some old friends we have missed in the lineup recently. Ricky Rudd and Ward Burton will be back on the track in 2007. Rudd will be in a Ford owned by Robert Yates. Burton will take over the driver’s seat for Morgan-McClure Racing in the No. 4 Chevrolet.

A new manufacturer enters Nextel Cup racing for the New Year. Toyota will field at least five teams in 2007 as they make their debut in NASCAR’s top show.

The good news is another full season of high-speed competition was completed without any fatalities or serious injuries to drivers. That is an amazing feat considering the peril these drivers face each time they climb through the windows to sit behind the steering wheel.

The 2006 season certainly had plenty of breath-taking moments. There were some spectacular finishes, a few scary crashes and a little controversy mixed in as the traveling speed show made the rounds.

Jimmie Johnson was the dominator as he steered the No. 48 Rick Hendrick-owned team into the championship playoffs. He was the point’s leader for all but 11 of the 36 races and his 24 top-ten finishes were the most among all the drivers.

Johnson’s 2006 report card credits him with five wins and 13 top-five finishes. Johnson also won the midseason All-star race at Charlotte.

Kasey Kahne finished eighth in the final points, but the scorecard for the No. 9 team credits him with winning the most official point events of the year. Kahne crossed the finish line first six times.

Kasey also gets honors for the most Bud Pole Awards. The Evernham-owned Dodge turned the fastest laps in qualifying seven times. He registered 12 top-five and 19 top-ten finishes during the season.

It was the races Kahne failed to finish because of crashes or mechanical trouble that pushed his team toward the bottom of the Chase point standings. Kahne failed to finish six events. Jeff Gordon was the only other driver in the playoffs with more DNFs (did not finish) on his 2006 report card. The No. 24 was out of the race early seven times this year.

There was a two-way tie for the drivers with the most top-five finishes. Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick each claimed 16 top-five finishes. Stewart and Harvick also had five wins each for the season.

Harvick should probably be named MVD for the 2006 season. He led 895 laps in Nextel Cup competition and lined the shelves of his office with trophies from nine Busch Series wins. Harvick won the Busch championship by 824 points, the largest margin ever in the series history.

Matt Kenseth had 15 top-five finishes on his way to four wins in 2006. Kenseth and Greg Biffle were only drivers getting wins in 2006 for Jack Roush Racing. Biffle had two checkered flags, but he failed to make it into the ten-race playoff for the championship.

Biffle was ranked third in the laps led tally for the season. The No. 16 led 993 laps in 19 different events. It was the six times he was sidelined by engine trouble and crashes that kept Biffle out of the championship playoffs.

Rookie Denny Hamlin carried home winner’s pay three times to help him collect the $4,390,000 check for finishing third in the final point standings.

Jeff Gordon only had two victories in 2006 and that makes it his worst season as far as wins goes since 1994. The No. 24 had four wins in 2005.

The one-time winners for 2006 were Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers and Kurt Busch.

Tony Stewart was one of the major players sitting on the bench for the playoffs, but he stole the show as far as the rest of the season goes. Stewart led the most laps of any competitor in Nextel Cup for the year. The No. 20 crossed the finish line first 1,360 times in 19 different races.

The only other driver to lead more than a thousand laps during the year was Matt Kenseth. He led 1,132 laps in 2006, 778 more laps than he led in 2003 when Kenseth won the championship. Matt led at least one lap in 24 of the 36 point races.

Kenseth and Jeff Gordon tied for collecting bonus points awarded for leading. Gordon led at least one lap in 24 of the 36 point races. Kenseth led laps in 23 events and he collected the five points for leading the most laps in four races. Gordon led the most laps in three events.

Tony Stewart collected the points for leading the most laps in the most races. Stewart led the most laps in a half-dozen races during the season.

There were 48 drivers that led at least one lap of competition in 2006. There were 78 different drivers that started at least one of the 36 races in the Nextel Cup season.

The highlights of the season listed by the NASCAR Media experts include Jimmie Johnson’s wins at The Brickyard and Las Vegas.

Jeff Burton makes the list for his comeback win at Dover. It had been five years since Burton had been the guest of honor in Victory Lane.

Kevin Harvick’s roadcourse win at Watkins Glen also made the official list of the most exciting moments of the 2006 NASCAR tour.

High Speed TV:

Friday December 29

9:00 p.m. Craftsman Truck Series Awards—Speed

Saturday December 30

9:00 a.m. Beyond The Wheel—Speed
7:30 p.m. Late Model Dirt Racing—Speed

Sunday December 31

9:00 a.m. Beyond The Wheel—Speed
11:30 a.m. Late Model Dirt Racing—Speed

The Allan Vigil Ford 120 will return January 27, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. on Newstalk 750 WSB Radio and www.wsbradio.com. For more race information visit our website www.captainherb.net.

Happy New Year!