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Finally, NASCAR is back on track, testing this week at Daytona. With that comes the first signs of the 2011 season. Yesterday we got to hear about Tony Stewart’s trip down under, Brian Vicker’s return, and our first look at the ever so slightly altered COT on track.

While we still have 30 days and counting until the Daytona 500, we’re about to get all the news and information we can handle for a while.

Today, NASCAR will hold its annual competition update, hopefully shedding some light on their plans for this season. Among some of the rumored changes is a replacement for the, at times, complicated Latford points system. According to an Associated Press report, NASCAR is considering a plan that would award 43 points to the top finishing driver and then one less point to each driver after that.

While that change may, or may not, occur, NASCAR had a great sounding board this week, with responses from drivers, fans and everyone in between. Something tells me, by the time many of you read this, we’ll have our answer.

Thankfully NASCAR has scheduled this on Friday so we’ll have the entire weekend to talk about (endlessly), and (over) analyze any changes that are made.

Then, starting Monday, the (wouldn’t you know it, branded) NASCAR Sprint Media Tour kicks off. It’s three days of the sport’s teams putting on their best face and rolling out their latest and greatest. Any news, announcements, paint schemes and personnel changes that we haven’t already heard about, or seen will likely take place between the kick off and next Thursday afternoon.

The tour boast 21 stops at race shops, the speedway, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and elsewhere. You can bet there will be at least a little news that comes out of it. You can follow it all on twitter (hashtag #mediatour), or any of your favorite NASCAR news sites.

While at this moment, I have no news to report, feel free to use this post as a discussion board as it comes rolling in over the next few days and week. Enjoy (I know I will)!

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Since its inception in 2004 the Chase has been one of the more contentious issues among fans. I know many of you don’t like it. So I think it’s interesting every year to look at the standings as if we were still under the old points system.

This is something I did last year (here and here) and honestly we weren’t too surprised by the results. Jimmie ended the season just behind Carl Edwards (16 points behind). I know what you’re saying, Jimmie’s a false champion, but remember the #48 team sandbagged at Homestead (I would have stayed out of the fight too). Anyway, thankfully this season I don’t have to figure out the points (I know I’m lazy), because NASCAR has already done it for me. Here they are…

1. #48 Jimmie Johnson, 4996
2. #14 Tony Stewart, 4983, -13
3. #24 Jeff Gordon, 4940, -56
4. #5 Mark Martin, 4635, -361
5. #11 Denny Hamlin, 4611, -385
6. #2 Kurt Busch, 4593, -403
7. #42 Juan Pablo Montoya, 4454, -542
8. #16 Greg Biffle, 4420, -576
9. #39 Ryan Newman, 4353, -643
10. #18 Kyle Busch, 4310, -686
11. #9 Kasey Kahne, 4276, -720
12. #17 Matt Kenseth, 4265, -731
13. #99 Carl Edwards, 4252, -744
14. #33 Clint Bowyer, 4224, -772
15. #00 David Reutimann, 4103, -893
16. #83 Brian Vickers, 4024, -972

I can’t personally say I’m surprised Jimmie is leading, however small that lead is. I suppose what surprises me the most is how close the champion race would have been between Johnson, Stewart and Gordon. This would have made for quite a showdown at Homestead. And so much for Mark Martin, he’s not even a factor without the Chase.

Obviously Stewart (currently 5th) and Gordon (currently 3rd) are hurt by the Chase. Interestingly though, so is Denny Hamlin (he’s currently 8th) and Kyle Busch, who missed the cut-off for the Chase and is sitting in 13th.

Being helped most by the Chase are Brian Vickers (currently 12th), Kurt Busch (currently in 4th) and Mark Martin (currently 2nd).

Outside of those guys just about everyone else is within a position or two of where they stand with the Chase. After looking at the points over the last several years, that really isn’t too surprising.

Going into Homestead, Jimmie Johnson is looking like a pretty good bet. It’s possible if they have another Texas-sized problem he could lose the Championship (that’s assuming Mark can put together a solid finish), but let’s face it the #48 is consistently consistent (and good).

My point with this, as it was last year, is to show that even though the Chase has changed the system, the end result really isn’t that much different. The Chase has brought some interest and intrigue to the late season, but at the end of the day the cream will rise to the top. Call Jimmie Johnson a false champion if you like, but you and I both know that’s not true.

Oh and I’ll update you on the final results for Monday’s post.