After NASCAR's dramatic changes were unveiled Thursday, the sport that always has emphasized itself as "sit and steer" seems to want to be more like "stick and ball"


CHARLOTTE — There was a startling takeaway while the smoke cleared from NASCAR detonating its championship philosophy, and it seemed as much about a self-help panacea as a self-induced identity crisis.

More than ever before, the sport that always has emphasized itself as "sit and steer" wants to be more like "stick and ball," the derisive term that NASCAR personalities have applied to non-racing pursuits for decades.

The implication always was that stock-car racing stood superior because of myriad elements differentiating it from other professional sports. It persisted in the 10 years since NASCAR adopted the Chase for the Sprint Cup, a 10-race runoff that incorporated some elements of other playoffs while still paying homage to racing's title traditions.

But Thursday's unveiling of a new playoff structure marked by the familiar vernacular of the NCAA tournament (Brackets! Branded elimination rounds!) was a tacit admission that perhaps other sports had it right after all when deciding a champion.

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"We're always looking to grow," senior vice president of racing operations Steve O'Donnell said. "We could certainly stay status quo and just be a motor sport and compete in that landscape. That's not what NASCAR wants to be. We want our sport to continue to grow. We believe we put on the best racing in the world and deserve that."

NASCAR has reams of data from focus groups and fan councils to suggest the radical departure will goose interest in a Sprint Cup Series that has battled lagging awareness in the form of declining attendance and mostly flat ratings for several seasons.

Chairman Brian France spent 31 minutes making the case that an emphasis on winning drove the decision to implement the new system, noting incessantly how avid fans had tired of the emphasis on consistency-based performances and casual fans were confused by the fluctuating points totals.

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But the gambit essentially rests on the hope that fans will flock to NASCAR's new format mostly because they already do elsewhere — such as the football game being played Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J., that could draw as many viewers as the total for a 36-race NASCAR season.

That was the viewpoint of venerable team owner Roger Penske, one of many vocal proponents who compared the new 16-driver Chase to other sports without prompting this week.

"I think it's going to be amazing," Penske said. "There'll be so much more hype. It's the same thing if you look at the Final Four and all those brackets in other stick-and-ball sports. We're taking a page out of their book. I think that'll be key.

"In any business, you've got to look at what the competition is doing. I feel there are always good things out there. You have to take what you see are the best attributes and modify. I think that's what NASCAR has done. They want to have a Chase come down to the end so there's fan interest."

The guarantee of made-for-TV drama also was a major selling point for NASCAR, which has signed more than $8 billion in broadcast deals through 2024 and delayed the start of Thursday's announcement to ensure a live hit on ESPN and Fox Sports 1.

It wasn't surprising that executives from Fox, ESPN and NBC heartily endorsed Thursday's move because France said they were consulted about it. Their input helped drive his conclusion that "the biggest risk would be not to do it."

But there have been signs it wasn't such a slam dunk for many NASCAR stars. Some of them clearly are wrestling with the ramifications of a sea change that revolves around mimicking sports they previously might have been prone to belittle or dismiss.

When France called Jimmie Johnson two weeks ago to warn him about the changes, the six-time champion needed a minute to absorb it. "I had no clue this was going to come out of your mouth," Johnson recalled telling France. "No idea."

Perhaps in an effort to help wrap their heads around the concept, NASCAR officials have tried to highlight how Sprint Cup's playoff will remain different.

"College basketball has a tournament, somebody else has a playoff system, somebody else has a multiple game series," France said. "This is unique to us. It captures some of the similarities naturally, but it's very unique. (The contenders) will still have a full field of race cars to contend with. That's part of winning it. You've got to beat everybody and then some."

But that actually highlights why it's problematic that the systems aren't analogous, which prompted much of the hand-wringing from drivers this week.

Carl Edwards grappled with the confusion of dominating a season and winning the finale but not the championship — an impossible scenario in sports where seasons end for playoff losers but a possible outcome in NASCAR.

Kyle Busch fretted that "you want (sponsors) to be rewarded for what you do all the way through the season. Now it seems like you're rewarded for what you do in one race. And to see a guy win the deal with no wins just fries the brain."

Indeed, though the new format was created to put an unprecedented premium on victories, it still is plausible for a driver to win the championship without winning a race. Applying the new model to last season would have produced a winless champion in Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Does that mean there are limitations to how much "sit and steer" can duplicate the success of "stick and ball" despite their inherent disparities?

That's what is at stake in 2014 for NASCAR, which will be hoping that different isn't always better — after intimating for years that it was.

Follow Ryan on Twitter @nateryan