NASCAR rule changes leak

While Twitter was aflame with comments about the Auburn-Oregon National Title game last night, one bit of NASCAR news hit the headlines. Buried in between comments about Cam Newton’s eligibility and Oregon’s bright yellow socks were comments about an article that David Rodman of NASCAR.com broke last night.

Rodman’s story notes that drivers can only receive championship points in one of the three NASCAR series.

Kenny Wallace, who picked up his competition, membership and license application in Daytona last weekend, said the application said, “The brand-new license forms that are out, there's a box and in it, it states that you have to mark -- put an X -- what championship you're running for,” Wallace said. “A driver will only be permitted to earn driver championship points in one (1) of the following three series: NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Please select the series in which you would like to accumulate driver championship points. Choose one.”

This is to prevent drivers like Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards, who finished 1-2 in the Nationwide (nee Busch) Series points last year, from running for titles in both the Cup and Nationwide Series.

NASCAR has declined to comment on the release, saying that president Mike Helton and vice president for competition Robin Pemberton would be available to speak during a “competition update” on Jan. 21 as part of the “Preseason Thunder” testing at Daytona.

NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharp told Rodman, “I’m sure we can answer all your questions at our competition update.”

So until that date, everything seems to be rumors, but it sounds like NASCAR will be changing their tune about “double dipper” drivers in 2011.