Late 1990s and 2000s

-Topping off NASCAR's explosion in the 1990s was the announcement in November 1999 of a consolidated television package with FOX Sports/FX and NBC Sports/TNT for the Cup and Busch series beginning in 2001

-At the same time, DaimlerChrysler announced intentions to return its Dodge nameplate to NASCAR's top division for 2001, after a 15-year hiatus

-In November 2000, Mike Helton became the third president in NASCAR history as the torch of leadership passed to a non-France family member for the first time

2000s

-When FOX Sports broadcast its first Daytona 500 in 2001, viewership increased 32 percent (4.1 million) to more than 17 million from the 2000 broadcast

-As Tony Stewart was crowned NASCAR's 2002 champion, close observers of the sport saw a youth movement swelling

-NASCAR's "Young Guns," drivers such as Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr., were evidence of labor pains to a new era

-In 2003, NASCAR made two major announcements to help the dawn of the new era become even clearer

-NASCAR announced in June that Nextel would become the new series sponsor in 2004, replacing R.J. Reynolds' Winston brand after 33 years

-Three months later, in September, Brian Z. France was named NASCAR's CEO and Chairman of the Board replacing his father, Bill France Jr

-The Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup was announced at the start of 2004, ushering in a new format by which to determine the champion of NASCAR's premier series

-In 2006, Toyota announced a move into all three of NASCAR's national series

-In 2007 it was announced that the premier series' name would be changed to the Sprint Cup Series

-In addition, 2007 also saw the announcement that Nationwide Insurance would replace Anheuser Busch as main sponsor of NASCAR's No. 2 series

-And, there was the phasing-in of NASCAR's safety-oriented new car

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Beginning | Terms, part 1 | Drafting Example | Terms, part 2 | Restrictor Plate | History, part 1 | History, part 2

History, part 3 | History, part 4 | History, part 5 | End of Presentation

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