Nascar Race Today

A: Air Titan

NASCAR's track-drying system will be a fixture at every track beginning this season, and that should help alleviate some of the long rain delays.

B: Big Hoss

The name of a new HD video board at Texas Motor Speedway that will change the viewing experience. When finished - scheduled for March - it will be the world's largest HD screen. The display will feature 20,666.64 square feet of 1080p HD, which easily surpasses the 16,000-square-foot video board built two years ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

C: Changes

NASCAR can't seem to stick with the same points system or Chase for the Sprint Cup format for more than a few years. How will the latest adjustments play out?

D: Drafting

The tandem drafts are a thing of the past. The two-car pairings already were made physically impossible in Cup, and a new rule bans them from taking place in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck series.

E: ESPN

This season marks ESPN's last as a NASCAR partner. Will the network put as much energy into promoting races during its lame-duck year?

F: FanVision

This controller available for rent at the track enhances the viewing experience with various video angles, live audio and standings updates during races.

G: Gen 6 car

NASCAR tweaked the rules package on its still-new car after last season in hopes of making for closer racing. Fans shouldn't expect to see any difference on the track.

H: Happy

Kevin "Happy" Harvick could be a threat for the title again after finishing third in 2013. With a new team (Stewart-Haas Racing) and crew chief (Rodney Childers), Harvick is more enthusiastic and energized than ever.

I: Itchy arm

Clint Bowyer's suspicious spin in the closing laps at Richmond International Raceway - the team said he was scratching his arm - triggered a series of unfortunate events, including a reset of the Chase field, a major sponsor leaving Michael Waltrip Racing and Martin Truex Jr. losing his ride there. The impact of the cheating scandal will be felt and talked about this season.

Clint Bowyer, left, and Martin Truex Jr. are no longer teammates at Michael Waltrip Racing. Truex, right, will race for Furniture Row this season while Bowyer remains with MWR.(Photo: Jerry Markland, Getty Images)

J: Jimmie Johnson

Some viewers can't stand watching the six-time champion win again and again. Will they be able to stomach his potential seventh championship, which would tie him with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt?

K: Knock

If drivers get knocked on the head this year, they'll be subject to NASCAR's new concussion policy. Drivers had mandatory baseline testing during the preseason that will help doctors evaluate them after crashes.

L: Letarte, Steve

Dale EarnhardtJr.'s crew chief will be a frequent topic all season. His decision to step away from the crew chief role to become an NBC TV analyst in 2015 will leave Junior Nation fearing what might happen to the No.88 team after this year.

M: Mobile app

Sprint customers have free access to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile App on smartphones. It features a live running order and slightly delayed radio chatter.

N: Night races

There are 12 night races on the 38-race schedule this season, the same as last year. Texas Motor Speedway moved its Saturday night race to Sunday afternoon to accommodate the NCAA men's basketball Final Four, but Kansas Speedway added a Saturday night race in May.

O: Outlaw

Kurt Busch's self-given nickname might not work as well now that he's back with a major team. Then again, Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas did sign Busch without Tony Stewart's full knowledge.

P: Practices

NASCAR fans have found that practice sessions are less available on TV than before, particularly for those fans who don't receive Fox Sports 2. When Speed Channel became Fox Sports 1 in August, some motor sports content was moved to FS2 or canceled entirely.

Q: Qualifying

The new-look, revised qualifying format could make Fridays more fun to watch. Or at least more fun than watching paint dry.

R: Romance

Fans will probably keep hearing about the relationship between Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - in part because the couple seem to love letting people know their every move via Twitter.

S: Smoke

Tony Stewart's still-healing right leg will be NASCAR's most-watched limb in the early part of the season. Will he be the same driver he was before?

T: Twitter

It is a vital race-watching companion for those viewing from home. Reporters and teams at the track often tweet driver radio chatter and in-race developments that might not make it onto the TV broadcast.

U: Upsets

They are rare in NASCAR these days. Four races were won by drivers outside of the top 20 in points last year. And only two of those drivers - David Ragan and Brian Vickers - could be considered surprise winners.

Jeff Gordon's 88 wins at NASCAR's premier level ranks third all time and is the most among active drivers.(Photo: Rob Grabowski, USA TODAY Sports)

V: Veteran

The veteran full-time driver with the most Cup starts is Jeff Gordon (725). No longer a kid, the 42-year-old is 12th on the all-time starts list.

W: Wins

Race wins were dominated last year by the top four drivers in the standings. Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch combined to win 21 races - 58% of the schedule.

X: X-ray

Here's hoping that, after a busier-than-usual year of driver injuries in 2013, there are fewer X-rays needed this season.

Y: Yellow flags

With at least seven rookie drivers in the field this season, cautions figure to increase. That could be good for entertainment.

Z: Zero

That's the combined number of wins last season for Earnhardt, Bowyer and Kurt Busch, all of whom are capable of winning multiple races this year.