Time is now for Nationwide Series to separate itself (cont'd)

What type of car will the series drive? Rumors of pony cars and souped-up current models were said to be a potential route, but it was spilled and later confirmed in October that the series plans to have a Car of Tomorrow chassis in place for the 2009 season.

These questions only spider into more concerns that could either set the series in stone for another generation of standstill or propel it forward into a new form of entertainment, much like the Cup Series did with Nextel -- and most of those questions revolve around familiar names on the entry list:

• If Cup drivers are limited, how many races can they drive?
• Can Cup drivers compete for the championship?
• Should there be separate points systems?
• Will Cup drivers shy away from the series if no COT is run?
• If a COT chassis is adopted, will that fuel the Cup driver invasion?

"We want to distinguish that series for what it is -- incredible competition," said Brian France during an impromptu news conference at Homestead to close the season. "We'll deal with the Nextel Cup drivers that are there in some way. Not sure what we'll do, if anything."

Tracks obviously have their preference. Big names sell big tickets.

"The people in the Nationwide Series need to decide if they want to be a major-league series like they are now or go back to being a minor-league series," said Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage, not hiding which side he's on. "If they want to be major league, they have to have names that will cause people to buy tickets and television networks to broadcast their races. Otherwise, they have to go back to 6,000-8,000-seat speedways and run for $100,000."

Looks, however, can be deceiving. The Truck Series visits three tracks -- Mansfield, Memphis and ORP -- that all seat less than 35,000. And 14 of the Truck Series' 25 events had purses of less than $500,000. Yet for the third time in four years, television ratings for the series increased.

A different type of racecar, drivers that race strictly in that series, and a series that stands proud as both a breeding ground and retirement home for talent -- it all adds up to success for what is considered the sport's No. 3 series.

The time is now for the Nationwide Series to separate itself from obscurity and develop a unique identity as it sits sandwiched between the large-living Cup Series and the niche loving Truck Series. NASCAR's Jan Brady has watched as older and younger sisters get all the attention, and now is the opportunity -- or excuse -- to shine on the red carpet.

Oops, with Nationwide's colors, make that a blue carpet.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.