When he was a driver, Rusty Wallace certainly was never shy about sharing his opinions.

These days, as a television analyst of NASCAR races for ESPN, that hasn't changed. He talked recently about a variety of topics -- including the many changes he sees coming to the Nationwide Series, where he fields two full-time teams for Rusty Wallace Racing (the No. 66 driven by his son, Steven; and the No. 62 driven by Brendan Gaughan).

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I personally want the point system structured where the Cup guys aren't going to win the title -- where a Nationwide-only guy is going to win the title.

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-- RUSTY WALLACE

Question: What would it say about Joe Gibbs Racing if Denny Hamlin is able to become what would be their third different Sprint Cup champion?

Wallace: In my mind, Gibbs is just a solid owner. When you take a tour of that operation and look at the stuff they've got there, they've got so much depth it's incredible. But they haven't had the maturity in the drivers that some of the rest of the guys have had -- and by maturity, I mean time there. It's pretty obvious. We talk about Kyle Busch being one of the strongest drivers. He's fast and he's talented and all that -- but it just seems Denny has more depth and more calmness about him, more of a veteran, maturity feel to him.

Q: How do you feel about the possibility that full-time Sprint Cup drivers might not be allowed to run for the Nationwide Series championship beginning next season?

Wallace: To me, I'm on pins and needles to hear what's going to happen there. I've definitely got a big involvement in the Nationwide Series. We've got all our sponsorship done with Steven; we're so far along that we're almost done with Brendan. We're committed for two cars and we're ready to go.

But I want to know what's going to happen with this point structure, how that's going to work. Because our sponsors are putting all their money into a Nationwide stand-alone guy. They want to know that those Nationwide guys are going to be racing for a title. [Mike] Helton [NASCAR'S president] is going to have an announcement and he's got everyone blowing in his ear, telling him how they should do it. So I don't know what's going to happen. I just feel like they're going to do something.

Q: What do you think they're going to do?

Wallace: I definitely feel like there is going to be some testing added for the Nationwide-only drivers, to help them catch up with the Cup guys and close the gap. I think that's going to happen.

But this year, in my mind, is probably the biggest year we've ever had for changes. When it's all out and settled, I think you'll see more changes in Nationwide than we've ever seen in the history of the series. Different point structure, different rules on testing, a whole brand-new car ... We've got one less race right now, different race tracks we're running. There are a lot of different things. Different gas cans, different crew allowances in terms of who's allowed to be at the race track. Two less, I hear. There are going to be a lot of changes. You've got to sit down and dig for 'em, but there's going to be a lot of 'em.

Q: How do you see the health of the series as a whole?

Wallace: There is money out there. You've just got to work like hell to go out and find it. ... They were talking about testing and they said, ' Hey, testing is going to be expensive.' I said, 'Hey, I don't give a [expletive]. If I'm gonna catch up with these other guys, I've got to go find places where I can get my guys on the race track.' It's easy to say it costs too much money and we're not gonna do it. But if we do that, we're not going to catch these guys. We've got to get on the race track and change pieces and parts and get going, get the lead out. I'm willing to go out there and put my sales hat on and do that.

Q: So to clarify, you would like to see Cup guys out of it as far as running for the Nationwide championship?

Wallace: Look, my idea for it was -- and they're never going to listen to my idea -- but my idea the whole time was to give them their top 20 best tracks that they want to go to. Because I know what they're goal is; there are certain markets that they want to go to. Let 'em run 20 races.

But then they talk about not letting them run for points whatsoever; they talk about altering the point system where a Cup guy wouldn't get as many points as a Nationwide guy. So they've got all three of those scenarios laying on the ground. I don't know which one of them they're going to choose.

I personally want the point system structured where the Cup guys aren't going to win the title -- where a Nationwide-only guy is going to win the title. That's what I would like to see. And if I didn't have any involvement whatsoever in the sport, I'd probably still say the same thing. Because everybody I talk to says, 'Ah, that's all bull. That's not fair that those Cup guys go in there and try to steal the candy from the other cats, you know.' That's the way the regular fan thinks. They say it all the time, everywhere I go.

Q: There also has been speculation that there may be changes to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. How do you feel about that?

Wallace: I just want the Chase guys racing themselves. I want them to have their own point system. I don't want to see a Chase guy finish first and the guy that's second in the points finish 10th, and have eight guys in between 'em. ... Give 'em their own point system. I don't like to see the other guys intermingled with 'em. You've got a Chase for those 12 guys; give them their own point system and let's go.

Q: It certainly could be easier to follow ...

Wallace: It would be for me, instead of someone having 5960 points vs. six points, eight points or whatever. If there is anything I like about IndyCars, it's that their points system has a lot less numbers.

Q: It would be easier for journalists to keep track of, too ...

Wallace: Listen, this sport is good. And they've done a great job. Opinions are awesome. And that's just my opinion -- let the Chase guys have their own system. I'm sure someone will come back with a reason for why not, and that's fine.