DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Additional focus on safety.

More young guns.

The growth of the sport.

Those are just a few of the possible storylines for NASCAR as the 2003 season approaches. Each season, several themes seem to play out as the year progresses, with one predominant idea often taking center stage when talking NASCAR and Winston Cup.

In 2001, safety was the hot topic following the death of Dale Earnhardt in the season-opening Daytona 500. Last season, rookie phenoms Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson stole the show, along with the ups and downs, the volatility and redemption of the season's eventual champion, Tony Stewart.

There might not be a clear story for 2003 yet, but according to Kurt Busch, there soon will be.

"The media picks up on one thing and they'll run with it," Busch said.

For certain, there are plenty of possibilities to choose from.

"Obviously the big story last year, we had a lot of young guys come on and do exceptionally well," said Ricky Rudd, driver of the No. 21 Ford. "This year, I don't know if a story has really developed yet. I think the common template deal, we're going to wait and see how that develops. We'll wait and see how this garage area situation is working out. Just the other day the concern is R.J. Reynolds possibly leaving the sport in the near future.

"We've got to watch those things unfold. But as far as racing on the track goes, I think as we get into the season a story will shape up, I can guarantee you that."

So what will the story of the season be for NASCAR in 2003? Depends on whom you ask. Some, including '02 Rookie of the Year Newman, expect the focus to remain on the on-track action this season.

"('03 will be about) the competitiveness," Newman said. "With the way they've changed some of the rules when it comes to some of the body things, I think the competition is going to increase. We'll see a lot more guys as has happened in the past few years be contenders to win (races)."

The number of race-winners per season is a telling statistic when looking at how close the competition in Winston Cup racing has been, especially over the past few seasons. Take into account the following:

In 2002, there were 18 different race winners while the 2001 campaign featured 19 different winners. But 2000's tally of 14 winners was the highest total since 12 drivers won races in 1994. There were 11 different race winners each season from 1995 through 1999.

A major key to this trend continuing in 2003 is not only the ever-increasing amount of talent in Winston Cup, but also the new NASCAR template rules which are intended to bring the four manufacturers closer together. And the continuing evolution and effect of the new template rules will certainly demand attention as the season progresses.

"The new rules and the body changes are going to make the series a lot more competitive," said Jerry Nadeau, driver of the No. 01 Pontiac. "I think it's just going to be good hard racing like it usually is."

And based on early returns, NASCAR president Mike Helton thinks the car setups have been positively received.

	Mark Martin isn't so sure the new templates will work as well as NASCAR hopes.

"The new aero package certainly is going to be an issue this year, but so far it seems to have presented itself very well, as we hoped it would," Helton said.

But not all drivers agree that the new templates have actually brought the cars closer together -- at least not yet.

"I think it's going to be the parity amongst the four cars," said Busch, who finished third in points last season. "Hopefully we'll have parity. I don't see it right now. But of course the common templates will be the big story."

Busch's Roush Racing teammate Mark Martin was even less optimistic when it came to the template issue.

"I'm really afraid that one of the stories will be the common template thing blowing up in our face," said Martin, who fell just short of champion Stewart last season in what was the 10th-closest points finish in Winston Cup history. "That's what I'm afraid of. I hope that's wrong, but I'm afraid that's not going to play out like they thought.

"The worst case scenario is that we have heavily skewed competition on the race track that eventually requires adjusting. And then the fallout from that is going to be pretty heavy because they've used this common template thing like everybody's stuff is supposed to be the same, but it's not."

Over the past few seasons, NASCAR has in several instances made changes to one manufacturer's car to alter the aerodynamics and help to even the playing field -- especially for restrictor place races at Daytona and Talladega. And changes could again be necessary this time around.

"Having so much parity in the cars is going to be interesting to see if one brand runs off with it, what NASCAR does to try and fix it since everything's the same," said No. 25 Chevrolet driver Joe Nemechek.

While some competitors have been angered by this practice, saying NASCAR keeps changing the rules as they go or complaining that a particular change has given one make a distinct advantage over another, it's the league's willingness to adapt in an effort to keep the competition close that some drivers see as a strength.

"The competition's always going to be good. It's never going to go down," said Dodge driver Kenny Wallace. "And if it does, that's always a good storyline because NASCAR always adjusts and the always make the competition better."

Another aspect of making the competition better is deepening the talent pool. This year, expect at least two or three drivers of a rookie class including Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, Jack Sprague, Larry Foyt, Casey Mears and Tony Raines to make a significant impact upon the series. We're not necessarily talking Newman- and Johnson-type impact -- or are we?

"Sure, I think (matching Johnson and Newman's performances) is possible and even more," said Mears, who competed in the Busch Series last season and will run as a rookie for Chip Ganassi in 2003. "What they did wasn't possible three years ago, now it's very possible. So maybe what they did last year, maybe more is possible -- or maybe a lot less is possible. Anything's possible nowadays with good equipment and all these teams are getting better and better all the time, so we'll just have to wait and see."

But not all rookies are eyeing such lofty heights. Sprague's goals for 2003?

"Get in all the races and then go from there."

Until performance dictates otherwise, Johnson and Newman's terrific rookie campaigns have all but ensured greater attention on the 2003 rookie class and a continuing focus on Winston Cup's young guns.

But that's not necessarily a good thing.

"I really believe it's going to be same as it was last year. They are going to emphasize the youth and how good the youth is doing and all these kids we have coming in here," Todd Bodine said. "I kind of agree with Sterling (Marlin) a little bit in that it's a shame that they emphasize that because there are a lot of good veterans, too."

With names like Marlin, Jarrett, Wallace, Martin, Rudd, Elliott and such still competing for wins and championships, NASCAR's class of veterans do deserve some respect. Cognizant of drivers such as Rudd and Marlin commenting that too much focus was placed on the rookie class and other younger drivers such as Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Elliott Sadler, Helton was sure to point out that that the sport has a good mix of the veterans and younger drivers.

"(2003 will be about) the new faces merging in with the more experienced drivers who are still very much successful in their careers," Helton said.

A focus on the hot young drivers in the sport isn't a function of NASCAR necessarily believing that these drivers are among the best -- though that happens to be true in some cases -- but rather a marketing tool to promote the series as young and hip. And considering the rapid growth the sport has enjoyed over the past several years, it's hard to argue with the success of such strategies.

While escalating costs have driven some teams out of the sport -- something NASCAR has tried to combat by instituting the one-engine rule last year, and some believe the common templates will also help reduce costs -- NASCAR as a whole as been generally seen as a prosperous and booming business lately.

But that perception took a hit recently when as first reported by Robin Miller on ESPN.com, R.J. Reynolds announced it was considering leaving the sport and taking its Winston sponsorship of NASCAR with it.

And while there are mixed opinions as to the level of difficulty of replacing a long-time sponsor that has poured so much money and support into NASCAR, one element that surely cannot be replaced overnight is the history R.J. Reynolds and its Winston brand have with the sport.

"Obviously, there's the question of what RJR's going to do," said 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton. "They've been so instrumental -- a big driver and a big visionary of where the sport's been going, it's be hard to envision anybody else but them in that position that they're in."

Miller reported that NASCAR may already be courting the likes of Coca-Cola, McDonald's and UPS as potential title sponsors should RJR choose to leave the sport. But the ordeal has helped bring to light the importance of NASCAR's continued prosperity in future years.

Not only does NASCAR need to deal with the possibility of losing RJR, but the series also needs to continue to attract new fans and expand its demographics and reach. And with that, the league must continue to provide adequate bang for its sponsors' bucks.

"I sincerely hope that the story (of 2003) is that NASCAR is holding its own," said Mike Skinner, driver of the No. 4 Pontiac. "We're doing well. With our country on the verge of war and our economy struggling since Sept. 11 a little bit and some of the things that are going on, this sport has stood the test of time and has held itself up. Everybody's doing real well. Hopefully we can continue doing that and giving good service to our sponsors and our manufacturers."

When it comes to NASCAR's popularity and financial success, concerned parties include NBC and Fox, which currently televise NASCAR races. As the middle of the contract approaches and new TV deal negotiations just a couple of years away, the sport realizes its product must be profitable not only for itself, but also enough for the networks which broadcast it.

"I think one of the hidden stories is making sure that NBC and Fox sell their programming," Kenny Wallace said. "We're already halfway through our TV deal. We have to make sure that NBC and Fox sell all of their advertising because if they don't they're not going to come back and offer us more money. That's going to be important in the next couple of years."

With such major television contracts at stake, it becomes crucial for NASCAR to maximize the return for its broadcast partners -- and NASCAR is looking at ways to do that.

"The TV deal and trying to get more ratings for races (is important)," said Chevrolet driver Bobby Labonte. "(NASCAR should consider) Saturday night racing or Sunday racing or changing the schedule around."

Television money certainly plays a role in any sport's bottom line. And as far as NASCAR is concerned, the current deal is a major boon for the sport, according to Wallace.

"TV's going to have everything to do with it," he said. "We have a surge in TV shows right now ... I think that's going to be very important. It's going to really control our sport as far as corporate America is concerned. Right now it's great. It couldn't be any better."

When it comes down to it, the bare bones of NASCAR's operation is the product it puts on the track. The racing needs to remain close and competitive, yet intriguing and unpredictable. That was the mark of Winston Cup action in 2002 and likely will remain a large part of the mix in 2003.

	“	You hope that it is what they want it to be, a very good, competitive, prosperous and safe year for everybody. I think that's the way they design the season every year, to try to improve it. Certainly the big thing they are trying to improve is safety and then competition. So if we continue on those paths it should be a good season. ”
		— Ray Evernham

"We've got a good class of drivers -- great class of drivers," Nadeau said. "These are the best of the best. Everybody wants to win, so you are going to see a lot of good action and maybe a lot of pissed off people. But that's part of the sport and that's what makes it exciting."

And while there are some clear-cut preseason favorites -- Stewart and Jeff Gordon top most lists -- which driver will ultimately hoist the Winston Cup championship trophy come November certainly isn't set in stone.

"I think there are going to be some surprises of who rises to the top," Ward Burton said. "Ever since we went to that harder tire, it allowed experience not to play as quite a vital role in the car and the vehicle be the most top ingredient instead of the drivers in some cases."

And while the common templates are supposed to put the races back in the hands of the drivers, teams with better and more abundant resources might still hold the trump cards.

"I think what's going to happen is making the technical side of the sport and the teams that have access to the computers and all the technical side of today's world are the ones that are going to succeed," Wallace said. "So the ones that don't have it are going to have to get it so they don't get left behind."

With so much focus on the templates, the competition, the economics, has safety fallen to the back burner as the two-year anniversary of Dale Earnhardt's death approaches? Not so, according to NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr., who said this week that driver safety continues to be NASCAR's top priority.

And the fact that tragedy hasn't struck a NASCAR race since Earnhardt's death doesn't allow the sport to rest on its laurels when it comes to protecting its people.

"Safety is really going to be a big issue -- how they're coming with that," Bobby Labonte said. "I hope it doesn't become a small issue because it always needs to stay on the forefront."

With success (see: NASCAR, last few years) and tragedy (see: NASCAR, last few years) comes increased scrutiny and attention. And life in NASCARland is no different heading into 2003.

"I think there's a lot more hype this year than there ever has been," Nadeau said.

But will the season live up to the hype? Can NASCAR bring in new faces while balancing their prominence with the respect the series elders deserve? Is there more of the same in store -- exciting races, dramatic finishes, off-track controversies -- for this season?

Really, there's no way of knowing. And apparently, that's part of the charm.

"There are so many things that happen inside NASCAR that are exciting," said John Andretti, driver of Petty Enterprises' No. 43 Dodge. "Last year, they talked about everything from Tony Stewart, obviously, going from 43rd in points to first. There are a lot of different things. It's hard to say that any one thing's going to be predictable. There's always going to be something that somebody hasn't thought about that picks up and grabs is. That's what draws the interest. It's unpredictable."

But that doesn't mean there's no plan for the season. That doesn't mean there are no goals.

"You hope that it is what they want it to be, a very good, competitive, prosperous and safe year for everybody," Ray Evernham said. "I think that's the way they design the season every year, to try to improve it. Certainly the big thing they are trying to improve is safety and then competition. So if we continue on those paths it should be a good season."

NASCAR's president doesn't have a crystal ball, but he's not complaining.

"I think (2003 will be) about carrying on with the momentum we had in '02," Helton said. "It's kind of hard to predict what '03 will be like or what it's all about until you start seeing things unfold, and I think that's one of the great mysteries of NASCAR Winston Cup and what makes it so popular."

If unpredictability is the name of the game, then NASCAR should be all set. For unpredictability is something which NASCAR has in abundance.

Jonathan Baum is an RPM editor at ESPN.com.