The 2003 Winston Cup season is finally in the books. In some instances it was a gripping page-turner, while in other instances there are certain passages most fans would just as soon forget.

There were 36 races, some exciting, others so-so at best. There was speculation that Tony Stewart would not be a fitting champion, when in reality he proved an outstanding ambassador for the sport. The season also saw some of the sport's top drivers such as Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace suffer their worst seasons in recent history, while others like Bill Elliott enjoyed a resurgence.

But more than anything, the 2003 season saw some of the most significant chapters in NASCAR history written, both on and off the racetrack. Here's a review of some of those top storylines and their significance for the future.

1) Winston/R.J. Reynolds announces it will sever sponsorship of the series after 33 years.
The company with the name that became synonymous with the top level of NASCAR racing -- and which took the sport to unprecedented levels of popularity, attendance and attention -- confirmed early in the year that it was stepping aside at season's end.

While the corporate explanation for leaving the sport was to reallocate financial resources, the reality is ongoing litigation and paying out billions in cash settlements for cigarette smoking-related illnesses made it impractical for Winston/RJR to keep infusing NASCAR with a reported $30 million each season.

What is probably most surprising is how Winston/RJR are quitting the sport cold turkey (like some give up smoking), with no further involvement even as an associate sponsor or in some other fashion. Winston has been so tightly woven into the fabric of stock-car racing for more than three decades, its ties to NASCAR probably run deeper than any other corporate sponsorship in any sport. That relationship made the term "Winston Cup" a household phrase that came to embody what NASCAR's highest professional class of racing was all about -- excitement, close action and the 43 best drivers duking it out on racetracks from Loudon to Fontana week after week.

In a sense, the relationship between Winston/RJR and NASCAR became one of the most significant success stories the world of sports Americana will ever see. Winston's successor, Nextel, will not only have its work cut out for it in trying to follow RJR's lead, but it also has the potential to take the sport to even greater heights in the future.

2) Telecommunications giant Nextel to assume series title sponsorship.
While it took several months and courtship of some of the biggest companies in the U.S., NASCAR finally emerged from its search for a new sponsor with a surprising selection, choosing Nextel Communications as the replacement for Winston.

The reported $700 million, 10-year deal is one of the biggest in the sports world. Not only will Nextel's spending per season double that of RJR's, the fact that it's a telecommunications firm rather than a tobacco company is not only more politically correct, it will provide NASCAR with new opportunities to tap markets and population segments that Winston/RJR were either unwilling or legally unable to enter, particularly the youth and teen markets.

While it will take some getting used to calling NASCAR's top series Nextel Cup, this is a deal that is good for virtually everyone, from NASCAR to drivers to fans to the media.

	Bill France Jr. stepped down as NASCAR chairman earlier this year.

3) The elevation of Brian France to NASCAR's chairman/chief executive officer.
Shortly after announcing Nextel would be succeeding Winston as series title sponsor, it was revealed that Bill France was stepping aside as chairman/CEO and handing the reins of the company and sport to son Brian.

While the move was due to several factors, particularly France's fragile health and advancing age, it also proved to be a stroke of marketing genius. The younger France isn't quite 40 yet, which makes him just the type of age that will not only help NASCAR continue to attract more young to middle-aged fans, it also potentially leaves the sport in good hands for the next three decades.

Brian France has spent most of his life learning the business from the ground up. He wasn't handed the keys to NASCAR by his father simply because he was the next in the familial line.

Rather, France has worked in several capacities within the organization, and was one of the most significant players in recent developments that included the unprecedented multi-billion dollar TV package with NBC, TBS and FoxSports. He also has been the linchpin in attracting multimillions of dollars in corporate sponsorship to the sport in recent years.

4) NASCAR prohibits racing back to the starting line when the yellow caution flag is dropped.
Arguably the most significant on-track development not only of this past season but in several seasons, NASCAR officials finally elected to prohibit drivers racing back to the start/finish line when a yellow caution flag is dropped.

After several controversial incidents that affected the outcome of races, not to mention the free-for-all jousting and fender smashing back to the start/finish, NASCAR elected to "freeze" driver positions on the racetrack as soon as a yellow flag was thrown.

This eliminated the potential for reckless driving at the expense of securing better positions for the ensuing restart, even if it only meant the difference of perhaps restarting in sixth rather than seventh position. It also helped NASCAR officials quickly save face from a controversy that had been brewing for some time, and which was roundly criticized by fans across the country.

While some observers liked racing back to the start/finish under yellow, some even referring to it as a less than one lap race within a race, NASCAR's move to eliminate it helped put all drivers on equal ground on restarts and eliminated criticism in perhaps the best and most proficient way.

5) Matt Kenseth wins the championship despite earning just one victory in the entire 36-race season.
While some observers called his style of racing boring, the fact remains that Matt Kenseth is the most recent -- and last -- Winston Cup champion, clinching the title two weeks ago at Rockingham, N.C.

The way Kenseth became and stayed No. 1 was not accomplished in traditional racing manner. Rather than run away with the points lead by having the most wins of any driver, Kenseth took a more traditional and conservative approach to racing in 2003.

Instead of worrying about checkered flags, his and crew chief Robbie Reiser's No. 1 mantra was consistency. Sure, while winning races is the goal each week, the old sports phrase -- consistency is what wins championships -- more than held true for Kenseth this season.

There was also some irony involved in the way Kenseth won the championship, maintaining a stranglehold on the top spot for the final 33 races of the 36-race schedule. In a sense, Kenseth rebounded, if you want to call it that, from leading the series with five wins in 2002 but finishing just eighth to winning just one race in 2003 yet taking home the biggest prize of all: the Winston Cup championship and the $4 million-plus paycheck that comes with it.

In an equally ironic twist, fellow racer Ryan Newman, who was among the first to congratulate Kenseth shortly after his celebratory burnout at Rockingham, led all drivers with 11 poles and eight wins, yet was relegated to a sixth-place season finish. Perhaps we'll see Newman and the No. 12 Dodge borrow a page or two from Kenseth's playbook next season by worrying more about overall consistency than sheer domination, a hit-or-miss proposition at best in NASCAR racing.

Overall, while 2003 may not have been the most exciting season on-track that we've witnessed in recent years, it definitely had more than its share of moments that will play a significant role for many seasons to come.

Jerry Bonkowski covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at Motorsportwriter@MSN.com.