The shortest off season in sports is winding down, but before the good ole boys head to Daytona, we will find out exactly what the new points system will be for the Cup Series in 2011. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France is expected to make that announcement Wednesday night in his state of the sport address.

The word is that it will be a simpler system that awards 43 points to the winner, 42 to the 2nd place finisher and all the way down to 1 point for the 43rd place driver. Simpler is a good because the old system was harder to understand than my 18 month old son Aidan’s babbling.

But, in order for me to give it my seal of approval, I must hear about a big bonus being given to the winner of each race. In the past, a winner would get an extra 15 points, which would basically equate to 3 finishing positions. If they match that, the winner will only get a 3 point bonus in the new system.

That won’t cut it. These guys need reason to race like they are Petty and Pearson in the 70s. Give them 20 extra points for the win and the boys will have at it alright. Give them 3 or 4 points extra and the points racing parade will continue.