Fans continue to flock to NASCAR events -- such as the March 12 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, won by Jimmie Johnson (48) -- but television viewership is falling. Photo by Isaac Brekken/Review-Journal

NASCAR has been obsessed with getting the sports world to focus on its Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Its plan seemed to be working last year with record television audiences, but this year it's looking like some of the luster is gone.

The 10-race Chase needs changes, or much of the gains NASCAR made the past decade will be lost.

The association is trying to dance to two different beats, and it's just not working as well as it could.

Some things should be done to further distance those in the Chase from those not eligible for the championship. More can be done to promote the race as well as the race within the race.

A separate points system should be implemented solely for those in the Chase. A greater premium on winning also will help.

Chase drivers also can be better protected.

NASCAR should require drivers to have competed in at least a few Cup races before being allowed to compete in Chase races.

Roush Racing this week said it will enter David Ragan in four Cup races this year to prepare him to replace Mark Martin next year, but Ragan has competed in only one Cup race this year.

And former open-wheel racer Juan Pablo Montoya might compete in the last Cup race at Homestead, Fla.

They should not be learning at the possible expense of a championship contender.

The last part of many seasons B.C. (Before Chase) was meaningless, so it was a good time for inexperienced drivers to log quality laps.

While fans continue to flock to events, TV audiences have been shrinking.

Television ratings, as determined by Nielsen Media Research and provided by Jayski.com

Or maybe race fans don't want to commit to spending half a day watching a race on TV, especially when more than a fourth of that time is devoted to commercials.

Saturday night's race from Lowe's was on air for 4 hours, 5 minutes, and 71 of those minutes -- 28.9 percent -- were devoted to commercials, according to research by >CawsnJaws.com

NASCAR has been obsessed with getting the sports world to focus on its Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Its plan seemed to be working last year with record television audiences, but this year it's looking like some of the luster is gone.

The 10-race Chase needs changes, or much of the gains NASCAR made the past decade will be lost.

The association is trying to dance to two different beats, and it's just not working as well as it could.

Some things should be done to further distance those in the Chase from those not eligible for the championship. More can be done to promote the race as well as the race within the race.

A separate points system should be implemented solely for those in the Chase. A greater premium on winning also will help.

Chase drivers also can be better protected.

NASCAR should require drivers to have competed in at least a few Cup races before being allowed to compete in Chase races.

Roush Racing this week said it will enter David Ragan in four Cup races this year to prepare him to replace Mark Martin next year, but Ragan has competed in only one Cup race this year.

And former open-wheel racer Juan Pablo Montoya might compete in the last Cup race at Homestead, Fla.

They should not be learning at the possible expense of a championship contender.

The last part of many seasons B.C. (Before Chase) was meaningless, so it was a good time for inexperienced drivers to log quality laps.

While fans continue to flock to events, TV audiences have been shrinking.

Television ratings, as determined by Nielsen Media Research and provided by Jayski.com, indicate all but two Cup races this year had a smaller viewership than races a year ago, and all but seven were less watched than those in 2004.

The March race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway had a 5.8 rating in 2004. That increased to 6.4 in 2005 before dipping to 6.2 this year.

Overnight ratings on NBC for Saturday night's Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway dropped 14.6 percent, according to Nielsen. The race a week before in Talladega, Ala., dipped 9.4 percent.

NASCAR chief executive Brian France recently said the drop is because NBC, which aired both races, will not return to broadcasting Cup races after its six-year deal ends this year.

"Well, we know exactly what would contribute to that (drop) and that's obviously our current TV partners have ... other priorities," he said. "They're not going to promote the NASCAR events to the level that they have in previous years."

I doubt those buying commercials will be excited to hear that.

NBC is getting replaced by the Disney folks (ABC/ESPN), but Fox is returning to show the first part of the season for the seventh straight year and its ratings also dropped.

Two years ago a ratings drop could not have been imagined.

Other factors could be affecting the ratings.

Digital video recorders could be a culprit.

Could it be that Cup racing has just become too darn safe and that has led many of the morbid masses that tuned in after the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001 to have clicked back to the Science Fiction channel or "Friday the 13th" videos?

Or maybe race fans don't want to commit to spending half a day watching a race on TV, especially when more than a fourth of that time is devoted to commercials.

Saturday night's race from Lowe's was on air for 4 hours, 5 minutes, and 71 of those minutes -- 28.9 percent -- were devoted to commercials, according to research by CawsnJaws.com.

There are reports that TNT, which has seen its ratings drop by almost 9 percent this year, is considering adopting the Indy Racing League format on ABC that uses a split-screen to show continuous racing and commercials simultaneously.

It's an ingenious concept and will work in two ways.

First, no sports fans are as brand loyal to sponsors than racing fans, and any company that shares its commercial with race action will be rewarded by buyers.

And if you record the race, you can't fast-forward past the commercials.

Jeff Wolf's motor sports column is published Friday. He can be reached at 383-0247 or jwolf@reviewjournal.com.