The perception of NASCAR's invincibility is the biggest thing that has changed. The old saying, "He who has the gold makes the rules" now applies more than ever. Up until yesterday, it was the inverse in NASCAR world.
The original Chase format, or at least a modified version of it (12 drivers?), is the obvious compromise. A full season championship isn't going to fly in our world full of instant gratification.
I misstated the fact in my original post. Miami-Dade County is paying up for the honor, not the track.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/racing/miami-county-preparing-attractive-financial-bid-host-nascar-championship-2049960
I hope that means reducing the size of the Chase field. Making 16 cars eligible for the championship after almost three-quarters of the season is egregious.
Too much drag is also a problem on the speedways with this car. More horsepower and less downforce/mechanical grip would fix the problem, but it seems like NASCAR and the teams still aren't willing to put in the time and money to make any big changes. Taking the rear diffuser away is the least...
On the podcast, O'Donnell implied 750 is the new minimum and it's possible NASCAR will increase it again with the debut of a new engine manufacturer in three years.