Someone actually made a good point on Sirius NASCAR radio today: scrap the Clash & All-Star race and just schedule 38 points races. Why not? Start the season before the Super Bowl, followed by an off-week, and then the West Coast swing.
The Chase schedule's balance is off now with no road course. Hopefully NASCAR will swap Gateway and Watkins Glen's dates next year, which makes sense weather-wise anyway.
The only caveat is what tracks are on the schedule in the final 10 races. One or two road courses/rovals, three or four intermediates, three short tracks and a superspeedway is the correct formula.
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.