CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Say goodbye to the NASCAR era when a driver, fresh off a satisfying, top-10 finish, climbs from the car and raves about what a good points day it was. Winning is all that matters under the latest and most radical change to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. NASCARs overhauled championship format announced Thursday is a 16-driver, winner-take-all elimination system designed to reward "the most worthy, battle-tested" driver at the end of the season. "Riding around and being pleased because the (previous) format rewards consistency, those days are going to be pretty much over," NASCAR Chairman Brian France said. The field, expanded from 12 to 16 drivers, will be whittled down to a final four through eliminations after every three races of the 10-race Chase. The remaining four drivers will go into the season finale with an equal chance to win the championship: The first of the four to cross the finish line will be crowned Sprint Cup champion. "No math. No bonus points. Its as simple as it gets," France said. Its the fourth change to either the points or championship format since France created the Chase in 2004. For 28 years prior to the Chase, consistency reigned as the champion was the driver with the most points at the end of the season. That ended a year after Matt Kenseth won the 2003 title with a single victory, and France began his pursuit of creating "Game 7 moments." Along the way, he has pushed his agenda of wanting aggressive drivers chasing wins. Hell get that under the new format, which makes settling for points pretty much pointless. Why? Because a win in the 26-race regular season virtually guarantees a berth in the Chase. Then, eliminations begin, and a driver can guarantee a trip to the next round with a victory. Last August, Brad Keselowski chased Kyle Busch around Watkins Glen and declined to aggressively move his rival out of the way. Keselowski settled for second, racing for a good points day and declining to inflame his touchy relationship with Busch. But in doing so, he failed to win a regular-season race and missed the Chase, making him ineligible to defend his title. Under the new format, a winless Keselowski would have no choice in that same situation but to bang fenders with Busch and go after the win. Thats exactly what France wants to see on the track each week. "This is pretty clear: You have to win, you have to compete at a higher level, you have to take more chances," France said. France said he expects contact among cars. "Obviously there are some limits, but thats always part of NASCAR, to have some version of contact late in the race," he said. "Will this bring more of that? Im sure it will." The changes were lauded by Julie Sobieski, vice-president of league sports programming for ESPN, which will broadcast all 10 Chase races this year. "We have long felt that there was a greater opportunity within the Chase and are in favour of an elimination format, which has been most effective in American sports," she said. Teams and drivers were briefed by NASCAR on the changes, and reaction was mostly positive. "This took guts, this is a big deal," said team owner Joe Gibbs, who saw his three Cup drivers combine for a series-best 12 wins last season. Busch, who won four races and finished fourth in the standings, wasnt as effusive. "I dont like to always be the Debbie Downer ... but some of the things they are doing, Im not in agreement with," Busch said, declining to be specific because he spoke before NASCAR unveiled the format. He noted that Keselowski would have had incentive to wreck Busch at Watkins Glen, and said there are other scenarios NASCAR must now consider. He referred to last season, when, Kenseth opened the Chase with a win at Chicago, where Busch followed his teammate across the finish line for a 1-2 finish for Gibbs. They again went 1-2 at New Hampshire the next week. But in the new format, thats not necessarily good enough. Busch would instead be looking to win in such a scenario to ensure a trip to the next round. "Im chasing him down to try to get to him, and if I got to him, I could have moved his (butt) out of the way to get a win and knock me into the next round of playoffs. Matt didnt need it," Busch said. "Those situations are what NASCAR is looking at. They are not wanting, Lets just race to the checkered and not cause any drama and have a good points day." Another twist: In the Kenseth-Busch scenario, it would have been in the best interest of Joe Gibbs Racing for Busch to win and, because the points reset after each round, meaning multiple victories by a driver in the Chase has no benefit -- the team would have incentive to orchestrate a Busch victory over Kenseth. "That would be a NASCAR grey area that theyd have to make a judgment call on," Busch said. NASCAR last year issued severe sanctions against Michael Waltrip Racing for trying to manipulate the finish of the last race of the regular season. The scandal led France to angrily warn teams they must all give 100 per cent at all times, and laying down to help a teammate or technical partner would not be tolerated. NASCAR President Mike Helton said nothing will change in race control and how officials enforce the rules. "Well officiate the sport the same way," Helton said. "We get the fact that this puts pressure on us officiating, and we feel like were capable of stepping up to it." France said extensive research done by NASCAR showed the new format appealed to fans because it eliminates points racing. "The avid fans like it because they dont particularly care for points racing, even though they understand it," France said. "The casual fans dont understand points racing ... often, with all the mathematicals, youve got to have a computer next to you to figure out who is in and who is out at a given moment. (This) clears all that off and then emphasizes winning, which everybody understands." nike Roshe One Print Blue . The 19-year-old from Montreal is the first Canadian since Patricia Hy-Boulais at the 1992 US Open to get this far at a major. 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The league punished Lundqvist on Monday night for unsportsmanlike conduct.The Hamilton Tiger-Cats revamped receiving corps will have more to learn in training camp this summer than new head coach George Cortezs offence. Theyll also have to develop a sense of patience. Hamilton spent a busy off-season shoring up its offence, acquiring all-star quarterback Henry Burris from Calgary while also dipping into free agency to sign versatile running back Martell Mallett and veteran slotback Andy Fantuz. As well, 2008 first-round draft pick Sam Giguere joined the club after three seasons on the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants practice squads to boost a receiving corps that features veteran slotback Dave Stala and promising youngsters Chris Williams, Aaron Kelly and Bakari Grant. So while this would give Burris no shortage of options in passing situations, it also presents Burris with the added challenge of distributing the football to keep all of his receivers happy. Thats something Cortez says is virtually impossible. "You never keep all the guys that handle the ball happy," Cortez said Monday during a CFL conference call. "They have to understand theyll get their opportunities, theres only one ball and only one guy can have it on any given play. "But we in the past have had very good players playing together and theyve always managed to co-exist because they understand one of the reasons they can be successful is that other good players at other positions take the emphasis off of the defence being able to take away a guy. They have to take away more than one guy. "Yes, I think we have some good weapons there and I think it gives us an opportunity to be able to spread the ball." Fortunately for Hamilton, Burris is well versed in dealing with the needs of receivers. The 13-year CFL veteran spearheaded an offence in Calgary that featured such receiving stalwarts as Nik Lewis, Romby Bryant and Ken-Yon Rambo along with youngster Johnny Forzani and Canadian-born tailback Jon Cornish emerging as a dual threat out of the backfield. Mallett certainly gives Hamilton a similar threat. The six-foot, 190-pound Mallett was the CFLs top rookie in 2009 after rushing for 1,280 yards with B.C. while also registering 43 catches for 342 yards before signing with the NFLs Philadelphia Eagles. When Mallett signed with the Ticats, they released veteran tailback Avon Cobourne. Burris will turn 37 next week but in 2010 was the CFLs outstanding player when he threw for over 4,900 yards with 38 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. And even last year when he lost the starting job in Calgary to Drew Tate, Burris still completed nearly 64 per cent of his passes and had more TDs (20) than interceptions (12). The six-foot-one, 190-pound Burris can also use his legs to make plays and sports a career 6.1-yard rushing average with 55 TDs but has also had 91 career fumbles. But Burris does have the benefit of familiarity with Cortez, who served as Calgarys offensive co-ordinator from 2007 to 09. So its no surprise that when Hamilton officially opens training camp this weekend, Burris will be the clubs starter. "He will be there until someone beats him out," Cortez said of Burris. "Thats the nature of sports." Fantuz was also a marquee off-season acquisition..ddddddddddddThe CFLs top Canadian in 2010 signed a four-year deal with Hamilton reportedly worth $190,000 annually spending the first six years of his career with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Fantuz had 289 receptions for 4,311 yards and 23 touchdowns with Saskatchewan and was named the CFLs top Canadian in 2010 after posting 87 catches for 1,380 yards and six TDs. The 28-year-old native of Chatham, Ont., missed the first half of last season while attending the Chicago Bears camp before being released but only appeared in four games with the Riders due to an ankle injury. But again, Cortez has some familiarity with Fantuz, spending the 06 season as Saskatchewans offensive co-ordinator when Fantuz was a CFL rookie. Hamilton hasnt won the Grey Cup since 99 however has been to the CFL playoffs the last three years. Despite posting a dismal 8-10 regular-season record last year, the Ticats reached the East Division final before losing 19-3 to Winnipeg, which cost head coach Marcel Bellefeuille his job. Hamilton announced Monday that former kicker Paul Osbaldiston will be the clubs assistant special-teams coach. Osbaldiston spent 18 seasons with the Ticats and is their all-time leader in scoring (2,856 points) and field goals (655). He worked with the clubs kickers as a consultant in 2011. And Osbaldiston will have a project to work with in camp as Hamilton signed Australian punter Josh Bartel, a former Australian rules football player who last year tried out with the NFLs Green Bay Packers. While Hamiltons offence would seem to have no shortage of playmakers, there are questions about the offensive line. Right guard Simeon Rottier, the first player taken in 2009, signed with Edmonton in the off-season while veteran centre Marwan Hage continues to recover from a knee injury. Backup Mark Dewit, who replaced an injured Hage late last season, went to Calgary along with veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn in the Burris deal. Hamilton also has questions on its defensive line with ends Justin Hickman (NFLs Indianapolis Colts) and Stevie Baggs (released) both gone. "Obviously whether you can run the ball, whether you can protect the quarterback, whether or not you can put pressure on the quarterback all starts with the fronts on both sides," Cortez said. "Is it overwhelming us thinking about the lines? No. "But it is an important part of whats going to be going on in training camp." The 2012 season will also be Hamiltons last at Ivor Wynne Stadium. After the clubs final home game there, a new multi-purpose facility will be built in time for the 2014 CFL season. Where the Ticats will play their home games in 2013 hasnt yet been announced but president Scott Mitchell said the CFL hasnt promised Hamilton a Grey Cup game at the new stadium in its first two years of existence. The city last hosted a Grey Cup at Ivor Wynne in 1996. "No," Mitchell said. "There certainly have been no guarantees to that end. This years Grey Cup -- the 100th anniversary of the game -- will be held at Rogers Centre in Toronto while the 2013 contest will be played in Regina. The 2014 contest is expected to be played in Ottawa if the CFL successfully returns to the Canadian capital. cheap nfl Jerseys authentic Jerseys nfl wholesale wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys wholesale Jerseys ' ' '