4 big NASCAR storylines to keep in mind going into the 2022 Cup Series season

From the Next Gen car to Silly Season, here are a few things to think about this NASCAR season.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season hasn’t had its first official race yet, but the sport already grabbed a preseason victory with The Clash at The Coliseum — an annual exhibition race that moved to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2022 — earlier this month. From the views to the racing, the event spectacularly lived up to the pre-race buzz.

Now, it’s onto the actual nine-month season with points, playoffs and a giant trophy waiting at the end of it all in November. But there’s a lot happening this season with a new car, new tracks on the schedule, drivers with different teams and a shakeup to practice and qualifying among them.

It’s a lot to keep track of, so with the season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday (2:30 p.m., FOX), here’s a breakdown of four top storylines to keep in mind throughout the nine-month NASCAR season.