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I wonder if all the changes in the history of what is now the Sprint All-Star Race (I think) are recorded anywhere.

It should be called the Guinea Pig.

I'm not going to attempt to recite them here. I'm not even going to write about changes this year. I can rely on Michael Waltrip and Larry McReynolds to take care of that.

It's been day. It's been night. It's been breathtaking. It's been a bore. Once it was in Atlanta. Once the winner went to the hospital instead of Victory Lane. The Pass in the Grass wasn't really.

The most memorable occurrence during The Winston (or The Winston Select, or the Nextel All-Star Challenge, or The Sprint Open/Closed, or The Something) was what the guy next to me said when a stupid move cost him a likely windfall in the press-box pool. It cannot be repeated here, and it cannot be revised and still capture the essense of his words.

The best change wasn't even in the race. The only time all year that I have more than mild (as opposed to passing) interest in qualifying is at The Something, where a pit stop is included in the run. I really like watching it. It may produce a pole winner whose car isn't all that fast, but that happens now with the segmented format on most weekends. I really like watching it. I pay attention to which drivers are really good at getting in and out. It's something to file away.

(I just Googled to see if this is still the case, but I can find no mention in any of the first dozen links that popped up. I have a text message out, being thoroughly modern and all. Text message answer: "Dunno.")

It would be a good sign if, one year, the format didn't change. That would mean it was working. It once was the best all-star event, growing as baseball, basketball, hockey and, especially, football declined. Who remembers recent events? Other than because one's favorite driver won it? The memories are from long ago. I can recite the details from 1992, 1989 and 1987 with ease? Who won it last year? Wikipedia says Denny Hamlin. Okay.

What are my expectations? No expectations. Hope. Brad Keselowski had a hand in the latest format changes. I'd rather have him brainstorming about it than the marketing consultant who used to work for the PGA Tour.