Famed No. 3 makes emphatic return at Daytona - - SI.com
For the first time in 13 years, the #3 car will return to NASCAR in 2014. The last time it was driven was during the day of Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. The car will be driven by rookie Austin Dillon, who qualified pole (1st) position. Notably, Dale Earnhardt was not the first or only driver to use the number 3 for his car, as several others before him also used the number.
2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
While qualifying for the Daytona 500 remains the same, all other races have switched from single-car qualifying to Formula One-style knockout qualifying. The only exceptions are the Daytona 500, the Mudsummer Classic, and non-points events, such as the Sprint All-Star race.
In addition, the format for the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship has also changed. The field will now consist of 16 drivers over 10 races, and for the first nine races, after every three races, four drivers will be eliminated. The final race will feature a "final four" akin to the NBA, and those four drivers will compete in a winner-take-all race, with the highest finisher being crowned the champion.