It has been three months since Jimmie Johnson put himself in NASCAR's most exclusive club with his seventh championship, joining Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. for most all-time.
Johnson's quest for a record eighth is the obvious storyline going into a 2017 season that will showcase plenty of changes to racing's top circuit.
NASCAR has altered its championship format once again; it has a new sponsor for its top series, Monster Energy; and plenty of drivers will have a chance to establish themselves as the next wave of greats with veterans such as Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards walking away.
Here are five stories to watch this season, which gets underway Sunday with the Daytona 500:
