LOUDON, N.H. -- Without NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup, Jeff Gordon, not Jimmie Johnson, would be chasing history.

A gimmick developed five years ago to maintain fan interest during football season has altered NASCAR and spawned copycat versions in drag racing and pro golf. The Chase changed how NASCAR teams prepare, decisions are made and history is viewed.

The biggest difference is that Gordon likely would have won the 2004 and '07 crowns, giving him six total, had the champion been determined by the old system -- based on points in all 36 races.

That would have left him one short of tying Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most career championships. Instead, Gordon hasn't won a crown since 2001.

"If I never win one, then obviously I'm going to always feel like the old system suited my style better," Gordon said.

"The only issue that I have with it is that we build our sport on history and you can't compare history of the old points system with the new points system. You can't compare a champion, even myself, to any champion today."

As Gordon ponders his fate, Johnson goes for history.

He's attempting to match Cale Yarborough as the only driver to win three consecutive crowns.

While they could share the record, it won't be the same -- Yarborough won with the old points system. Just as one can't compare those marks, one can't compare strategies used now and then.

"Really, it's a whole year that gets condensed into a 10-week period," said Ken Howes, vice president of competition at Hendrick Motorsports, of the Chase.

That demands different approaches.

"Hugely different," car owner Joe Gibbs said.

"Let's say you've got a motor package and it's better but a little riskier. You're not putting that thing in there if you're sitting on the edge of trying to make the Chase. You're going to go more conservative.

"Yeah, you're trying to win every single race when you go out there, but also the emphasis is when you start getting yourself in that top 12 or so, now you start thinking differently about racing. Are you going to run a risk and put it that close on the edge on fuel mileage? Or are you coming in? Chances are you're coming in. You're not going to roll the dice here and try to get a win, you've got to make sure you protect yourself."

Think gas prices are high? Then consider a team that fails on its fuel gamble during the Chase and loses the title because of it. The difference between first and second in the points last year was more than $4 million.

With so many teams vying for a title -- before the Chase a good points race was two or three drivers within 100 points at the end of the season -- every team is challenged.

"It forces everybody to be better," Greg Biffle said.

"It forces me to be better behind the wheel on Sunday to not ever make a mistake. Everybody keeps upping their game and upping their game and the tighter and tighter it gets, the more competitive it becomes."

That makes it more difficult to become one of the 12 title contenders.

Only two drivers not in last year's Chase made it this year. So, teams not contending for a title use the final 2 ¹₂ months of the season for the upcoming season.

When Gordon missed the 2005 Chase, the team switched crew chiefs, giving Steve Letarte that extra time to work with Gordon before the next season. Driver changes become more common later in the Chase. Crew changes also take place in a preview for the next year.

"You do that ... to try to get a rhythm going for the next season," said Mike Dillon, vice president of competition for Richard Childress Racing.

"It's kind of rough going into Daytona with an empty feeling about a team."

Because at Daytona, it's not just about the 500 but how many points a team scores.