It's finally here! Forget your robins, groundhogs and crocus. The surest sign of spring is the opening of the motor racing season ... and it's started. Some of us would prefer that the season open with something more interesting than a bunch of look-alike coupes turning left all afternoon, but after Winter, we'll take what we can get.

The Daytona 500 will take off Sunday afternoon. This year, it not only marks a brand new season, there are a lot of other brand new features.

The most obvious, of course, is the changed name of NASCAR's featured series. Beginning this year, the top prize is the Nextel Cup. Not really the same 'ring' as Winston Cup, but we'll wait to see if it ever "flows trippingly off the tongue."

Most of the same star names are back. There will be less of Awesome Bill from Dawsonville. Bill Elliot is easing himself out of driving, planning to drive in about half the races this season. The Daytona 500 is not one of them. He will spend this week coaching Kasey Kahne, who now drives No. 9.

The whole point system is changed as well, in effect instituting a "playoff season." Through most of the season, drivers will be trying to get into the top ten spots on the points list so they can run for the title in the late part of the season.

Drivers and other "experts" have complained that the new system won't work, that it is unfair, and maybe even will cause Global Warming.

The playoff format slightly blurs the line between racing and stick and ball sports.

The line became increasingly blurred when we learned this week that NASCAR officials have started using hand signals to explain penalties that have been called ... just like referees and umpires.

John Darby, director of the Nextel Cup, explained that as many as 23 violations will be indicated by hand signals. They are starting slowly, though, using only about five this weekend and adding more as the season goes on.

Darby said that the applicable signals will come from the pit road official who is closest to the offenders' location. The official is supposed to "catch the eye" of the crew chief of the offending team.

Violations that you will see called this weekend could include pitting out of the box, a refueling violation, having too many people over the wall, illegally taking equipment out of the pit or having a crewman come over the wall too early.

Part of the signal will indicate who was at fault, the driver (hand on top of the head), team (hand held straight out to the side) or the equipment (hand on the hip).

Then the official will indicate what the penalty will be. If he holds up his arm as though he is looking at his watch, it is a 15 second wait-in-the-pit penalty. If he holds his arm in the air with the fist clenched, the car is being held for one full lap. If he waves his arm back and forth in the air, the car must go through pit road at the legal speed. When the official points to a spot on the ground, the penalty is a stop and go. When he pats his backside, the car has to line up at the end of the longest line for a restart.

We would like to see them wire up the officials so we could be told specifically which person is responsible, like the NFL.

"We have a Tripping-over-the-Airhose penalty on Bubba No. 88. The car will be required to complete a lap on three wheels." Then the TV cameras could zero in to see Bubba's reaction.

And a couple of other questions: Will the officials wear stripped shirts? Can the crew chief throw a red towel at the official to request a review?