The NASCAR Hall of Fame opened in May 2010. (Image: NASCAR Hall of Fame)

For the NASCAR Hall of Fame: More visitors. Every NASCAR fan who will be within 200 miles of Charlotte in 2011 should make an effort to visit racing’s newest shrine.

For Talladega Superspeedway: Two more thrilling finishes. Darlington is my favorite track and every driver covets a win at Daytona and Indianapolis. But the record number of lead changes and pair of side-by-side finishes at Talladega in 2010 puts the mammoth oval in a league of its own when it comes to sheer excitement.

For Juan Pablo Montoya: An win on an oval. The Colombia native and former open wheel standout is simply too talented to have just two road course stock car wins on his resume.

For Dale Earnhardt Jr.: To be in the running for the Sprint Cup championship heading to Homestead. An Earnhardt contending for the title is the boost this sport needs right now.

For Denny Hamlin: A copy of the movie “Animal House.” The runner-up for the Sprint Cup championship admitted during the Chase that he had never heard John Belushi’s famous line about the Germans bombing Pearl Harbor.

For Danica Patrick: A commitment to a single team. This back-and-forth business between Indy Cars and NASCAR isn’t going to work. Pick a series and stick with it.

For Kyle Busch: To keep his competitive fire in-check. If a judgement call goes in his favor (such as going below the yellow line to win the truck race at Talladega), all is right in his world. But if he loses a race on a judgement call (such as Carl Edwards supposedly jumping him on the final restart in the Nationwide Series race at Texas), there is hell to pay afterwards.

For Paul Menard: A Sprint Cup victory. The Wisconsin native continues to show improvement each season. Don’t be surprised to see him wheel a Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet into victory lane in 2011.

For Tony Stewart: A truce with the press. No driver in the garage works harder than Smoke to belittle the print media. Ok, we promise to quit asking silly questions if you pledge to discontinue hurling smartass responses in the media center.

For Jeff Gordon: Another gig as host of Saturday Night Live. Admittedly, it won’t deliver the same ratings NBC enjoyed when Betty White hosted the long-running program earlier this year. But what the heck. The four-time Cup champion is well-known around the country. And who knows, it may turn Gordon’s racing luck around.

For Jimmie Johnson: A Home Depot gift card. Would the Lowe’s driver dare to roam the aisles of his local Home Depot?

For Brian France: Jet fuel for his corporate plane. NASCAR’s CEO should be a regular fixture at the race tracks each weekend. He should follow the lead of his late father, Bill France Jr., and rule the sport with an iron fist each weekend.

Clint Bowyer celebrates with his lobster after winning in New Hampshire. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

For David Pearson: A standing ovation following his Hall of Fame induction speech. The Silver Fox should have been a shoe-in for induction in the inaugural class this year.

For Clint Bowyer: A stuffed lobster. To replace the one that turned up missing following his victory in New Hampshire in September.

For every NASCAR crew member: A well-deserved break at Christmas. I’ve been around this sport long enough to know the hardest-working folks are the crew members, who regulary pull off 14 hours day at the track and more countless hours at the shop earlier in the week. Rest up, my friends. Speed Weeks in Daytona is just around the corner.