An elderly woman suffering from late-stage Alzheimer’s disease had neither talked to nor reacted to any of her family members for years. Then, one day, she suddenly started chatting with her granddaughter, asking for news of other family members and even giving her granddaughter advice. “It was like talking to Rip van Winkle,” the granddaughter told University of Virginia researchers of her astonishment. Unfortunately, the reawakening did not last—the grandmother died the next week.

That event got written up as what the case study authors called terminal lucidity—a surprising, coherent episode of meaningful communication just before death in someone presumed incapable of social interaction. Yet it was by no means unique. Physician Basil Eldadah, who heads the geriatric branch at the National Institute on Aging (NIA), had heard suchThis year, the count is down to only three – Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota.

Dodge famously disappeared from the Sprint Cup tour at the end of last year even as it was winning its first series title – courtesy of Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing – in 37 years.

For competitive purposes, three is not the ideal number. Four might be. Five could be.

There will be somewhat of an imbalance in quality teams this season, with Chevrolet, typically the manufacturer with the most entries, holding an edge in numbers and power. Ford has fewer cars and Toyota fewer still.

Of course, Dodge showed last year that numbers aren’t necessarily the defining element, winning the championship with only one major team and two drivers.

But there is no question there is strength in