New Start N Park Rule

[71Fan]

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/artic...ecked_car.html

"LAS VEGAS – NASCAR has instituted a new postrace inspection policy for Sprint Cup races in which the first car out of the race that is not involved in an accident will be held for teardown, much like the cars that currently finish in the top five."............more at the link........

So, a team that can barely afford to even get to a racetrack now gets their car taken away and their motor gets torn down forcing (according to the article) at least a $30,000 rebuild.

Way to go NASCAR. You've just made making a race even more expensive for the teams that can least afford it. Now how exactly are you planning to fill the field to satisfy your TV contracts that probably call for 43 cars? Back to tow money?

[71Fan]

Maybe someone can tell me this......How does (in effect) charging the last place car $30,000 improve the quality of racing?

[slorydn1]

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/artic...ecked_car.html

"LAS VEGAS – NASCAR has instituted a new postrace inspection policy for Sprint Cup races in which the first car out of the race that is not involved in an accident will be held for teardown, much like the cars that currently finish in the top five."............more at the link........

So, a team that can barely afford to even get to a racetrack now gets their car taken away and their motor gets torn down forcing (according to the article) at least a $30,000 rebuild.

Way to go NASCAR. You've just made making a race even more expensive for the teams that can least afford it. Now how exactly are you planning to fill the field to satisfy your TV contracts that probably call for 43 cars? Back to tow money?

Interesting....I guess at $1800 a pop for tires teams may find it cheaper to run more laps than risk an engine tear down. And I would be all for that, intead f a car pulling off the track after 3 laps

[Mark in Oshawa]

Maybe someone can tell me this......How does (in effect) charging the last place car $30,000 improve the quality of racing?

This is one of the dumbest things they could do. Those crappy little start and park efforts can evolve into real racing teams with a sponsor. Killing them or making them spend more money to stick around just makes their existence more precarious.

Should have left things alone...

[harvick#1]

Thanks Nascar for another stupid and idiotic rule

[Copse]

Great! Finally a proper negative consequence for taking up one of 43 sought-after grid slots without actually attempting to compete in the race.

Start-and-parkers are abusing NASCAR's generous pay-outs for finishing last, and I support any attempt to make that money go to the team that actually finishes the race in the last position, rather than the one who chooses to end it first.

[Lee Roy]

Now how exactly are you planning to fill the field to satisfy your TV contracts that probably call for 43 cars?

The TV contracts don't call for 43 cars.

Still, it's a stupid rule.

[cgs]

I can just see it now: a S&P team starts the race, pulls in after 20 laps. 30 laps later, another team pulls out of the race with a genuine mechanical issue, the S&P team get the car back out for 31 more laps to avoid the tear-down.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Great! Finally a proper negative consequence for taking up one of 43 sought-after grid slots without actually attempting to compete in the race.

Start-and-parkers are abusing NASCAR's generous pay-outs for finishing last, and I support any attempt to make that money go to the team that actually finishes the race in the last position, rather than the one who chooses to end it first.

Look, when a team enters a race, they have no contractual obligation to FINISH the race. They get an entry. IF they choose to park after 10 laps, that is their business. The money for a 43rd finish will pay the bills and keep the team alive for another week. It isn't however a recipe for getting rich. NASCAR mandates they have to do the tire deal with Goodyear, they have to have a real pit suite, and have a pit crew at the track. All of that costs money. The cars have to pass all the regs and are not cheap. So no team is going to do ALL of that, and then pull over after 10 laps if they had the resources to do more. Just to qualify means you have to be fast enough to out run the other no hope teams because theres is often guys going home after qualfying. Imagine the tire bill, wear and tear, cost of people working on the car and the "pitcrew" and war wagon, plus travel, hotel and the rest...and tell me how rich a Start and Park team is getting? Not much...if at all.

The reality is, most of these teams are only doing this to stay alive. If NASCAR makes their costs go up to preserve the myth that these teams are out there to win (with a sponsor they would be believe me); then it will be less likely that these teams will survive. If they DON'T survive, where will the new teams of the future come from? Where is there new blood in the sport? Richard Childress once was a a start and park style independent. Guys like Rick Hendrick had no sponsors and had to survive. IF times got tough, I am sure he would have start and parked in his early days.

The reality is these small indpendent teams in good times get sponsors by being at the track and making the show. Then they can race. If they don't get the local sponsors, then they maybe stop after 10. It shouldn't however be misconstrued that this was their goal. It wasn't. You cant be in the racing business and not want to win. However, if you saved your team to survive until a good sponsor comes along, then it justifies it. NASCAR telling these teams to waste more money for NASCAR to have the vanity and illusion of everyone being competitive is a farce, and the same goal would be served by merely cutting back the purse. OH wait at minute...they did...cut purses 10%. Again, show me where the millionaires are owning start and park teams and then this is justified.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I can just see it now: a S&P team starts the race, pulls in after 20 laps. 30 laps later, another team pulls out of the race with a genuine mechanical issue, the S&P team get the car back out for 31 more laps to avoid the tear-down.

Oh ya....exactly. You see it now actually, if there is a wreck in the first 10 laps some S and P guys may head to the first fuel stop if for no other reason than the increase in purse for 3 extra spots might be more than the cost of the tires and wear and tear. I cant imagine the drivers or the team owners like playing this game, but it is a business. Business dictates you pay the bills every week....