Have a FaceBook, Twitter, or other social networking account?

Link them to your fanatic account!

Add An Account

TAKE ME TO...
NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
SPENCER: Green Flag the Start-and-Parks
Many people have been up in arms the past few weeks regarding the “start-and-park” teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
Jimmy Spencer  |  Posted April 02, 2009   Charlotte, NC
Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it on SPEED. (Photo: SPEED)
Many people have been up in arms the past few weeks regarding the “start-and-park” teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, those organizations who arrive at the race track without the true intention of ever running the entire race.

They qualify their cars, take the green flag and ride around near the rear until the first or second caution, then retire to the garage for a myriad of reasons, often a “vibration,” “transmission” or “electrical” issue that knocked them out of the event. Furthermore, these teams often don’t have true over-the-wall pit crews capable of competitively servicing the car, although they must present to NASCAR enough warm bodies to constitute a viable pit crew. But they pick up a nice paycheck for their participation.

NASCAR has managed to publicly avoid addressing the issue of start-and-parks for a while but recently said they plan to ensure that these teams attempt to run the entire race or submit legitimate reasons for retiring prematurely. The sanctioning body also said it will explore the issues that reportedly spelled the end of these teams’ days. However, I think NASCAR just needs to let this sleeping dog lie.

Take Dave Blaney in the No. 66 Toyota for example. Blaney has started four of this year’s six races, logged only 214 laps out of a possible 1,583 and finished no better than 41st but he has picked up a purse of $305,583.

No one can convince me that Blaney truly has suffered the race-ending difficulties his team purports to have sustained. However, whether or not I buy their reasons is irrelevant because they have every right to park their car for the simple fact they purchased NASCAR licenses, passed inspection and qualified for the race. Unlike most other teams, they opted for last-place money and moved on. And that’s fine.

Do start-and-park cars discourage other owners from coming into the sport? No, because these start-and-parks are not within the top 35 in points and usually pose zero competitive threat. And if you’re not fast enough to make the race, you deserve to go home. But Blaney and some of these other start-and-park teams have been fast enough and have made the field, all within the rules NASCAR has established.

Some people argue that these teams trample on the true spirit of competition in NASCAR because they don’t make a full effort to compete and win the race. While that may be true, I certainly don’t think they harm the competitive environment because NASCAR’s own system doesn’t even fit the parameters of what this sport was intended to represent. For NASCAR to lock in 35 cars each week and guarantee them a starting spot regardless of how they qualify is the direct antithesis of competition. But that’s another can of worms.


Page 1 of 2
Prev
12
Next
jimmy_spencer's avatar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jimmy Spencer

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR
Advertising | Jobs | Feedback | FAQ | Terms of Use | NEW Privacy Policy | Ad Choices | Site Map
Fox Sports | FUEL TV | FX Network | National Geographic | IGN | AskMen
The Motor Sports Authority, SPEED and associated logos are registered trademarks of Speed Channel Inc.
All Rights Reserved © Speed Channel, Inc. 2012

All external links will open in a new browser window. SPEED.com does not endorse external sites.