NASCAR making it less profitable to start-and-park

Charlotte, NC, United States (4E Sports) – NASCAR will reallocate prize money from the last five spots in the field to discourage starting and parking.

“So if someone’s intent is solely to run a lap or two and park, the revenue stream shrinks,” NASCAR president Mike Helton said.

According to NASCAR, those who ended up from 39th to 43rd will each receive $4,000 less from the next team they trail.

“We want to produce an exciting and competitive racing atmosphere for our teams and our fans, and we think the revised distribution provides a better balance,” said NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp.

Tharp emphasized that the overall prize money in 2013 will increase slightly with the money taken away from the last five spots redistributed throughout the remainder of the field.

The move comes two weeks after Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman Bruton Smith and Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage called start-and-park teams a disgrace to the sport.

Gossage said the redistribution does a little bit, but doesn’t fix the problem.

Team owner Tommy Baldwin noted that NASCAR began discussing purse reallocation late last season and was not a reaction to Smith and Gossage call for a change.

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