Start-and-park is BS in my opinion!

[fastfordfan]

Here's the original question I answered, It's asking what happens if only 40 cars SHOW UP....Thats happened many many times over the years Phoenix, Riverside, Ontario the Old Texas track even Talledaga have struggled to have full fields off and on. Mostly because of travel expenses and payback in the feild ( tracks paybacks vary )
NASCAR is smart enough to know when they might have an issue with a full feild and quietly ask around for Winston West cars, back up cars from larger teams etc usually with a check in hand
Of course you Wont find any documentation of them starting less than 42 cars because they always manage to get what they need.

I won't mention the race but I remember one in the mid 80's a paid to enter back up car that was feilded by a large team was asked to pit with only a few laps to go.....seems it was ahead of Both Full time team cars at the time, find the answer to that trivia question and I'll send you a frosty cold adult beverage

What happeded when the driver boycotted Talladege years ago the same will happen again

we are talking about TODAY when Nextel became the sponsor

 

[FlFlash]

Nascar has a contract WITH NEXTEL that say's they WILL START x number of cars in Cup if they do not start that many Nascar is in breech of contract And that will never happen without approval from Nextel

I've heard that as a fact ever since Winston became the series sponsor in 72? However with out being one of the parties or lawyers involved in writing the contract it would be awful hard to document, I doubt you would be able to find a copy of the private party contract and stipulations other than what each side Wanted to Be Known.
If someone whos really detective oriented and with LOADS of time on there hands wants to find out......Go At IT Boys

I do know that NASCAR at times has gone to great lenghts to make sure they had that field especially in the 70s and 80s when the economy was tough and NASCAR just was'nt anywhere near it's heyday of the 90's.