Auto Racing Insider Pete Pistone Posted Friday, January 30, 2009
SHAMELESS PLUG: JOIN ME SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM NOON - 3 P.M. ET ON "THE BACKSTRETCH" ON SIRIUS NASCAR RADIO CHANNEL 128.
There has been a lot of discussion and worry about whether we'll have full fields at every Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series race this season.
The economic downturn has shrunk the garage area in a big way and all three of NASCAR's top divisions have felt the effects.
While the season-opening "Speedweeks" races for the Big Three will most certainly have healthy entry lists, there are concerns that as the season wears on the financial crunch will accelerate the attrition factor.
Will teams with small budgets make the trek out west to Fontana and Las Vegas the next two weekends after Daytona or wait until things return to the east coast in March with races in Atlanta, Bristol and Martinsville?
I think the Cup side will be just fine in the early going because so many drivers and teams have five, eight and ten race sponsorship deals in place. Those that have guaranteed starting spots because of last year's Top 35 standings will certainly take advantage of that reprieve from having to qualify their way in.
We may not have as many "Go or Go Homers" this season, but I don't see the Cup side dropping below 43.
It's a different story for the Nationwide and truck circuits.
It appears a big group of "Start and Park" teams will be part of the Nationwide equation again this year as they were last season. As many as six or seven of these entries will most likely be the norm but again, I see only a handful of races not having complete starting fields.
The trucks are a whole different story. Reports are that only 12 teams have funding to run the entire schedule and despite NASCAR's rule changes this week to try and limit costs and expenses, we'll be able to count on one hand the number of races that do generate the full 36-truck starting grid.
But is that as bad as some want us to believe?
If a race starts 29 or 30 trucks rather than a "full" 36 but provides exciting racing and side-by-side competition among the frontrunners trying to win I think it's a success.
What's the difference if 34 Nationwide cars take the green flag at Nashville or Kentucky or Iowa if the battle among the leaders is thrilling?
The IRL is down to 16-18 cars this year after climbing as high as 28 in 2008. That is more a sign of trouble than starting a NASCAr race without a handful of cars that had no chance of winning anyway.
I think the notion that NASCAR is in trouble if it doesn't attract a full field is all psychological.
Remember we arrived at this magic 43 number after starting 36 cars for many years. It was only because of the sport's dramatic rise when more and more fully-funded teams were on the regular schedule that NASCAR added additional starting spots to Cup and Nationwide fields.
We got along pretty well in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s with 36 cars taking the green flag and if the economy now forces the opposite to happen - shrinking rather than expanding the starting spots available - I'm not so sure anyone would notice.
Contrary to belief television contracts won't be voided if less than 43 cars start a Cup race.
If it does turn out that some teams drop by the wayside as the season wears on and less than 43 start a race or two I don't see it as a sign of Armageddon for the NASCAR world.
It could simply turn out to be a case of when less is more.
Pete Pistone is the Managing Editor of RacingOne. Pistone is also a sports reporter/anchor for Chicago's WGN Radio and also hosts weekly auto racing segments on the station. He is the national motorsports writer for CBS Sports.com and also hosts the syndicated "SpeedJournal Report," heard on 100 radio stations nationwide. Listen to "Sirius Speedway" with Dave Moody on Sirius NASCAR Channel 128 every Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET for Pete's weekly segment.
