'Field fillers' days numbered?

NASCAR is poised to eliminate opportunities for occasional racers to make the field in Nextel Cup Series events, following a sub-standard turn-out at last weekend's Rockingham round.

According to reports circulated by the Associated Press news agency, NASCAR officials have admitted that they should not have allowed Joe Ruttman to start the Subway 400 at the North Carolina Speedway, and is looking into ways of denying what it considers 'unqualified' drivers from competing in the future.

Ruttman, an occasional Winston Cup participant who has not turned out in the top class since 1995, made the field at Rockingham simply because just 37 full-time runner lodged entries for the second round of the new-look Cup Series, but he managed just a single lap before being black-flagged - and then only because he didn't have a pit-crew. Despite his appearance being one of the briefest expected this season, the 60-year old pocketed $54,196 just for starting the race.

"The Joe Ruttman thing was a sham," NASCAR vice-president Jim Hunter told AP this week, "We always try to do the right thing and, since we had let it go that far, we let him start the race. However, that will not happen again."

Keen to avoid further embarrassment, Hunter moved swiftly to counter suggestions that NASCAR had contacted several of the so-called 'field-fillers' to try and fill the regular 43-car field.

"The notion that we are soliciting teams and paying them to try to make the race is absolutely untrue," Hunter insisted, "We have no problem starting a race with fewer than 43 cars in it."

But NASCAR wasn't faced with that dilemma because enough field fillers showed up in Rockingham.

Of the other 'field fillers' on duty at Rockingham, Kirk Shelmerdine was lapped just eight minutes into the race and then black-flagged for his lack of pace, while occasional IRL entrant Andy Hillenburg completed the 43-car grid but was 10mph slower than Ryan Newman's pole speed. He at least made the finish, however.

Unlike Carl Long, who barrel-rolled out of the race, but escaped NASCAR censure because he at least attempts to enter as many events as possible during the year.

"We are perfectly fine with Carl Long," Hunter confirmed, "He is trying to be a racer and everyone admires the effort he puts in. But we are looking at some of these other guys who are showing up, and will consider different ways to handle these situations in the future."