start and park

Start and park is a term used in auto racing, particularly in NASCAR-sanctioned races, to describe the practice of racing teams starting races but pulling the car off the track after just a few laps in order to collect prize money while avoiding expenses such as replacement tires, engine wear and tear, and/or hiring a pit crew. The practice has existed due to the relatively high purse for even a back-of-the-pack finish, as well as the high costs of fielding a car for an entire race. While start-and-park entries occasionally act as Field Fillers (a term typically used outside of NASCAR) when a small amount of teams show up to a racetrack, the practice is criticized in instances when they take spots away from teams intending to run the full race.