New NASCAR rule targets start-and-parkers...kind of

In a move to perhaps appease those who accuse NASCAR of not acting on its start-and-park driver problem (we're looking at you, Bruton Smith), the sanctioning body said Tuesday it is changing the purse structure for Sprint Cup Series races this season.

Positions 39-43 (the last five spots in the finishing order) will pay out incrementally $4,000 less than the position ahead of them, with the money being redistributed higher up in the finishing order.

"We moved some prize money off the back spots and higher in the purse so if someone's intent is solely to run a lap or two and park and go home, the revenue stream shrinks," NASCAR President Mike Helton said Tuesday.

Is the reduction enough to reduce entries from teams which have no intention of running the whole race? Probably not.

The purses vary at different tracks and driver's winnings also can depend on whether their teams choose to participate in contingency sponsored programs.

For example: A team finishing in last place at November's Texas Motor Speedway race would get $17,000 less than it did in 2012. But a team finishing 39th would only receive $1,000 less than it did before.

Plus, that's still decent money. Last year, the final five spots at Texas paid $89,000 apiece. That's significantly more than it paid to win the Nationwide race on the same weekend.

Here's the thing: NASCAR knows the start-and-parkers are annoying to fans. Helton even called the problem "irritating," because it has little to do with on-track competition.

On the other hand, some teams with good intentions might start-and-park one week and then race the next. It's a method of survival, and NASCAR is well aware of that.

"The rules and regulations, if tweaked, we could eliminate the opportunity for the next Richard Childress or Tommy Baldwin," Helton said. "While we understand it's irritating -- it's irritating to us for someone to take advantage of the rules for the moment -- but leaving the rules alone is more advantageous for the opportunity than reacting to the rules and shutting that opportunity out for others to participate in the sport."

Follow Jeff Gluck on Twitter @jeff_gluck