Kentucky Speedway's NASCAR field historically small
Barring a late entry to Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, Kentucky Speedway will sit on the wrong side of history.
It's been 13 years since a race in NASCAR's top division started with less than a full, 43-car field, but the Quaker State 400 entry list measures just 42.
The Sporting News reports that cars hoping to run must arrive at the Sparta, Ky., track by noon Thursday for inspection if hoping to enter. Otherwise, a full-field streak started in 2001 will end.
As NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp pointed out to The Sporting News, this 42-car field in particular spells no real problems for the sport. Every car entered has run in all previous Cup Series races this year as NASCAR has seen a decline in so called start-and-park entries — those just running for prize money rather than competition.
"There are a variety of contributing factors that determine the size of the field, including the ebb and flow of the race teams," Tharp said. "A field with less than the maximum is still very much a highly competitive field, and that's what we'll have this weekend at Kentucky Speedway."
The last 42-car field in a Cup Series race came at the conclusion of the 2001 season. The 9/11 terrorist attacks resulted in postponement of the fall New Hampshire race until Thanksgiving weekend, and by that time, a team shut down.
IN THE C-J
Follow more from Kentucky Speedway through The Courier-Journal's social media wall — and look for your own photos by tweeting at us (@sports_cj) or by using the hashtag #QS400. (http://cjky.it/1pDRKAQ)
The Courier-Journal has Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_CJ) and Adam Himmelsbach (@adamhimmelsbach) stationed in New York City for Thursday night's NBA draft. Give them a follow on Twitter, and check out their preview coverage here. (http://cjky.it/1i08Vsu)
Soccer fans, you have viewing options for Thursday's United States-Germany game. While Fourth Street Live! will again host a watch party, the KFC Yum! Center also announced it will show the game on its outdoor screen. (http://cjky.it/1lrJlkQ)
AROUND THE WEB
It's a somewhat outlandish opinion given Marcus Lee's breakout NCAA tournament appearances, but Bleacher Report featured columnist Thad Novak's solution for Kentucky's surplus of big men this season is to redshirt the rising sophomore Lee. "If Lee plays out his sophomore year, he'll be nothing more than injury insurance for a team unlikely even to need that," Novak wrote. "If, on the other hand, he takes a redshirt year, there will be benefits down the road." (http://bit.ly/1mwoop0)
Grantland.com is perhaps best known for seeing sports differently. And they found a gem in NBA draft players' YouTube pages. Russ Smith, as a dancing 18-year-old, goes as a top 10 pick in "The 2014 YouTube Draft." (http://es.pn/1iJrsym)
Former UK guard John Wall, now with the Washington Wizards, is making news in the nation's capital for wearing jerseys for a number of teams that aren't the Wizards. Dan Steinberg writes that while D.C. athletes wear an array of team gear in other sports, it's rare to see one don the jersey of his competition. (http://wapo.st/1mwovkE)
Jonathan Lintner can be reached at (502) 582-4199; follow him on Twitter @JonathanLintner.