NASCAR Racing: HOW DID NASCAR DETERMINETHE..., richard petty, staying home

Question
HOW DID NASCAR DETERMINETHE NUMBER OF CARS IN A RACE?(43) WHY NOT (42)OR (44)THE 43RD CAR IS ALL ALONE.

Answer
I call it the Richard Petty rule. The field kept getting expanded until it eventually reached 42 cars. As the King's career wound down all of a sudden he was having trouble making the field. The Petty fans were in an uproar and began staying home (this was prior to "sold-out" races) when he didn't make the race. So NASCAR added the "Past Champion" provisional, a way to get RP in the field and keep the fans coming to the race. It is still the "Past Champion" provisional, saved to give a spot to someone who has won the WC/Nextel championship in the past but failed to qualify.