Three National Series Move to Simplified Starting Lineup Process;
DAYTONA 500 Pre-Qualifying Practice Added to Weekend Schedule
By: NASCAR Communications
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 12, 2024) – NASCAR today announced that its three national series – the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series – will adjust the practice and qualifying (P&Q) procedures for the 2025 season. The updated P&Q schedule will include more practice time, consistency in procedure across all three series and a return to simplified starting lineup rules. With the exception of the superspeedway events, each qualifying session will be one round, with each vehicle’s starting position determined solely by its qualifying results.
In addition, NASCAR announced that a practice session prior to DAYTONA 500 qualifying has been added to the Daytona International Speedway weekend schedule. The 50-minute pre-qualifying practice is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 10:05 a.m. ET. The annual DAYTONA 500 Media Day will also take place Wednesday, Feb. 12, starting at noon and ending at 7 p.m. ET. DAYTONA 500 Busch Light Pole Award Qualifying will follow at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Next season, FOX Sports will broadcast P&Q for The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, the DAYTONA 500, the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Raceway, as well as P&Q for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Prime Video will broadcast NASCAR Cup Series P&Q for the first half of the season excluding the events outlined above; TNT Sports will broadcast P&Q on Max and truTV for the second half of the NASCAR Cup Series season. Details for NASCAR Xfinity Series P&Q sessions airing on CW platforms will be announced at a later date.
Below are the procedures for each track type.
NASCAR CUP SERIES
Standard P&Q
- 25-minute practice for Group 1; 25-minute practice for Group 2
- Groups and qualifying order are determined by metrics (70% based on previous race finish by owner; 30% based on owner points position. The best scoring cars in metrics will be placed in Group 2.)
- Qualifying will be one lap, one round
- Tracks: Las Vegas 1-2, Phoenix-1, Miami, Darlington 1-2, Texas, Kansas 1-2, Charlotte, Nashville, Michigan, Pocono, WWTR, New Hampshire
Short Track P&Q
- 25-minute practice for Group 1; 25-minute practice for Group 2
- Qualifying will be two laps, one round
- Tracks: Martinsville 1-2, Bristol 1-2, Dover, Iowa, Richmond
Superspeedway Qualifying
- Qualifying will be one lap, two rounds
- Fastest 10 cars in first round advance to final round
- Starting positions 1-10 will be based on fastest qualifying time in final round; remainder of field will start based on qualifying results in first round.
- Tracks: Atlanta 1-2, Talladega 1-2, Daytona-2
Road Course P&Q
- 25-minute practice for Group 1; 25-minute practice for Group 2
- 20-minute qualifying for Group 1, multi cars on track; 20-minute qualifying for Group 2, multi cars on track
- One round of qualifying
- Tracks: Chicago Street Race, Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Charlotte Roval
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Standard P&Q
- 25-minute practice for Group 1; 25-minute practice for Group 2
- Qualifying will be one lap, one round.
- Tracks: Phoenix-1, Las Vegas 1-2, Miami, Darlington, Texas, Kansas, Charlotte, Nashville, Pocono
Short Track P&Q
- 25-minute practice for Group 1; 25-minute practice for Group 2
- Qualifying will be two laps, one round.
- Tracks: Martinsville 1-2, Bristol 1-2, Dover, Iowa
Superspeedway Qualifying
- Qualifying will be one lap, two rounds
- Fastest 10 cars in first round advance to final round
- Starting positions 1-10 will be based on finish in final round; remainder of field will start based on qualifying results in first round.
- Tracks: Atlanta 1-2, Talladega 1-2, Daytona-2
Road Course P&Q
- 50-minute practice for all cars
- 20-minute qualifying for Group 1, multi cars on track; 20-minute qualifying for Group 2, multi cars on track
- One round of qualifying
- Tracks: COTA, Chicago Street Race, Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Portland, Charlotte Roval
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES
Standard P&Q
- 25-minute practice for Group 1; 25-minute practice for Group 2
- Qualifying will be one lap, one round.
- Tracks: Las Vegas, Miami, Texas, Kansas, Charlotte, Nashville, Pocono, Darlington
Short Track P&Q
- 25-minute practice for Group 1; 25-minute practice for Group 2
- Qualifying will be two laps, one round.
- Tracks: Martinsville 1-2, Bristol 1-2, North Wilkesboro, Lucas Oil IRP, Richmond
Superspeedway Qualifying
- Qualifying will be one lap, two rounds
- Fastest 10 trucks in first round advance to final round
- Starting positions 1-10 will be based on finish in final round; remainder of field will start based on qualifying results in first round.
- Tracks: Atlanta, Talladega
Road Course P&Q
- 50-minute practice for all cars
- 20-minute qualifying for Group 1, multi cars on track; 20-minute qualifying for Group 2, multi cars on track
- One round of qualifying
- Tracks: Watkins Glen, Charlotte Roval
Expanded Practice Weekends
The following weekends will have an expanded practice session.
NCS: The Clash, DAYTONA 500, COTA*, All-Star Race, Mexico City, Indianapolis, Phoenix Championship
NXS: Daytona-1, Rockingham, Mexico City, Indianapolis, WWTR, Phoenix Championship
NCTS: Daytona, Rockingham, Michigan, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, New Hampshire, Charlotte Roval, Phoenix Championship
Note: The NASCAR Cup Series weekend at Circuit of the Americas will use the same practice format as Watkins Glen and the Charlotte Roval in 2024, where cars will be assigned to two groups, with two 20-minute practices for each group (40 minutes total per car). The COTA practice session will lead into qualifying.
