NASCAR

Changes Confirmed for Qualifying in 2013

by Bryant Douglass Follow @bryantdouglass

After months of speculation, NASCAR has indeed confirmed to drivers and crew chiefs in a meeting held this morning at Talladega that changes have been made for 2013 qualifying procedures.

Oct 5, 2012; Talladega, AL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Greg Biffle (16), Clint Bowyer (15), Tony Stewart (14 Matt Kenseth (17), Denny Hamlin (11) Mark Martin (55), Brad Keselowski (2) during practice for the Good Sam Roadside Assistance at Talladega Superspeedway . Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

After NASCAR changed it’s testing policy for next season, rumors heated up that NASCAR was also looking to change the qualifying procedures for next year too.

NASCAR will be returning to the provisional style qualifying next season. No more will the top-35 in points be guaranteed a starting spot in the race on Sunday! That means that no more will teams be trading and buying owner’s points with other teams.

No exact numbers have been confirmed, but speculation is that it will be the top-38 will make the field on speed with the remaining spots being fielded by provisionals including past champions provisionals.

Also confirmed in the changes was the qualifying order procedure. NASCAR will return to the random drawing of the qualifying order too. Practice speeds will no longer determine the order that cars will go out and qualify.