NASCAR returns to single-car qualifying for all oval tracks

Beginning with this weekend’s races at Dover International Speedway, NASCAR is set to return to single-car qualifying on oval tracks for all three of its national series.

Following a qualifying session for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that resulted in the 12 drivers who advanced to the third and final round waiting until the last second to make their qualifying attempts in that round, two of the 12 drivers failed to reach the start/finish line in time for their lap times to count.

Then in the qualifying session for the race at Auto Club Speedway, none of the 12 drivers who advanced to the third and final round waiting until the last second to make their qualifying attempts in that round once again. This time, all 12 of them failed to reach the start/finish line in time for their laps to count.

NASCAR implemented various changes to qualifying in an attempt to prevent future disasters such as these from happening, but the qualifying session for the race at Texas Motor Speedway ended up being disastrous as far as cars blocking one another from getting onto the track in the pits was concerned.

More from NASCAR

At first, a return to single-car qualifying was not on the table. But steadily, as the issues with the current system grew more abundant and evident, it became an option.

Now NASCAR is set to return to single-car qualifying for the qualifying sessions for all three of its national series on oval tracks beginning with this weekend’s Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series races at Dover International Speedway. Single-car qualifying is currently only used for the four superspeedway races, the two at Daytona International Speedway and the two at Talladega Superspeedway.

At tracks that are larger than 1.25 miles in length, one timed qualifying lap will determine where each driver starts the race. At tracks that are 1.25 miles in length or shorter, two timed qualifying laps will determine where each driver starts the race.

The qualifying order will be based on a draw that is determined by the previous race’s starting lineup. The drivers who start in the top 20 in the previous race will draw to make their qualifying attempts from positions 21 through 40 while the drivers who started outside of the top 20 in the previous race will draw to make their qualifying attempts from positions 1 through 20.

Here is what NASCAR senior vice president of competition had to say about the matter, according to NASCAR.

"“It was (a) unified (decision) between broadcasters, teams and NASCAR,” Scott Miller, NASCAR senior VP of competition, said of returning to single-car runs.“One of the other things to make a compelling program out of it is we’ve seen the use of the ghost car (on television). That’s going to be a big element in presenting a quality show. I think fans are going to be able to see which drivers drive in deep, which drivers roll the middle faster and get off the corners faster and really give the talent in the booth something to talk about.“Another interesting aspect is every team has a good shot of getting covered during the qualifying session. We’re building in a few two-minute breaks to where TV can get some spots in and not break away from live action. That’s one of the goals in this, and I think with those designated spots and breaks we will be able to present almost a whole qualifying session live without going away.”"

This season’s qualifying format, which included three rounds of knock-out qualifying with the first round featured all of the drivers, the second round featuring the top 24 drivers and the third and final round featuring the top 12 drivers, was disastrous primarily for the Cup Series in large part because of the new aero package.

Cars ended up being quicker when running behind other cars due to the drafting effect, so nobody wanted to be the first car out on the track. In fact, the two cars who failed to reached the start/finish line in time for their lap times to count during the third and final round of qualifying for the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway would have both qualifying in the top two had their laps counted.

This multi-car group qualifying format is still set to be utilized in the road course races.

Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark

The qualifying sessions for this weekend’s NASCAR races at Dover International Speedway are scheduled to take place at 1:10 p.m. ET on Friday, May 3 (Truck Series race – JEGS 200), 3:40 p.m. ET on Friday, May 3 (Cup Series race – Gander RV 400) and at 10:10 a.m. ET on Saturday, May 4 (Xfinity Series race – Allied Steel Buildings 200).

The JEGS 200 is scheduled to take place on Friday, May 3, and it is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET. The Allied Steel Buildings 200 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 4, and it is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET. Finally, the Gander RV 400 is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 5, and it is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Home/NASCAR