NASCAR to announce change to playoff lineup format

NASCAR is set to change the way starting lineups are drawn for the playoffs across the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series.

NASCAR confirmed that there will not be any more practice sessions nor qualifying sessions throughout the remainder of the 2020 season across the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series.

Random draws, which were introduced when the sport returned from the 10-week hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, are slated to continue to set to the starting lineups for races (except the second races of doubleheaders, when an invert is used) as the season progresses.

However, the draw procedure will not remain as is for the playoffs, when 16 Cup Series drivers, 12 Xfinity Series drivers and 10 Truck Series drivers are set to battle for their respective championships.

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“NASCAR will adjust the starting lineup draw procedure for the Playoff races, and will announce the new process at a later date,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR Senior Vice President, Competition.

No specific information has been revealed about what a new draw procedure might entail, but there are certainly other options that would make sense.

The current format involves drivers being placed into groups based on their positions in the owner standings. For the Cup Series, charter teams in positions 1 through 12 draw for positions 1 through 12, charter teams in positions 13 through 24 draw for positions 13 through 24 and charter teams in positions 25 through 36 draw for positions 25 through 36. Positions 37 to 40 go to the open teams in order of owner points.

For the Xfinity Series, the groupings are the same (1 through 12, 13 through 24 and 25 through 36) but are based on the Adverse Conditions Line Up Eligibility, and any additional cars that are eligible to compete in the race are assigned positions from 37 through 40 based on their order of eligibility.

For the Truck Series, the owner standings-based groupings run from positions 1 through 10, positions 11 through 21 and positions 22 through 32. Any additional cars that are eligible to compete in the race are assigned positions from 33 through 40 based on their order of eligibility.

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The Cup Series has eight remaining regular season races, and the playoffs are scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 6 at Darlington Raceway. The Xfinity Series has 10 remaining regular season races, although two have yet to be announced, and the playoffs are scheduled to begin on Friday, September 18 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Finally, the Truck Series has eight remaining regular season races, although two have yet to be announced. However, the playoff start date has not been confirmed, as the two tracks which were initially scheduled to host the first two playoff races have been removed from the schedule.

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