NASCAR to welcome back an old friend for Phoenix race

The season finale weekend at Phoenix Raceway is set to see what has become somewhat of a rarity in NASCAR: practice and qualifying sessions.

For the majority of the 2020 NASCAR season after the sport made its May return following the hiatus caused by COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions, practice and qualifying were completely wiped off the calendar during race weekends.

At first, NASCAR was using random draws (“random” to an extent, given that drivers were separated into groups based on points) to set starting lineups. They then moved to a starting lineup formula.

For 2021, despite the fact that most (if not all) active racing series have seen practice and qualifying sessions ahead of their main events, NASCAR continued to use the formula.

For the Cup Series, only eight of 36 races were slated to see qualifying.

• Daytona International Speedway (Daytona 500)
• Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt race)
• Circuit of the Americas
• Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Nashville Superspeedway
• Road America
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course
• Phoenix Raceway (season finale)

Daytona 500 qualifying was held via a single-car qualifying session and then the Duels, like usual. Qualifying for the inaugural Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race was slated to be held via heat races, but NASCAR ended up using the formula anyway due to a rainout. Practice was held for both events.

As for Circuit of the Americas, Nashville Superspeedway and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, practice and qualifying were held due to the fact that the Cup Series had never raced on these tracks before. The same logic was used for Road America since the most recent race there had been contested all the way back in 1956.

As for Charlotte Motor Speedway, practice and qualifying were held due to the Coca-Cola 600’s standing as a crown jewel event.

That brings us to Phoenix Raceway.

None of the first nine race weekends in the four-round, 10-race playoffs saw a practice or a qualifying session, but practice and qualifying are set to return for the first time in over two and a half months this weekend for the season finale.

And this return should mark a true return for both practice and qualifying, as the plan is for the 2022 season to see both at every race weekend. Beginning next year, there are slated to be some modifications to the format that has been seen in years past, but those changes have not yet been confirmed.

The Truck Series and Xfinity Series are also set to see both practice and qualifying ahead of their season finales at the track this weekend.

The Truck Series season finale is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 5 (8:00 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1), and the Xfinity Series season finale is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 6 (8:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network). The Cup Series season finale is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 7 (3:00 p.m. ET, NBC). Start your free trial of FuboTV today so you don’t miss any of the action!