At long last, NASCAR has simplified qualifying for the Daytona 500.
Aside from Jimmie Johnson's No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota, which is already locked into the race via the Open Exemption Provisional, there are eight non-chartered (open) cars on the entry list for the 68th running of the Great American Race at Daytona International Speedway, and there are four spots open in the 41-car (not 40-car) lineup.
The process is simple. The fastest two open cars in the single-car qualifying session at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Daytona International Speedway oval are set to lock into the race. Of the remaining open cars, the top finishers in each of the two 60-lap America 250 Florida Duel races are also set to lock in.
Exact starting positions are set to be determined by the Duel results, aside from the Daytona 500 front row, which is set to be solidified in qualifying.
All things considered, it's a lot easier to understand than NASCAR's "backwards" Daytona 500 qualifying process from years past.
NASCAR ditches confusing Daytona 500 qualifying format
It used to be that the top open finishers in each Duel race locked into the race, with their starting positions determined by Duel result, while the next two fastest open cars from the qualifying session locked into the 39th and 40th starting positions, guaranteed regardless of their speed.
The problem was that single-car qualifying came first, even though the Duel races took precedence, and it was prefereable to lock in via Duel result instead of qualifying speed.
The top two open drivers from single-car qualifying were still eligible to work their way out of the 39th and 40th starting positions depending on their Duel results, opening up the door for the third and fourth fastest open drivers from qualifying to potentially be the two to lock in on speed (even after not initially doing so).
Additionally, the open drivers who were fifth or slower on qualifying speed had to race their way in not only by beating the other drivers not already locked in, but by beating those who had already locked in on speed. It made zero sense.
They needed to be the outright top open finishers in their Duel race to lock in. Even if they only placed behind the drivers who had already locked themselves in on speed, it wouldn't have been good enough.
Yes, it was a bit confusing. A full breakdown of what that looked like can be found here.
Under the new format, they'd simply need to be tops among the open drivers not already locked in on speed. The incentive for the drivers who lock in on speed would be to start as high up the order as possible with a strong Duel result, given the fact that the drivers who get in on speed are no longer necessarily locked into 39th and 40th.
Daytona 500 qualifying is set to be shown live on Fox Sports 1 from Daytona International Speedway starting at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The America 250 Florida Duel races are set to be shown live on on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday. The Daytona 500 itself is set to be shown live on Fox starting at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15. Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss it!