Photo: NASCAR
Since the start of the pandemic, NASCAR has gone racing without either practice or qualifying. Now, both events are returning as a single event that will see drivers battle it out to take pole position each weekend.
It's an exciting time to be a NASCAR fan. While many fans may feel dismayed at the prospect of the series switching to hybrid powertrains in the coming years, there's a lot more to get fired up about.
Just yesterday, Ford posted a video of their NASCAR teams working with their new Mustang racecar. Chevrolet is well into the development of a next-generation Camaro NASCAR entry too.
Now, spectators will have even more chances to see the cars run each weekend. Now, practice will matter a lot more as it's been fully incorporated into the qualifying session itself. It's clear that this is more than just a way to simplify Covid Protection Protocols, though.
Scott Miller, the NASCAR Senior VP of Competition, said, "We missed seeing cars and trucks on track all weekend long, and so did our fans. We worked closely with our broadcast partners, teams and racetracks to create an exciting, unique qualifying format, while keeping several of the efficiencies that helped our entire industry successfully navigate the pandemic."
The current plan is to split the cars into two groups for most tracks. Each group will get 15-20 minutes of practice time, depending on the track. Then each car will get a chance to perform a single-car qualifying lap. After each car has run, the top 5-10 cars will advance to the final round. The winner there will determine the overall pole position.
Some courses will require special changes, though. For example, Bristol Motor Speedway will see two 50-minute practice sessions before four qualifying races determine the grid. At Daytona and Talladega, one round of practice with all cars will take place. Then the top ten will move onto the final round.
Regardless of the minutia of each track, we're excited to see a more sporting event than in previous years. Surely, fans in attendance will love it too.
Just yesterday, Ford posted a video of their NASCAR teams working with their new Mustang racecar. Chevrolet is well into the development of a next-generation Camaro NASCAR entry too.
Now, spectators will have even more chances to see the cars run each weekend. Now, practice will matter a lot more as it's been fully incorporated into the qualifying session itself. It's clear that this is more than just a way to simplify Covid Protection Protocols, though.
Scott Miller, the NASCAR Senior VP of Competition, said, "We missed seeing cars and trucks on track all weekend long, and so did our fans. We worked closely with our broadcast partners, teams and racetracks to create an exciting, unique qualifying format, while keeping several of the efficiencies that helped our entire industry successfully navigate the pandemic."
The current plan is to split the cars into two groups for most tracks. Each group will get 15-20 minutes of practice time, depending on the track. Then each car will get a chance to perform a single-car qualifying lap. After each car has run, the top 5-10 cars will advance to the final round. The winner there will determine the overall pole position.
Some courses will require special changes, though. For example, Bristol Motor Speedway will see two 50-minute practice sessions before four qualifying races determine the grid. At Daytona and Talladega, one round of practice with all cars will take place. Then the top ten will move onto the final round.
Regardless of the minutia of each track, we're excited to see a more sporting event than in previous years. Surely, fans in attendance will love it too.
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