Rain drenched the track at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday, forcing NASCAR to cancel the traditional qualifying session for the upcoming Cup Series race.
Rain Forces Performance‑Metric Lineup
Series officials turned to their proprietary performance metric to determine the starting order, a method that has become a staple when weather interferes with on‑track action.
Ryan Blaney emerged as the pole sitter, capitalizing on the metric to claim the top spot on the grid. He will be joined on the front row by Ty Gibbs, who secured the second position in the same calculation.
The top five is completed by Christopher Bell, Carson Hocevar and Tyler Reddick, each of whom will need to navigate a crowded field as the race unfolds.
Several playoff contenders, including Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe and AJ Allmendinger, will have to fight their way forward from positions outside the top ten, setting the stage for a dramatic battle through the field.
NASCAR has announced a practice session before the Sunday event, giving teams a final chance to fine‑tune setups before the green flag drops.
The race, known as the Window World 450, serves as the semifinal round of the series’ In‑Season Challenge, adding extra stakes for drivers eyeing the playoffs.