An unexpected afternoon thunderstorm rolled over North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday, forcing NASCAR officials to call off the Cup Series qualifying session that was scheduled to determine the starting order for the upcoming race.
With the clock ticking and the track soaked, series leaders opted to settle the lineup using a new metric that blends owner points and the most recent race finish, a compromise that has been gaining traction in recent weeks.
How the Metric Determines the Grid
The metric combines 30 % of a team’s owner points with 70 % of its most recent race finish, producing a score that ranks all entries and dictates their starting positions.
Under the formula, Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, will start from pole position, while Ty Gibbs, piloting the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, will line up alongside him on the front row.
The metric, which weighs 30 percent on owner standings and 70 percent on the latest race result, placed Christopher Bell in third, Carson Hocevar fourth and Tyler Reddick fifth, rounding out the top five of the grid.
Completing the top ten are Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott, each of whom will look to capitalize on the unconventional starting positions.
Despite the shuffled order, several high‑profile names will have to fight their way forward, with Brad Keselowski slated 23rd, Bubba Wallace 26th, Kyle Larson 27th and Chase Briscoe 30th.
Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing, the powerhouses behind Blaney and Gibbs, will be watching closely as their drivers attempt to convert the favorable start into a victory.
What’s Next
With the grid set, attention now turns to the race itself, where weather conditions and pit strategy could further reshuffle the order, promising a competition that blends skill, strategy and the unpredictable nature of short‑track racing.