HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Persistent weather issues during the 2026 Chase forced NASCAR to update the qualifying procedures for the 2027 season.
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"What we're going to do for 2027 is line 'em up by owners' points," John Probst, president of NASCAR Event Management, told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Friday.
"That will make it a little bit easier to explain to our fans. There's no math involved other than you just look at the owners' points. And that's how we'll line them up on Sunday (for the Cup Series race)."
The starting lineup metric has taken into account the owners' points, as well as the previous race on the schedule. Specifically, past performances heavily impacted the starting grid.
The metric sets the lineup based on fastest lap time position (15%), the driver's final race finish position (25%), the owner's final race finish position (25%), and the owner points position (35%).
The qualifying and starting lineup metrics have been a hot topic during the NASCAR season, especially during the Chase.
Four of the first six races of the postseason had weather disrupt qualifying, which led to multiple Chase drivers lining up further back in the field.
Ryan Blaney, in particular, had to start near the rear of the field at multiple tracks due to incidents in the prior races.
"I think the metric is very solid for kind of lining people up for qualifying on any weekend," Blaney told media members at Bristol before weather disrupted qualifying again. "And sometimes you have bad weeks or you don't finish good, and you're gonna qualify towards the front.
"Or you're gonna — if it rains out qualifying — you're gonna start at the back. So I don't really think it's something that needs to get too much traction, and this is from someone who's (been) bit by it a couple times in three weeks, but just kind of part of the game."
The change to the metric is not the only adjustment for 2027, but it is the only one that Probst confirmed. He noted that it is possible that superspeedway qualifying will go to only one round instead of two. The superspeedways are the only tracks on the schedule where the 10 fastest drivers move on to a second round.
The other change would create some similarities between regular-season races and the All-Star Race. Probst said that NASCAR is examining putting a mandatory pit stop in the qualifying run at select tracks.
"Kind of making it more of a team qualifying versus just a driver out there going as fast as he can," Probst said. "Bringing the pit crew into it. We're still working on it with the teams, but that is something that we'd like to do next year for a handful of events."
