It’s a different weekend for NASCAR. Rather than the standard, single, long race on an asphalt surface, they’re doing a dirt race, with most of what that usually entails (namely, dirt, and while the format isn’t exactly like standard dirt races, they are going to do heats for qualifying).
Both the Trucks and the Cup Series are racing. It’s at Bristol. Here’s the weekend schedule (all times EDT):
Saturday
4:30 PM – First Truck qualifying race
4:45 PM – Second Truck qualifying race
5:00 PM – Third Truck qualifying race
5:15 PM – Fourth Truck qualifying race
6:00 PM – First Cup qualifying race
6:15 PM – Second Cup qualifying race
6:30 PM – Third Cup qualifying race
6:45 PM – Fourth Cup qualifying race
8:00 PM – Truck Series race
Sunday
3:30 PM – Cup Series race
***
The qualifying races will be just 15 laps, with caution flag laps not counted towards the total. The Truck Series race will be 150 laps (75 miles). The Cup Series race will be 250 laps (125 miles). For those, my impression is caution flag laps will be counted (didn’t see this explicitly spelled out for the Truck race, but I’m assuming it’s the same as the Cup Series).
Qualifying won’t just be about where drivers finish in their heats. Drivers will also get points for passing other drivers (and won’t lose points for being passed—so starting on the pole, something that was determined by a random draw, might not be optimal).
There won’t be green flag pit stops during the Cup Series race (and again, I’m assuming this is true for the Truck Series race as well). The Cup Series cars are a lot heavier than anything that usually runs on dirt, and a few modifications have been made to keep them running. We’ll see how it goes.
The following Cup Series drivers are also racing in the Truck race:
Chase Briscoe
Kevin Harvick
Kyle Larson
Ryan Newman
Daniel Suarez
Martin Truex Jr.
Bubba Wallace
Should be fun.
