The NASCAR Cup Series will head to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Sunday at 2 p.m. ET for Round 5 of the 2025 In-Season Challenge, featuring the iconic Brickyard event. The key moment, the NASCAR Cup Series Indianapolis Qualifying, will take place on Saturday at 2:35 p.m. ET, when all 39 cars will complete a single timed lap to determine their starting positions.
How the Qualifying Lineup Was Determined
Saturday’s qualifying format consists of one lap and one round per driver, making every second on the track crucial. The qualifying order is set by a metric combining 70% of the previous race’s finishing position by car owner and 30% based on the current owner points standings. This system creates mixed groups, blending experience and current form to decide the starting ranks.
Drivers Lining Up for Their Chance to Shine
The lineup for qualifying features a range of drivers from established veterans to emerging talent. Jesse Love leads the list with a metric score of 42.51, followed closely by Josh Bilicki and Katherine Legge. Notable competitors such as Zane Smith, Riley Herbst, Todd Gilliland, and Hunter Nemechek appear in the mid-section of the list, while other top names including Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin are positioned further down based on the metric.
The qualifying session commands attention as this arrangement blends recent performance and overall season success, setting up an exciting battle for early race positioning on the challenging Brickyard layout.
What to Expect from the Brickyard Qualifying Session
With only one lap to impress, drivers will need to balance aggression with precision to earn a strong starting spot at Indianapolis. The mixed metric determining the order adds a strategic layer, rewarding consistent finishes and current season progress. As the race on Sunday unfolds, the qualifying order will be a critical factor in how drivers approach the storied track’s demanding corners.