Ryan Blaney will start on pole for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona after the qualifying session was canceled due to a lightning strike near the track. The decision came on Friday during the Cup and Xfinity Series qualifying attempts, forcing officials to set the starting lineups based on NASCAR’s standard metric system.
How the Starting Lineup Was Determined for Both Series
NASCAR used a formula combining four performance factors from recent events to assign starting positions. These components include 15% of the fastest lap times from the previous race, 25% of the driver’s finishing position in that race, 25% of the owner’s final finishing position, and 35% of the owner’s current points standings. Thanks to this system, no teams were excluded even though qualifying was canceled for the 40 Cup cars and 38 Xfinity cars registered for the weekend.
Top Starters for the Cup and Xfinity Races
Leading the field, Ryan Blaney will start in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, taking the pole position for Saturday night’s race. He will be joined on the front row by Alex Bowman, driving the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, who currently holds the 16th and final playoff spot heading into the regular season finale. Close behind are Kyle Larson in third, Joey Logano in fourth, and Austin Cindric rounding out the top five starters. The rest of the top ten includes Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon, William Byron, Chase Briscoe, and Brad Keselowski, who will complete the leading group off the line.
Xfinity Series Lineup and Key Drivers to Watch
The Xfinity Series qualifying was similarly halted, despite multiple cars attempting runs before the lightning strike. Connor Zilisch is scheduled to start first in the Xfinity race, although he is likely to relinquish the car during the initial caution period after intending to start despite a broken collarbone. Parker Kligerman stands ready as a substitute for JR Motorsports if needed, but Zilisch will earn points as long as he takes the green flag. Sam Mayer and Sammy Smith will start second and third, respectively, for the Saturday Xfinity race at Daytona.
Weather Concerns and Race Day Outlook
Inclement weather frequently impacts events at Daytona around this time of year, and Friday night’s Xfinity race, as well as Saturday night’s Cup race, could still face interruptions from rain or lightning. Race officials continue to monitor conditions closely to ensure safety and proper scheduling of both events.