DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — NASCAR is overhauling its qualifying process and will go to a knockout format similar to Formula One and IndyCar.
The new format will not be used for the Daytona 500, non-points events in the Sprint Cup Series and the Truck Series event at Eldora Speedway in Ohio.
NASCAR will use three rounds of qualifying at tracks 1.25 miles in length or larger. The entire field will have 25 minutes to post their fastest single lap and the top 24 advance to the second round.
The second segment will last 10 minutes and the fastest 12 will advance to a final, five-minute round.
At tracks smaller than 1.25 miles, qualifying will be in two segments. The first will be 30 minutes with the top 12 advancing to a 10-minute final session.
