For 2025, NASCAR overhauled its qualifying procedures across all three national series. The new rules drop the multi-car, multi-round knockout sessions at most tracks. Instead, most Cup, Xfinity and Truck races now use single-car time trials (one flying lap, or two laps at short tracks) to set the lineup. (As always, the Daytona 500 and other non-points events keep their own formats and are excluded from these rules.)
How Knockout Qualifying Works (2014–2024)
Knockout qualifying was first used in NASCAR in 2014 as an “F1-style” format. Under that system, cars ran in group sessions and the fastest subset moved on to successive rounds. For example, at larger ovals an entire field might run a first round, the quickest 24 cars would advance to a 10-minute second round, then the fastest 12 to a 5-minute final round, etc. In each round drivers tried to set the fastest lap; at the end the quickest car earned the pole position. The goal was excitement and strategy, but over time teams found ways to play the format (or occasionally break it). In one notorious 2019 case at Auto Club Speedway, several contenders delayed going out and no car even completed a lap in the final round.
2025 Cup Series Qualifying
The Cup Series qualifications this year look very different. At short ovals (Bristol, Martinsville, Dover, Richmond, etc.), each car makes two timed laps, and its best lap is used for qualifying. At intermediate and large ovals (like Las Vegas, Kansas, Texas, etc.), each car gets one timed lap. Road courses now run two 20-minute group sessions (Group 1 and Group 2) with multiple cars on track; each driver’s fastest lap in that session sets the time. There is no extra knockout round at road courses – the times from those group sessions directly set the grid (unlike the old format where a final “fast 10” round was run).
The only place NASCAR retained a true multi-round shootout is at the superspeedways. At Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta, qualifying still has two rounds. All cars run an initial lap, then the 10 fastest cars advance to a final round of one more lap to decide positions 1–10. (The top-10 shootout always attracted attention because drafting can help lap times, but that is a separate issue.) Notably, the Daytona 500 is unique: it still uses single-car time trials to set the pole, followed by the Duel races – so there is no multi-round knockout qualifying for the 500 itself.
2025 Xfinity and Truck Series Qualifying
The NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck series follow the same simplified approach. At most racetracks in Xfinity and Trucks, each vehicle makes a single timed lap (two at designated short tracks). For example, Martinsville, Bristol, Dover and Iowa each give two laps; all other ovals give one lap. Practice sessions are split into Group 1 and Group 2 the same way as Cup.
Likewise, the only knockout-style qualifying in Xfinity or Trucks comes at superspeedways. At Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta, Xfinity and Trucks still hold a two-round format. All cars take one lap in Round 1, then the fastest 10 advance to a final round of one more lap for the pole. (For example, the Xfinity rules say: “Qualifying will be one lap, two rounds – Fastest 10 cars in first round advance to final round… Starting positions 1-10 will be based on finish in final round.”) In short, only superspeedway races in 2025 use true multi-round knockout qualifying; everywhere else is a straight single-car time trial.
Changes and Controversies in 2025
NASCAR’s return to one-at-a-time qualifying was prompted by years of complaints about the knockout system. Drivers and teams often found the old format confusing or unfair. As one editorial noted, NASCAR “has implemented a comprehensive overhaul of its qualifying rules for 2025” to eliminate group sessions and “streamline the process.” NASCAR’s official announcement confirmed that “single-round qualifying [is] at every track except superspeedways.” The logic is to reduce gamesmanship: the new rules “ensure fairness and reduce strategic manipulation while emphasizing pure speed.”
Critics of the past system say it was ripe for shenanigans. Veteran driver Clint Bowyer famously derided several recent sessions (especially at short tracks) as “an epic fail” when cars simply sat on pit road instead of making fast laps. NASCAR even acknowledged the need for change after repeat fiascos. As one NASCAR executive put it, the sport needed to “learn from your mistakes” – the group-knockout format had become “an embarrassing talking point” every week.
The 2025 rules are meant to avoid that. In practice, teams are now focused on nailing a single flyer rather than managing traffic. Media observers like Jeff Gluck have praised the simplicity: “The big takeaway is single-round qualifying most places now,” he said, adding “there’s no more knockout qualifying.” Indeed, without multi-car rounds, the starting lineup is simply set by lap times – no grouping or “who was in which session” wrinkle.
Driver and Team Impact
Early reactions in 2025 have been mostly positive. Some crew chiefs note that longer practice and one-lap qualifying means teams can concentrate on pure speed setups. Others point out that under the new metrics-based system the fastest cars tend to run later, which could tighten fields (since track conditions usually improve). In any case, with the old knockout drama gone, racing fans should see qualifying sessions that are straightforward to follow. Drivers have said they appreciate knowing it’s just about hitting one good lap, and strategy has shifted accordingly. (For now, at least, there are no big new controversies – knockouts are back in the box.)
Overall, the 2025 season’s qualifying sees knockout-style racing largely retired from Cup, Xfinity and Truck points events – except on the big superspeedways. NASCAR’s goal was to make qualifying fairer and easier to understand, and so far it appears the format change is doing just that.
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