Rain changed everything at Dover Motor Speedway, forcing officials to cancel qualifying and practice sessions for Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400. With the weather ruling the weekend, NASCAR set the starting order using its performance-based metric formula. It’s not the way most drivers want to begin a race weekend, especially with a new tire compound in play. But the lineup is now set, and Chase Elliott will lead the pack to the green flag with Chase Briscoe beside him. Some favorites are buried deep in the field.
Key Highlights
Chase Elliott earned pole via NASCAR’s metric formula after rain canceled qualifying
Shane van Gisbergen starts sixth following two straight Cup Series wins
Kyle Larson starts 25th, seeking turnaround after recent struggles
Defending Dover winner Denny Hamlin begins 13th
New tire compound adds uncertainty with no practice sessions held
Chase Elliott Grabs the Pole Amid Wet Weekend
A washed-out Saturday left the starting grid for Sunday’s race in the hands of NASCAR’s formula, which balances prior finishing positions, owner points, and fastest laps from the previous event. The outcome worked in favor of Chase Elliott, who secured the top spot in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He’s joined on the front row by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe in the No. 19 Toyota.
Christopher Bell will start third alongside 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, while William Byron rounds out the top five. Byron’s fifth-place starting spot continues a strong season for the points leader, who’s been consistent in both speed and results.
SVG’s rising profile continues as Shane van Gisbergen lines up sixth. The New Zealander has shocked the Cup garage with back-to-back road-course wins in Chicago and Sonoma, and now gets a chance to shine on Dover’s high banks. Just behind him, veterans Michael McDowell, Joey Logano, Ty Gibbs, and Kyle Busch fill out the rest of the top 10.
“Brand new tire or not, practice is always important,” – Kyle Larson
No Track Time Creates More Unknowns
Drivers hoping to learn something about a new tire compound before the green flag were left disappointed. With both practice and qualifying sessions canceled due to rain, competitors will go into Sunday’s 400-lap event without any on-track preparation. That adds another layer of unpredictability, especially for teams struggling to find consistency.
Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet, a dominant force early in the season, hasn’t finished inside the top five since Michigan. Though Larson remains atop the playoff standings with three wins, his form has dipped.
“I wouldn’t deny that we’re in a slump, results kind of show that. But I think some of it has been a little bit out of our control, and some of it is execution with a car that’s been a little bit off on speed. But confidence in our 5 team is strong, and hopefully we can turn it around at Dover.” – Kyle Larson
Larson will have to work from 25th on the grid, and he’s not alone in starting deep in the field. Ryan Blaney starts 31st, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. begins in 34th—far from ideal on a tight, high-banked oval like Dover.
The Dover Storylines and Starting Lineup
As the Cup Series prepares for its 21st race of the season, several drivers enter with momentum or motivation. Shane van Gisbergen is quickly becoming a wildcard contender, and Sunday presents his biggest oval test yet.
Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin, last year’s Dover winner, starts from 13th. Hamlin has three career wins at this track and could be a factor if he climbs through traffic early. His teammate, Christopher Bell, is in prime position from the third starting spot, hoping to rebound after a stretch of inconsistent finishes.
Kyle Busch, a three-time winner at Dover, will begin 10th. While his 2025 season hasn’t matched past dominance, the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet has flashed speed, and Busch has shown he can still capitalize when track position is favorable.
| POS | # | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Chase Elliott |
| 2 | 19 | Chase Briscoe |
| 3 | 20 | Christopher Bell |
| 4 | 45 | Tyler Reddick |
| 5 | 24 | William Byron |
| 6 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen |
| 7 | 71 | Michael McDowell |
| 8 | 22 | Joey Logano |
| 9 | 54 | Ty Gibbs |
| 10 | 8 | Kyle Busch |
| 11 | 60 | Ryan Preece |
| 12 | 17 | Chris Buescher |
| 13 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 14 | 21 | Josh Berry |
| 15 | 6 | Brad Keselowski |
| 16 | 48 | Alex Bowman |
| 17 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 18 | 99 | Daniel Suarez |
| 19 | 1 | Ross Chastain |
| 20 | 7 | Justin Haley |
| 21 | 10 | Ty Dillon |
| 22 | 23 | Bubba Wallace |
| 23 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 24 | 34 | Todd Gilliland |
| 25 | 5 | Kyle Larson |
| 26 | 2 | Austin Cindric |
| 27 | 43 | Erik Jones |
| 28 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek |
| 29 | 41 | Cole Custer |
| 30 | 38 | Zane Smith |
| 31 | 12 | Ryan Blaney |
| 32 | 35 | Riley Herbst |
| 33 | 77 | Carson Hocevar |
| 34 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. |
| 35 | 51 | Cody Ware |
| 36 | 4 | Noah Gragson |
| 37 | 44 | JJ Yeley |
Among rookies, SVG and Carson Hocevar (starting 33rd) lead the way in terms of attention. The challenge will be greater for Hocevar with a poor starting spot and limited oval experience.
News in Brief: Full 2025 Dover Cup Starting Lineup
With rain washing out qualifying and practice, the starting lineup for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway was set using NASCAR’s metric formula. Chase Elliott will lead the field, joined on the front row by Chase Briscoe. SVG starts sixth after back-to-back road-course wins. Kyle Larson will have to charge from 25th, still seeking his first top-five since May. No practice laps and a new tire compound raise the level of uncertainty heading into Sunday’s race.
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