The NASCAR Xfinity Series is heading to one of the most legendary racetracks in the country for the 2025 Pennzoil 250. Set for Saturday afternoon at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 100-lap, 250-mile event will test the best young talent and veteran skill in the field. With the qualifying order now revealed, all eyes turn to the one-lap, one-round session that could determine the fate of the weekend for several hopefuls chasing glory on Indy’s long straightaways and flat corners.
Key Highlights
The Pennzoil 250 marks the 21st race of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval will host a 38-car field on Saturday.
Qualifying takes place July 26 at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the race at 4:30 p.m. ET.
One-lap, single-round format will decide the grid for Saturday’s 100-lap showdown.
Sammy Smith and Dawson Cram lead Groups B and A respectively in the qualifying order.
One Lap to Prove It
Indianapolis Motor Speedway offers no forgiveness. With its unique, flat corners and daunting 2.5-mile layout, speed alone is not enough. On Saturday, each driver will get just one lap to stamp their time into the starting lineup for the Pennzoil 250. The qualifying groups have been split based on NASCAR’s metric score formula—weighted 70% from the previous race’s owner finish and 30% from current owner points position.
Group A will be led by Dawson Cram, driving for Mike Harmon Racing. Group B sees JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith take the first lap in his group. Every team knows what’s at stake. Track position at Indianapolis is hard-earned, and without multiple rounds to improve, precision and preparation are crucial.
The single-lap, single-round format offers no second chances. With 38 cars trying to secure an optimal grid spot, clean air and early momentum could spell the difference between a front-row start and a mid-pack scramble when the green flag drops Saturday afternoon.
Full Qualifying Order for the Pennzoil 250
The full field is now set in qualifying groups, and teams will be making final tweaks heading into Saturday morning. Group A consists largely of smaller or mid-tier teams, while Group B holds several of the heavy hitters and expected contenders.
Group A – Qualifying Order
| S.No | Car No. | Driver |
| 1 | 74 | Dawson Cram |
| 2 | 35 | David Starr |
| 3 | 53 | Joey Gase |
| 4 | 14 | Garrett Smithley |
| 5 | 28 | Kyle Sieg |
| 6 | 91 | Josh Bilicki |
| 7 | 7 | Logan Bearden |
| 8 | 71 | Ryan Ellis |
| 9 | 31 | Blaine Perkins |
| 10 | 45 | Mason Massey |
| 11 | 48 | Nick Sanchez |
| 12 | 70 | Leland Honeyman |
| 13 | 32 | Katherine Legge |
| 14 | 11 | Josh Williams |
| 15 | 51 | Jeremy Clements |
| 16 | 44 | Brennan Poole |
| 17 | 42 | Anthony Alfredo |
| 18 | 4 | Parker Retzlaff |
| 19 | 10 | Daniel Dye |
Group B – Qualifying Order
| S.No | Car No. | Driver |
| 1 | 8 | Sammy Smith |
| 2 | 27 | Jeb Burton |
| 3 | 17 | Kyle Larson |
| 4 | 99 | |
| 5 | 26 | Dean Thompson |
| 6 | 1 | Carson Kvapil |
| 7 | 16 | Christian Eckes |
| 8 | 25 | Harrison Burton |
| 9 | 21 | Austin Hill |
| 10 | 41 | Sam Mayer |
| 11 | 39 | Ryan Sieg |
| 12 | 0 | Sheldon Creed |
| 13 | 54 | Taylor Gray |
| 14 | 2 | Jesse Love |
| 15 | 19 | Aric Almirola |
| 16 | 20 | Brandon Jones |
| 17 | 7 | Justin Allgaier |
| 18 | 88 | Connor Zilisch |
The qualifying session will be carried live on The CW App at 1 p.m. ET, while the Pennzoil 250 will be broadcast on The CW, IMS Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Indy’s Unique Challenge
What separates the Pennzoil 250 from most other races on the Xfinity schedule is the layout and legacy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s not just about horsepower—it’s about handling through four nearly identical corners, all laid out in perfect symmetry. There’s almost no banking on the straightaways, and while the corners do feature 9.2 degrees of banking, they require braking discipline and perfect throttle timing to exit cleanly.
The high-speed front and back stretches allow for hard drafting and last-lap heroics, but only for those who’ve survived the first 99 laps in contention. Historically, the pole sitter at Indy has a strong chance at finishing up front, and with no room for error during qualifying, teams must hit the setup immediately.
Big names like Kyle Larson, Justin Allgaier, and Austin Hill are expected to bring the heat. Meanwhile, dark horses like Jesse Love and Connor Zilisch may have the chance to turn heads with an aggressive and clean qualifying run.
News in Brief: Qualifying Order Set for 2025 Pennzoil 250
The 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will feature 38 drivers in a one-lap, single-round qualifying format. Saturday’s session begins at 1 p.m. ET on The CW App and sets the grid for the 100-lap race at 4:30 p.m. ET on The CW. Groups are divided by NASCAR’s metric score. Dawson Cram leads Group A and Sammy Smith leads Group B. With history and precision colliding, Indy could reshape the playoff picture.
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