NASCAR Adjusts Eldora Qualifying Format

NASCAR has announced a series of format changes for the second annual NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway, scheduled for July 23.  

Among the changes, aimed to place additional emphasis on driver skill and team strategy, are:

Pit stops during competition cautions are now optional. Pit stops were mandatory in last year’s inaugural event.

Each qualifying race will now be 10 laps in length. Last year, each race was eight laps.

A random draw will determine qualifying order. Last year, practice speeds dictated the qualifying order.

Owner points will be awarded to the top five team owners whose trucks do not transfer to the main feature. Last season, teams that did not advance to the main feature did not earn owner points. 

“Last year’s inaugural event at Eldora Speedway was an incredible success, and these enhancements will only increase the excitement for our fans,” said Chad Little, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series managing director. “NASCAR continually works with team owners and drivers to ensure that NASCAR fans get what they’ve come to expect out of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – close, thrilling racing, every single lap.”

The event continues to showcase a traditional two-lap qualifying session, five qualifying races, one last-chance race and a champion’s provisional to determine the 30-truck starting field. The top 20 in owner points entering the event will have a guaranteed starting position.

The overall race procedures for the Mudsummer Classic are as follows:

Time Trial Qualifying

Two-lap, single-truck qualifying determines starting position for the qualifying races with random draw determining the qualifying order.

Qualifying Races

Five qualifying races will be held at 10 laps each and only green flag laps are counted.

Lineup for the qualifying races will be based on qualifying speeds.

The top five trucks in qualifying will start on the pole for their respective qualifying races with four locked-in trucks (top 20 in driver points) starting in each qualifying race.

Five trucks from each qualifying race will transfer to the feature – four locked-in trucks and one non-locked-in truck.

Upon completion of the qualifying races, 25 trucks will earn spots in the feature race.

Last Chance Race

The lineup will be based on finishing position from the qualifying races and the race will be 15 laps with only green flag laps counted.

Top-four finishers transfer to the feature and start in positions 26-29.

The 30th starting position goes to the most recent past series champion. If the position is not filled by an eligible champion, it will be assigned to the next highest finishing truck of the Last Chance Race.

Owner points will be awarded to the top five team owners whose trucks do not transfer into the feature.

Feature

The race will be 150 laps divided into three segments of 60, 50 and 40 laps with competition cautions at the breaks on Lap 60 and Lap 110.

Caution laps will not count during the competition cautions and positions cannot be improved on pit road.

Teams are not required to pit during the competition cautions. Those teams that do not elect to pit, may remain on the track and start in front of the pitting teams.