Qualifying report

NASCAR Cup North Wilkesboro starting lineup: Blaney on pole with qualifying cancelled

The metric will set the starting grid for the first points-paying Cup race at North Wilkesboro in thirty years

An afternoon storm prevented NASCAR from holding Cup Series qualifying at North Wilkesboro Speedway, but they still managed to run practice later in the evening. As a result of this cancellation, the field will be set by the metric, with Ryan Blaney on pole for the race in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford.

The metric is an average, based on a weighted average of a car's place in the owner standings (30%), and the entry's finish in the most recent race (70%).

Blaney will share the front row with Ty Gibbs in the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Christopher Bell will start third, Carson Hocevar fourth, and Tyler Reddick fifth.

Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Chris Buescher, and Chase Elliott fill out the remainder of the top ten.

SUNDAY UPDATE: Team Penske found a power steering issue with the No. 12, and the repairs count as unapproved adjustments, so Blaney will have to start from the rear of the field. The entire inside row will move up, putting Bell on the front row with Gibbs.

Some notable drivers far deeper in the field include Brad Keselowski in 23rd, Bubba Wallace 26th, Kyle Larson 27th, and Chase Briscoe 30th.

Additionally, Ross Chastain's No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet failed inspection three times, so he will start from the rear of the field and have to serve a pass-through penalty once the race starts.

In the practice session that followed, Bell led the way over Hamlin and Chastain on the speed charts. Bell also held the best ten-lap averages.

2026 NASCAR Cup North Wilkesboro Starting Lineup

Pos.	Driver
1	Ryan Blaney
2	Ty Gibbs
3	Christopher Bell
4	Carson Hocevar
5	Tyler Reddick
6	Erik Jones
7	Denny Hamlin
8	Shane van Gisbergen
9	Chris Buescher
10	Chase Elliott
11	Joey Logano
12	Austin Dillon
13	Ross Chastain (must start from rear)
14	Austin Cindric
15	William Byron
16	Michael McDowell
17	Daniel Suarez
18	Todd Gilliland
19	John Hunter Nemechek
20	Cole Custer
21	Ryan Preece
22	Ty Dillon
23	Brad Keselowski
24	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
25	Alex Bowman
26	Bubba Wallace
27	Kyle Larson
28	Josh Berry
29	Zane Smith
30	Chase Briscoe
31	Noah Gragson
32	Connor Zilisch
33	Austin Hill
34	Riley Herbst
35	AJ Allmendinger
36	Cody Ware
37	Chad Finchum