For the first time since 1996, the NASCAR Cup Series is set to run a points race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, and the 2026 season is actually the first with North Wilkesboro set to host exactly one points race since 1956.
Because the four-turn, 0.625-mile (1.006-kilometer) North Wilkesboro, North Carolina oval is considered a short track, each of the 37 drivers on the entry list is set to be allowed two qualifying laps, rather than one. Drivers are not required to use both laps, as top speed, not average speed, is the determining factor as far as the starting lineup goes.
The qualifying session is a single-car session, and there is just one round; there is no second round shootout for pole position like there is on superspeedways.
NASCAR's two-variable qualifying metric determined the qualifying order for Saturday's session, based on each car's rank in the owner standings as well as its finish in the most recent race at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta Motor Speedway). The current formula has been in place since 2025.
The only change to the lineup since this past weekend's race at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta Motor Speedway) is the fact that the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet will not compete at North Wilkesboro after team owner B.J. McLeod drove it at Atlanta.
The other non-chartered (open) car that ran the Atlanta race, the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford, is back on the entry list, and it is once again set to be driven by Chad Finchum. With just one open car on the entry list, Finchum is locked into the race.
Here's the full qualifying order for Saturday's qualifying session.
NASCAR Cup Series qualifying order at North Wilkesboro
Order | Driver |
|---|---|
1 | Chad Finchum, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford |
2 | Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet |
3 | A.J. Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet |
4 | Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota |
5 | Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet |
6 | Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet |
7 | Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford |
8 | Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
9 | Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford |
10 | Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford |
11 | Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
12 | Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota |
13 | Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
14 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet |
15 | Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford |
16 | Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet |
17 | Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford |
18 | Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet |
19 | John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota |
20 | Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford |
21 | Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet |
22 | Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet |
23 | William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
24 | Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford |
25 | Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet |
26 | Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet |
27 | Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford |
28 | Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet |
29 | Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford |
30 | Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet |
31 | Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
32 | Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota |
33 | Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota |
34 | Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet |
35 | Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
36 | Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota |
37 | Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford |
TNT's live coverage of the Window World 450 from North Wilkesboro Speedway is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19. Don't miss the first Cup Series points race at the track in 30 years!
