NASCAR at Bristol: Starting lineup for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race and first playoff elimination event
Denny Hamlin took the first checkered flag of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs – and his first of the season — Martin Truex Jr. won the second playoff race, and now it’s onto the first elimination race: The Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN).
With their playoff wins, Hamlin and Truex automatically advanced out of the Round of 16 and into the Round of 12, and they’ll start Saturday’s race from the front row. And based on points earned, Kyle Larson also locked himself into the next playoff round. The top-12 playoff drivers will advance after this race, and four will be dropped from championship contention.
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For Bristol — like most races this season — there are no qualifying or practice sessions.
Because of the challenges related to racing during the COVID-19 pandemic, most race weekends this season do not include practice or qualifying sessions. That goes for playoff races too, and the playoff drivers will start at the front of the field. So without qualifying, NASCAR determines the starting lineup with a formula based on these factors:
- 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
- 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
- 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
- 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race
Here’s the starting lineup for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol with Truex and Hamlin in the front row.