MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 28, 2016) – NASCAR today has made changes to qualifying procedures and provisional starting spots for Open teams in the upcoming Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

First, in the event that adverse conditions prevent qualifying from taking place, current year Team Owner points (not practice speeds) for both Charter and Open teams will determine race eligibility and starting position at all tracks (with an Open team exception for the first three events of the season), beginning with this weekend’s race at Daytona International Speedway.

“Using current year Owner Points to determine race eligibility and starting positions at all tracks during adverse conditions provides a more even competition field for both Charter and Open teams, is much easier for fans to follow, and gives teams a more predictable schedule when inclement weather is a factor — all positives for fans and the sport,” read the release of the new guidelines. “The lone exception, beginning in 2017 — using Open team practice speeds in the second and third events of the season to determine eligibility and starting line-up — lowers the barrier for entry for a new, competitive Open Team.”

The second change adds a guaranteed starting spot for teams that make the Chase but do not have a NASCAR Charter. “Earning a berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup is extremely difficult and requires consistent elite performance, and every team that achieves that goal has earned the opportunity to race for the title,” the release read. “Fans want to see the championship decided by the best drivers competing against one another, and this ensures that those drivers who’ve earned the right to battle for the title are able to do so.”