Bristol lineup set by metric after storms cancel qualifying

NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 18, 2026

Bristol lineup

NASCAR set the starting lineup for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race by its metric formula after qualifying was canceled at Bristol Motor Speedway because of rain and lightning. Kyle Larson will start on the pole after winning at Gateway last weekend. Joey Logano lines up beside him on the front row. Denny Hamlin starts third, William Byron fourth and Carson Hocevar fifth. The rest of the top 10 gives the field more depth up front. Alex Bowman starts sixth, followed by Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon and Bubba Wallace. NASCAR used the metric formula to set the grid for the second time in three weekends, another reminder of how quickly weather can reshape a race weekend in Cup Series competition. The full entry list includes 37 cars, so the front of the field will have to manage traffic early and often once the race gets rolling.

Bristol schedule

Bristol Motor Speedway is set to host the Cup Series race with the green flag at 7:30 p.m. ET. The event is scheduled for 500 laps, and the listed stage lengths run 125 laps, 250 laps and 500 laps total. That makes track position important from the start. With the lineup determined by formula rather than speed, the starting order is set before race night.

NASCAR also completed a shortened Cup practice session after the lightning hold was lifted. That gave teams at least a limited chance to check the cars before race night. Even so, the weather disruption changed the flow of the weekend and left teams with limited preparation before the race.

Bristol context

Hamlin arrives at Bristol leading the Cup championship by nine points over Larson and 18 points over Christopher Bell, which adds another layer to a race already shaped by weather and a metric lineup. Bell is the defending Bristol Night Race winner, a useful marker for a track that rewards both speed and control in traffic. Ty Gibbs won the most recent Cup race at Bristol, so recent results at the Tennessee short track have already shown how quickly momentum can shift there. Larson also enters with a strong Bristol resume, as he leads active drivers in laps led at the speedway.

Several other storylines travel with the field. Austin Hill is filling in for Kyle Busch, while Busch is scheduled to be honored with tributes during the weekend. Josh Bilicki is entered in the open No. 66 Ford and will make his third start of the season for Garage 66. Those details round out a crowded Bristol weekend where the headliners include the pole winner, the points leader, the defending winner and a track known for turning a 500-lap race into a long test of patience, pace and position.