Ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season – considered to be one of the most competitive in recent memory — NASCAR has elected to make multiple changes to the process in which provisionals are handed out.
Highlighted by an overhaul to the order in which provisionals are assigned, as well as the addition of a Past Winners Provisional, the changes made to the system ahead of the season will likely have an impact on the cars starting each event.
Firstly, and most significantly, NASCAR will no longer take into account the number of attempts an entry has made when handing out owner point provisionals. This change eliminates the associated disadvantage with running a smaller schedule, and bases the allocation of an owner points provisional, strictly on owner points.
The changing of this rule aligns the NASCAR Xfinity Series’s process with that of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, which has always elected to favor a vehicle’s owner points position over its number of attempts.
Section 7.8.1.2.C: Team Owner Provisional Starting Positions
Subject to Section 7.8.1.4 Champions Provisional Starting Position-38th, any remaining Team Owner Provisional starting positions will be assigned according to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Team Owner Championship Points standings in descending order until Team Owner Provisional starting positions are filled.
Similar to the ways of previous seasons, positions 34 to 37 will be assigned based on owner points provisionals. However, when determining the final spot in the race, an additional provision has been added.
Debuting in qualifying sessions this season, the Past Winners Provisional (PWP) will be available to any driver that was won a race in the series’ current or previous season, awarding said driver the final position in the field, if needed.
However, the PWP will act alongside the Past Champions Provisional (PCP) to award only the 38th and final spot in the field, with the PWP only coming into play if the PCP isn’t utilized. Therefore, an eligible past champion will be awarded the final spot in the field over an eligible winner.
Section 7.8.1.5: PRevious Winner – 38th
If the Champion’s Provisional is not filled by an eligible Series Champion, the 38th starting position will be assigned to a Series Race winning driver from the previous calendar year or current calendar year provided the driver was entered for that Team Owner in that vehicle by the entry deadline.
In the event there is more than one driver eligible for the Previous Winner Provisional, the Team Owner highest in the Series Team Owner Points standings will be assigned the 38th starting position.
In the event that multiple drivers are in need of the Previous Winners Provisional, the driver with the car highest in owner points will be assigned the 38th and final starting position.
As things stand, the only driver that sits in a potentially vulnerable position for Saturday’s season-opener at Daytona that could use the Past Winners Provisional is Jeb Burton, with Our Motorsports’ No. 27 not having any owner points.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying Procedure:
- The 33 fastest drivers in single-vehicle qualifying will automatically be locked into the event, regardless of their owner points position.
- The next four spots in the field (34th to 37th) will be awarded to the top-four cars in owner points, that haven’t already secured their spot in the event.
- The first three races will utilize 2021 OP to determine these provisionals, before swapping to 2022 OP after the conclusion of the third event.
- The final spot in the field will be awarded in one of three ways:
- Past Champions Provisonal:
- The most recent – eligible — champion of the NASCAR Xfinity Series that hasn’t secured a spot into the field, will be awarded the final spot, provided they’ve:
- Competed in the previous season of the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
- Won their championship within the last 10 seasons.
- Declared for NASCAR Xfinity Series championship points.
- The most recent – eligible — champion of the NASCAR Xfinity Series that hasn’t secured a spot into the field, will be awarded the final spot, provided they’ve:
- Past Winners Provisional:
- In the event that no drivers meet the necessary criteria to use a PCP, one driver that has visited victory lane in the current or previous season of the NASCAR Xfinity Series will be awarded the final spot in the field.
- In the event that more than one driver meets the criteria for the Past Winners Provisional, the vehicle ranked highest in NASCAR Xfinity Series owner points will be awarded the position.
- Owner Points Provisional:
- In the event that no drivers are eligible for a PCP or PWP, the final spot in the field will be awarded to the vehicle highest in NASCAR Xfinity Series owner points, not already in the field.
- Past Champions Provisonal:
