CONCORD, N.C. -- On Thursday, NASCAR announced it will introduce a new starting lineup procedure and use the "choose rule" during the majority of races for the rest of the 2020 season.
Starting this weekend at Michigan International Speedway, drivers will use the "choose rule" as part of restarts. There will be a designated point on the track where drivers will have to pick either the outside or inside lane for restarts. This adds a unique layer of strategy for the teams and will be noteworthy for tracks that have distinctly dominant lanes.
The "choose rule" will not be used at road courses, such as the Charlotte Roval, nor superspeedways like Talladega and Daytona. It was tested during the All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on July 15, where Chase Elliott earned his first all-star victory.
The new lineup procedure, which will eliminate random drawings, will begin at the Daytona Road Course next weekend. Drivers' starting positions will be based on three different metrics. Points position will be weighted at 35%; finishing position will account for 50%; and the fastest race lap will be 15%. The new system also includes the pole winner at the Clash from Daytona Speedweeks.
This will replace the random drawings that the sanctioning body has used since racing resumed in May.
"Considering feedback from teams, drivers and fans, NASCAR has implemented these changes to enhance competition as we approach the Playoffs," said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition. "We received nothing but positive comments from the drivers on the choose rule following the All-Star Race, and felt it was an important addition to the restart procedure.
"The random draw has served us well during the return to racing, but it is important that starting lineups are based on performance as we approach the playoffs. The entire industry is aligned on implementing a competition-based system to determine the starting lineup and pit selection order."
Fans can first see the "choose rule" in action Saturday, Aug. 8 at 4 p.m. ET for the first Michigan race of the weekend. The second race will be Sunday, Aug. 9 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Both races will be broadcast on NBCSN.
The modified starting lineup will kick off Aug. 16 at the Daytona Road Course. The event will start at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.