The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series hits Dover this weekend, and we've got all of the timing, scheduling and TV information you need for today's qualifying session.
Christopher Bell won last year's All-Star Race – but that edition was held at North Wilkesboro Speedway, not Dover. If you want to know who the most recent winner at the actually relevant track is...his name is Denny Hamlin, after an overtime win in last year's Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400.
Of course, this isn't a normal race – and there won't be a normal qualifying session on Saturday afternoon.
All 36 cars will qualify in reverse order of the points standings on Saturday afternoon, taking it in turns to do a full lap at full speed, before coming to pit road on the second lap for a four-tire pit stop (no fuelling necessary). That completed, they'll leave pit road and race around to the checkered flag.
The times from green to checkered will set the order for Sunday's race start, while the pit stop times will be used to judge the Pit Crew Challenge and decide pit stall selection for Sunday. The final 26-car field will be decided after 150 laps of racing on Sunday.
We can't wait to see who comes out on top!
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What time is NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Dover today?
NASCAR Cup Series qualifying from Dover takes place today, Saturday, May 16, at noon ET.
Cup Series practice, meanwhile, was held on Friday before the Truck Series race – a rare 90-minute session.
Here are the start times converted to your local time zones.
| City (Time Zone) | Qualifying Start Time |
|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC (ET) | 12:00 PM |
| New York, NY (ET) | 12:00 PM |
| Columbia, SC (ET) | 12:00 PM |
| Charleston, WV (ET) | 12:00 PM |
| Augusta, ME (ET) | 12:00 PM |
| Chicago, IL (CT) | 11:00 AM |
| Pierre, SD (CT) | 11:00 AM |
| Nashville, TN (CT) | 11:00 AM |
| Des Moines, IA (CT) | 11:00 AM |
| Montgomery, AL (CT) | 11:00 AM |
| Denver, CO (MT) | 10:00 AM |
| Salt Lake City, UT (MT) | 10:00 AM |
| Albuquerque, NM (MT) | 10:00 AM |
| El Paso, TX (MT) | 10:00 AM |
| Los Angeles, CA (PT) | 9:00 AM |
| Las Vegas, NV (PT) | 9:00 AM |
| Seattle, WA (PT) | 9:00 AM |
| Portland, OR (PT) | 9:00 AM |
| San Francisco, CA (PT) | 9:00 AM |
What TV channel is NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race qualifying on today?
Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying action from Dover will be broadcast on FS1, and on FOX One.
You can download the FOX One app on your handheld device from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Amazon App Store.
You can also download the app on your TV on devices such as the following:
- Roku
- Amazon Fire TV
- VIZIO Smart TV
- LG TV
- Chromecast
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Samsung Smart TV
Today's qualifying session will also be broadcast live on the radio, with MRN and SiriusXM having the call.
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Live stream options
The best live stream option for today's NASCAR Cup Series qualifying is on FOX One.
Rarely for the first half of the season through San Diego (June 21), Prime Video is not airing Cup Series practice and qualifying – as it did not for the Clash and the Daytona 500.
Qualifying Order
Here is the full list of Cup Series drivers set to take part in this weekend's event at Dover, listed in the order in which they will qualify on Saturday.
| Position | Car No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2 | 41 | Cole Custer | Haas Factory Team | Chevrolet |
| 3 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 4 | 10 | Ty Dillon | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 5 | 88 | Connor Zilisch # | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 6 | 21 | Josh Berry | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 7 | 4 | Noah Gragson | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 8 | 35 | Riley Herbst | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 9 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | Legacy Motor Club | Toyota |
| 10 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Hyak Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 11 | 34 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 12 | 43 | Erik Jones | Legacy Motor Club | Toyota |
| 13 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 14 | 38 | Zane Smith | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 15 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 16 | 71 | Michael McDowell | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 17 | 16 | A.J. Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 19 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford |
| 20 | 19 | Chase Briscoe | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 21 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 22 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford |
| 23 | 7 | Daniel Suárez | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 24 | 60 | Ryan Preece | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 25 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 26 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 27 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 28 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 29 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 30 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 31 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 32 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing | Ford |
| 33 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford |
| 34 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 35 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 36 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
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