NASCAR considering separate qualifying sessions

Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said Nov. 9 that the sanctioning body is still studying the possibility of having teams outside the top 35 in owner points qualify as a group, but that a final decision has not been made.

Teams outside the top 35 must qualify each week based on their qualifying speed, while teams inside the top 35 are locked into the field. Because qualifying sessions often last more than two hours, track conditions can change dramatically during a single session.

Several big-name drivers, including Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip and Brian Vickers, and prominent teams have missed multiple races this season by being outside the top 35.

Some team owners have said that having drivers not guaranteed a starting spot make their qualifying attempts at about the same time – rather than based on their qualifying draw – would make the session more fair.

"Right now, it's something that we've looked at and continue to look at," Darby said. "But any time you make a change, you have to look at how it affects everything. It's not as simple as just saying, 'Yeah, that would be better.'

"It may make sense for one group, but it might not for another. You've got to take into consideration when you would have those teams make their qualifying attempts – are they the first ones on the track, or the last? There are a lot of things that would be affected by a move like that."