NASCAR lineup at Daytona: Starting order, pole for Saturday night race without qualifying

The starting lineup and pole for Saturday night's NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway, the last before the start of the Cup Series playoffs, were not set by the random-draw procedure that determined the starting order for most of the races in 2020 that ran without qualifying sessions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The starting grid for Saturday night's race at Daytona, scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET and broadcast live on NBC, features some of this season's top drivers at the front of the field. It is the result of a new formula that takes into account finishing position from the previous race, team owner points standings and the fastest lap from the previous race to set the lineup.

MORE: Updated 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule

As for pit stall selection for the NASCAR Cup Series races being run without qualifying, it is ordered based on the same formula. Which means the pole sitter for Saturday night's race (more on him below) also had the first pit stall selection.

Below is the starting lineup for Saturday night's NASCAR race at Daytona and how it was set.

Who won the pole for the NASCAR race at Daytona?

The formula to determine the starting lineup takes into account points standings and results from the previous race, so of course Kevin Harvick is on the pole for Saturday night's race at Daytona after dominating last weekend's Sunday race at Dover. Harvick, the Cup Series points leader, both won the race and posted the fastest lap of the race.

Martin Truex Jr., who finished second in both Dover races, will join Harvick on the front row to start Saturday night's race at Daytona. Behind them will be Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski in third and fourth, respectively.

Below is the formula for how the Cup Series field was set at Daytona:

• 50 percent: Finishing position from previous race
• 35 percent: Ranking in team owner points
• 15 percent: Fastest lap from previous race

NASCAR starting lineup at Daytona

Saturday night's race at Daytona is just the third to use NASCAR's new formula for setting the starting lineup without qualifying. The same procedure will be used through the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

As for the starting lineup for Saturday night's NASCAR race at Daytona, below is the field the formula created: