Polesitter Blaney drops to rear for North Wilkesboro Cup
Polesitter Ryan Blaney will start Sunday's Window World 450 from the rear after Team Penske fixed a power steering issue under NASCAR's unapproved adjustments rules. The race, a key stop on the 2026 NASCAR schedule, is the first points Cup event at North Wilkesboro since 1996 and airs at 7 p.m. ET on TNT.
Key Takeaways
- Ryan Blaney earned the pole when rain washed out qualifying, then will drop to the rear for a power steering repair.
- NASCAR confirmed the No. 12 Team Penske car must start last under unapproved adjustments guidelines.
- The Window World 450 is the first points-paying Cup race at North Wilkesboro since 1996.
- Ross Chastain also starts from the rear after failing pre-race inspection three times Saturday.
- Blaney sits third in points, 65 behind Denny Hamlin, for the 7 p.m. ET TNT race.
Why is Ryan Blaney starting from the rear?
Blaney told TNT Sports that his No. 12 Team Penske crew needed to fix a power steering problem before the green flag. That work falls under NASCAR's unapproved adjustments guidelines, so the polesitter must line up at the back.
A NASCAR spokesperson later confirmed the move for Sunday's Window World 450, according to NASCAR.com. Fans tracking odd race-day twists can find more in our Bizarre News & Florida Man section.
How did Blaney earn the pole on the NASCAR schedule?
Heavy rain soaked the 0.625-mile short track Saturday and forced cancelation of qualifying. Under series rules, that handed Blaney the top spot for the first Cup points race at the historic oval in three decades.
The Atlanta winner entered the weekend third in the standings, 65 points behind Hamlin and 41 behind Tyler Reddick. Ty Gibbs was set to start second, with Christopher Bell and Carson Hocevar on row two before Blaney's drop.
Who else faces a rear start at North Wilkesboro?
Ross Chastain's No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection three times on Saturday. That ejected car chief David Fero, forced a rear start, and added a pass-through penalty after the green flag.
Two other entries—Austin Hill's No. 33 and Connor Zilisch's No. 88—failed inspection twice and lost pit selection plus their car chiefs, but they were not ordered to the rear like Blaney and Chastain.
What does this mean for Sunday's Window World 450?
Blaney remains among the race favorites despite starting last, even as short-track results have been mixed of late. The event is also the penultimate round of the In-Season Challenge, where Blaney faces Bell in the semifinals.
Green flag is set for 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, PRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. With the polesitter buried and a fellow contender serving inspection penalties, the opening laps of this rare Cup return should scramble early strategy across the field.