Denny Hamlin wins Busch Pole Award for Atlanta; see full lineup

Denny Hamlin has won the Busch Pole Award for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Hamlin, the series points leader, will start his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota from the pole position.

Defending Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric won the pole for Saturday’s EchoPark 250 (5 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, and John Hunter Nemechek is on the pole for Saturday’s Fr8Auctions 200 (2:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) in the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota. Cindric and Nemechek are the most recent winners in their respective series.

RELATED: Atlanta weekend schedule | 2021 Cup Series standings

As NASCAR adapted to COVID-19 protocols last season, practice and qualifying were eliminated at a majority of national-series events to limit at-track time, exposure and to cut race weekend costs. To determine starting lineups, competition officials used grouped draws, added inversions for weekend doubleheaders, and eventually adopted a performance-metrics formula. That metrics format remains in place this season, drawing on performance from both individual races and season-long results.

NASCAR’s metrics formula for 2021 weighs:

• 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race

• 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race

• 35 percent: Team owner points ranking

• 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

See the full lineup for Sunday’s Cup Series race below.

Practice and qualifying are tentatively scheduled for eight Cup Series races this year. Busch Pole Qualifying was held for the season-opening Daytona 500; the next race with time trials scheduled is the March 28 event at Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt track.