MIAMI -- Qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship race, the 2012 Ford EcoBoost 400, at Homestead-Miami Speedway has been moved to Friday, November 16. Gatorade Pole Qualifying is now set for 6:10 p.m. Friday during Ford Championship Weekend. It was originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Qualifying returns to the more traditional Friday and rounds-out that day’s activities. Friday’s NASCAR on-track schedule now includes: Nationwide Series practice (10:00 a.m.), Camping World Truck Series final practice (11:00), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gatorade Pole qualifying (6:10 p.m.), and the Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200 (8:00 p.m.). The change in days also means fans at the track Saturday will be able to watch two separate Sprint Cup practices in the same afternoon – one starting at 1:00 and another at 3:00.

“This is great news for our fans attending the races,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer. “On Friday, fans can watch the Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 qualifying, followed minutes later by the Camping World Truck Series championship race – all at the most affordable prices of the weekend. Then, Saturday, they can watch the final Sprint Cup Series practices of the year, followed by the Nationwide Series championship race.”

In terms of competition, it allows for greater consistency from track to track for Sprint Cup Series teams and provides the opportunity to focus on qualifying separate from race set ups for the cars.

The Ford Championship Weekend schedule is as follows (all times listed are local EDT):

Friday, November 16:
9:00 a.m. ET Gates open for fans
10:00-10:50 NASCAR Nationwide Series Practice
11:00-1:00 p.m. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Final Practice
1:30-3:00 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice
3:10-4:20 NASCAR Nationwide Series Final Practice
4:30 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying (TV: SPEED)
6:10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gatorade Pole Qualifying (TV: SPEED)
8:00 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200 (TV: SPEED; Radio: MRN)

Saturday, November 17
11:00 a.m. Gates open for fans
11:35 NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying (TV: SPEED)
1:00-2:00 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice
3:00-3:50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice
4:30pm NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford EcoBoost 300 (TV: ESPN2; Radio: MRN)

Sunday, November 18
10:00 a.m. Gates open for fans
3:00 p.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 (TV: ESPN; Radio: MRN)

Tickets remain available for Ford Championship Weekend, including Pre-Race Pit Passes on Saturday and Sunday (November 17-18), which allow access to Pit Road, the Frontstretch and the Start/Finish line. Fans should call 866.409.RACE or visit www.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com.

About Homestead-Miami Speedway
The Speedway has been open since 1995 following an initiative to spur economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. The 640-acre facility is active more than 280 days per year and hosts NASCAR’s Championship Races during Ford Championship Weekend (November 16-18, 2012). The Sprint Cup Championship Ford 400 is broadcast live on TV and radio to 175 countries and into 24 languages. The 2011 championship attracted ESPN Television’s largest NASCAR Sprint Cup viewership ever with a peak audience of 10.5 million when the checkered flag fell. Homestead-Miami Speedway, featuring a 1.5-mile oval and 2.21-mile road course, generates more than $250 million annually for the region. For more information, visit www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.