All-Star qualifying rained out
Qualifying for the NASCAR All-Star race has been cancelled due to rain at Charlotte Motor Speedway, handing pole position to Kurt Busch
Rain hit the track while qualifying for the Sprint Showdown was underway on Friday and due to the Camping World Truck Series race being scheduled for later that night, officials decided to call off qualifying for the race.
Unlike points-scoring events, the rules for this weekend's races state that if qualifying is cancelled, the starting grid is set based on the draw that determined the running order for the session.
Penske's Busch, who drew the first qualifying spot, will be joined on the front row by Joe Gibbs Racing's Joey Logano, while reigning champion Jimmie Johnson, a two-time winner of the event, will start from seventh, having been fastest in the only practice session of the day.
"Just to have track position early on in the race and to get a good feel for how the car will handle out front, I'm excited about it," said Busch, a former champion looking for his first All-Star win. "Sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good. My boat put the best lap down today."
There were only four cars left in line to qualify for the Showdown and Juan Pablo Montoya, who had been fastest in practice, was on provisional pole. However, the event's qualifying was also cancelled and the Earnhardt Ganassi driver will instead have to start from 14th on the grid. Roush Fenway's David Ragan will start from pole beside Germain Racing's Max Papis.
The top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown, which consists of two 20-lap segments, will earn their entry into the All-Star race, which gives a million-dollar prize for the winner.
Tonight's All-Star race will consist of four segments. The first will run for 50 laps, including a mandatory green-flag pitstop, followed by two 20-lap segments. The final sprint will be of 10 laps, with only those run under green-flag conditions counting.
18 drivers are already in the field, which will grow to 21 cars with the top two finishers of the Showdown plus the driver who wins the Fan Vote.
All-Star starting line-up: Pos Driver Car 1. Kurt Busch Dodge 2. Joey Logano Toyota 3. Brad Keselowski Dodge 4. Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 5. Kyle Busch Toyota 6. David Reutimann Toyota 7. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 8. Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 9. Casey Mears Toyota 10. Ryan Newman Chevrolet 11. Tony Stewart Chevrolet 12. Denny Hamlin Toyota 13. Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 14. Matt Kenseth Ford 15. Mark Martin Chevrolet 16. Kasey Kahne Ford 17. Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 18. Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet Showdown starting line-up: Pos Driver Car 1. David Ragan Ford 2. Max Papis Toyota 3. Sam Hornish Jr Dodge 4. Kevin Conway Ford 5. Greg Biffle Ford 6. Reed Sorenson Toyota 7. Bill Elliott Ford 8. AJ Allmendinger Ford 9. Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 10. Robby Gordon Toyota 11. Regan Smith Chevrolet 12. Paul Menard Ford 13. Michael Waltrip Toyota 14. Juan Pablo Montoya Chevrolet 15. Norm Benning Chevrolet 16. Elliott Sadler Ford 17. Jeff Burton Chevrolet 18. Scott Speed Toyota 19. Marcos Ambrose Toyota 20. Martin Truex Jr Toyota 21. Todd Bodine Toyota 22. Robert Richardson Jr Dodge 23. JJ Yeley Dodge 24. Travis Kvapil Ford 25. Joe Nemechek Toyota 26. Carl Edwards Ford 27. Tony Raines Chevrolet 28. Derrike Cope Dodge 29. David Gilliland Ford
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