Qualifying: Atlanta wash out
Rain, much-needed in the Southeast of America, continued Friday to plague NASCAR, which doesn't need it at all
Light rain, which began early in the morning, fell off and on most of the day. After repeated attempts to a) dry the track, b) practice, and c) rearrange the day's crowded schedule, NASCAR officials canceled time trials for Sunday's NAPA 500 after dark.
The grid was made by procedures, with the points list setting the first 35 positions. That put Tony Stewart, leader in the standings, on the pole for the fourth time this year, twice when weather favored him.
This is the fifth time this season NASCAR has had to make the field by procedures, the others being Pocono (wet track), Darlington (rain), Talladega (rain) and Charlotte (rain).
Stewart, who took over the points lead from Jimmie Johnson with a third-place run at Talladega, has an 82-point lead over Johnson with four races to go.
Johnson will start outside-front, with Mark Martin third, supersub Jamie McMurray fourth, and Rusty Wallace fifth.
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