BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Rain in the East Tennessee mountains from Friday afternoon into Saturday morning washed out the qualifying sessions for this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide series races at Bristol Motor Speedway, resulting in the grids for both events being set by the NASCAR rule book.
Since the 2007 owner point standings are used for such situations, as well as provisional starting positions through the season's first five races, defending series champion Jimmie Johnson will receive the pole with Jeff Gordon on the outside of the front row for Sunday's Food City 500. At Martinsville, Va., March 28-30, the system switches to the 2008 owner standings.
Former series champion Dale Jarrett, who will compete in the final points race of his career, made the starting field on the past champion's provisional. He will start 37th in the 43-car field.
Kurt Busch, whose car owner points were given to teammate Sam Hornish Jr. by owner Roger Penske, made the grid because he visited victory lane in 2007. He will start 36th.
The rain was a crushing blow to the Wood Brothers, whose driver, Jeff Green, had posted the ninth quickest lap in practice. For the fourth time in the season's first five races, the Wood Brothers were sent home. Other drivers not making the race due to the weather were John Andretti and Patrick Carpentier.
In the Nationwide Series, the Sharpie Mini 300 is still scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The green flag is slated to wave at 2:30 p.m.
Like the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide circuit also uses the previous year's owner point standings to determine the grid in such situations. Due to Richard Childress winning the car owner title last year, Scott Wimmer will start in the No. 1 position. Joining him on the front row is Denny Hamlin. Defending series champion Carl Edwards goes off third.
Those failing to make the field were Danny O'Quinn and Sam Hornish Jr.
###
03-15-2008, 11:44 AM
Linear Mode
