NASCAR cancels Kentucky qualifying, allots more practice time after rain
SPARTA, Ky. — What's more important: Practice or qualifying?
On Kentucky Speedway's repaved and reconfigured surface, the answer was clear.
NASCAR canceled Sprint Cup Series qualifying on Friday five hours before it was scheduled to take place, opting to give teams additional track time after heavy rain washed out a significant part of a morning practice session.
That left the field for Saturday night's Quaker State 400 set by owner points.
Kevin Harvick will start from the pole, followed by Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano and Carl Edwards.
Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin will round out the top 10.
Johnson crashed at the end of Friday morning's practice and will have to go to a backup car for the race.
NASCAR will try to give teams two more practice sessions on Friday, weather permitting.
No cars failed to qualify for the race as a result of the washout; there were already only 40 cars at the track this weekend.
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Quaker State 400 lineup
(Based on owner points):
- Kevin Harvick
- Brad Keselowski
- Kurt Busch
- Joey Logano
- Carl Edwards
- Kyle Busch
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Chase Elliott
- Jimmie Johnson
- Denny Hamlin
- Matt Kenseth
- Austin Dillon
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Ryan Newman
- Ryan Blaney
- Jamie McMurray
- Trevor Bayne
- Kasey Kahne
- AJ Allmendinger
- Kyle Larson
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Tony Stewart
- Greg Biffle
- Paul Menard
- Clint Bowyer
- Aric Almirola
- Danica Patrick
- Casey Mears
- Landon Cassill
- Ty Dillon
- David Ragan
- Brian Scott
- Regan Smith
- Chris Buescher
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Cole Whitt
- Michael Annett
- Jeffrey Earnhardt
- Reed Sorenson
- Josh Wise