NASCAR Bristol Starting Lineup 2012: Qualifying Canceled, Casey Mears To Start On Pole

Your pole-sitter for Saturday night’s Bristol night race? None other than Casey Mears.

Mears was fastest in Friday’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice session, which meant he earned the No. 1 starting spot when a series of strong storms swept through the Bristol Motor Speedway area and washed out qualifying.

“It’s exciting for our team to be able to have this opportunity,” Mears said. “Having the first pit selection and starting up front, it gives us a big head start from where we’ve been in the past.”

Brad Keselowski, who has won two straight Bristol races, will start second. Points leader Greg Biffle will start third, with Joey Logano and Aric Almirola rounding out the top five.

Scott Speed, Kelly Bires, Reed Sorenson and JJ Yeley missed the race because they never got a chance to qualify and did not have enough owner points/attempts to make it.

Danica Patrick, making her Bristol debut, will start 43rd.

Here’s the starting lineup for Saturday night’s NASCAR Bristol race: