Rain and an iffy forecast prompted NASCAR to cancel Monster Energy Cup Series qualifying Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway, thereby allowing teams to focus on practicing for Sunday’s Food City 500.
NASCAR Bristol 2017 qualifying results: Kyle Larson on pole after rain washes out qualifying
Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott will lead the field to the green in Sunday’s Food City 500.
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
NASCAR will set the 39-car lineup off owner points and race attempts, per its rulebook. Current points leader Kyle Larson will start on the pole, with second-place Chase Elliott sharing the front row. Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick round out the top-10 starters.
This is the second time in eight Cup races this season that officials cancelled time trials. Larson was also awarded the pole at Martinsville Speedway after rain washed out qualifying.
“I always race really well here, I just don’t qualify well,” Larson said.
Then joking, Larson said: “Being handed the pole like this will hopefully help us out on Tuesday or Wednesday or whenever we race.”
Rain began falling at the half-mile Tennessee track minutes before the first of two practice Friday was schedule to start at 11:30 a.m. ET. Wanting to give teams as much opportunity to prepare for Sunday’s 500-lap race, officials cancelled afternoon qualifying and scheduled a 55-minute practice session.
Inclement weather is expected to be an issue throughout the weekend. Meteorologist and SB Nation contributor Brian Neudorff estimates Sunday’s race has a 40 to 50 percent of being run, and would not be surprised if the race is postponed until Monday.
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