Due to wet weather in and around Bristol, NASCAR has cancelled Coors Light Pole Qualifying for Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Since the first practice session of the weekend, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. this morning was also washed out, the field will be set as per the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Rule Book.
Starting at Kentucky last July, NASCAR reverted to the use of owners points to set the starting field in only the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as opposed to practice speeds. As a result, points leader Kyle Larson will start the Food City 500 from the pole with Chase Elliott alongside. Martin Truex Jr. will start third, followed by Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick will round out the top 10.
The rules still have a provision to use practice speeds to set the starting positions for teams without charters in the event of qualifying being rained out. However, since there has been no on-track action for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams to this point, they will also be lined by points. Since only 39 cars are entered in Sunday’s race, no one will fail to qualify.
NASCAR is hoping to have a practice session for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams later in the afternoon. That session will only occur if the weather cooperates.
About the author
Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.
Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.
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