It was a rainy and windy Friday afternoon for race fans who came out to see NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying for Watkins Glen’s Centurion Boats at The Glen. Unfortunately due to the rain it was canceled. This has been the fifth time this season and it’s also the fourth time in the last five years that qualifying at The Glen has been wiped out by rain.
NASCAR returned to the rule book to set up Sunday’s line up by points.
Kyle Bush is the leader in points and won the pole for Sunday. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start beside Busch with Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson in the second row. Jeff Burton rounds out the top five.
In the past Tony Stewart has won four times, but this year may be a bit more difficult for him. Only seven out of 22 races have been won by someone out of the top seven. Stewart will start in ninth position.
Jeff Gordon was also a four time winner and will have a slightly better chance at a fifth time since he is starting in sixth.
The road course specialists will have an even more difficult time getting to the front. Ron Fellows will start 32nd, one position behind Robby Gordon. P.J. Jones will start the race 38th with Max Papis in 42nd and Marcos Ambrose 43rd. Boris Said’s ride was 45th in a field that will include just 43 cars, but Said got a reprieve when he was asked to drive for Kyle Petty, 40th in series points, on Sunday.
It usually takes about two hours and 14 minutes for qualifying and about another 90 minutes for inspections and because of the rain and the 6:15 p.m. Grand-Am Rolex Series race it was just impossible to do everything.
Due to the cancellation No. 34 car of Brian Simo was sent home.
The Nationwide series had a longer-than-usual practice which began at around 2:51 p.m. on a nice dry track, but ended when Landon Cassill crashed his No. 4 car in turn 1. He was uninjured.
On Saturday, Sprint Cup will have an afternoon practice session after the Nationwide qualifying which will begin at around 10:40 a.m.
Sunday’s race will begin at 2 p.m.