SPARTA, Ky. - Sometimes it pays extra dividends to be the points leader.
That was certainly the case on Friday afternoon, when rains earlier in the day constricted the on-track schedule at Kentucky Speedway.
Because practice time was more important to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams than time trials, the sanctioning body opted to cancel qualifying for Saturday night’s Quaker State 400 in favor of an evening practice session at the recently repaved and reconfigured 1.5-mile track.
This weekend also marks the transition from practice speeds to owner points rankings in determining the starting order for a race when time trials are cancelled because of adverse weather. Accordingly, series leader Kevin Harvick will start the race from the pole and will have first choice of pit stalls.
Brad Keselowski, last week’s winner at Daytona, will start beside Harvick on the front row, with Kurt Busch and Joey Logano occupying the third and fourth spots on the grid. Six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson will start ninth in a backup car after nailing the turn 4 wall early in Friday’s abbreviated morning practice.
With the weather still uncertain, NASCAR scheduled a practice at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday, leaving a small window for the Sprint Cup teams to adapt to a handful of variables. Goodyear called an audible after the June 13-14 organization test at the speedway and brought a more durable tire than the one used in the test sessions.
“Well, I think this weekend is a little bit of an unknown,” Harvick said. “We spent two days here testing, and obviously we had to make some adjustments… Goodyear had to make some adjustments to the tires coming back to make them live. I think, as we’ve gone through practice, we haven’t had any tire issues so far.
“But it changed a lot with the feel of the car and the things that you want in the car. We’ve scrambled a little bit. I felt like we were better the second time out on the race track (in Friday’s practice). I think, hopefully, being able to get some more practice will be beneficial, because we still don’t really have a good idea of exactly where we need to be as far as balance and what is going to happen the longer you run the car.”
At least the 2014 series champion will be able to do his learning on Saturday night from the front row.
WDUN will have live PRN Radio coverage of Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 from Kentucky Speedway beginning at 6:30 pm on 102.9 FM and AM 550.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Kentucky Speedway – Sparta, KY
Quaker State 400 – July 8, 2016
Starting Line Up by Row
1. (4) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
2. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
3. (41) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
4. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
5. (19) Carl Edwards, Toyota, Charter Team – 2016
6. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, Charter Team – 2016
7. (78) Martin Truex, Jr., Toyota, Charter Team – 2016
8. (24) Chase Elliott #, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
9. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
10. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Charter Team – 2016
11. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, Charter Team – 2016
12. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
13. (88) Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
14. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
15. (21) * Ryan Blaney #, Ford, Open Team – 2016 Owner
16. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
17. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
18. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
19. (47) A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
20. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
21. (17) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Ford, Charter Team – 2016
22. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
23. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
24. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
25. (15) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
26. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
27. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
28. (13) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
29. (38) Landon Cassill, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
30. (95) Ty Dillon(i), Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
31. (23) David Ragan, Toyota, Charter Team – 2016
32. (44) Brian Scott #, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
33. (7) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
34. (34) Chris Buescher #, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
35. (83) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, Charter Team – 2016
36. (98) * Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, Open Team – 2016 Owner
37. (46) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2016
38. (32) Jeffrey Earnhardt #, Ford, Charter Team – 2016
39. (55) * Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, Open Team – 2016 Owner
40. (30) * Josh Wise, Chevrolet, Open Team – 2016 Owner
Did Not Qualify
None
#Sunoco Rookie of the Year driver
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
