Loudon, NH (My Sportsbook) - Rain forced NASCAR officials to cancel Friday's Sprint Cup Series qualifying at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. According to the rule book, the starting lineup for Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 will be set by owner points, with Tony Stewart being awarded the pole.
Stewart, however, wrecked during practice earlier in the day and was forced to use a backup car. He managed to get back out on the track in the closing minutes of the session.
"I just got loose going in the corner," Stewart said. "Goodyear came down and was worried, but it wasn't a tire problem. I just got loose, and once I got out of the groove, I was staying right with it. I just needed another 50 feet to finish getting gathered up and sliding up. I just ran out of race track."
Stewart, who currently holds an 84-point lead over Jeff Gordon, will not have to start from the rear of the field since his team prepared the backup car and presented it for pre-qualifying inspection in time.
"The bad part of it and where I feel worse about it is I've made my guys have to do that much extra work coupled with two more long days is going to make it a long weekend for these guys," he added.
Earlier this month, Stewart wrecked in final practice and had to switch to a backup car at Pocono. The two-time Cup Series champion started the 500-mile race from the back of the field, but went on to capture his first victory as both driver and owner.
Hendrick Motorsports teammates Gordon and Jimmie Johnson will start second and third, while Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards will roll off fourth and fifth.
Busch, who topped the charts in practice with a lap at 130.667 m.p.h., won at New Hampshire one year ago when rain curtailed the event with 17 laps remaining in the scheduled 301 laps.
Sixth through 10th will be: Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth.
Dexter Bean and Ted Christopher did not make the field.
Final practice is scheduled for tomorrow morning, and Sunday's race is slated to start just after 2:00 p.m. (et).
