Four teams need Martinsville Speedway to remain dry for qualifying
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Four NASCAR Sprint Cup teams will be hoping it won’t rain this afternoon if they want to have any chance to qualify for Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500.
There’s a 50 percent chance of rain in the forecast, and if qualifying gets rained out, the top 35 in current owner points will start in positions 1-35, and the remainder of the 43-car field would be determined by criteria detailed in the NASCAR rulebook.
With no past champions and no 2008 or 2009 winners (drivers and owners) outside the top 35, the remaining eight spots in the field are based on how many races the team has attempted to qualify for, with ties broken by car-owner points.
All nine teams outside the top 35 have attempted every race this year. So based on the rulebook formula, the driver that will not make the race is Phoenix Racing’s Sterling Marlin.
The other three drivers who would miss the race are Front Row Motorsports’ Tony Raines, Carl Long Racing’s Dennis Setzer and Cope/Keller Racing’s Derrike Cope. The H&S Motorsports team with Mike Garvey has withdrawn.
Those outside the top 35 who would make the race would be Red Bull Racing’s Scott Speed, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Aric Almirola, Yates Racing’s Paul Menard, Prism Motorsports’ Dave Blaney, Tommy Baldwin Racing’s Scott Riggs, Nemco Motorsports’ Joe Nemechek, Jeremy Mayfield Motorsports’ Jeremy Mayfield and Gunselman Motorsports’ Todd Bodine.
Bodine and Marlin are tied in owner points, but Bodine’s team would get in because it has a better finish this year (37th) than Marlin (40th).
According to the National Weather Service’s Web site, there is an 80 percent chance of rain Saturday, but the forecast is for 65 degrees and partly sunny for Sunday.
As of 8 a.m. EDT, it was not raining at the track. Camping World Truck Series practice is scheduled for 11-11:50 a.m. EDT, followed by Sprint Cup practice from noon to 1:30 p.m. Final Truck practice is scheduled from 1:45 to 3:30 p.m. Cup qualifying is at 3:40 p.m.
