Dover Cup Lineup

[BobbyFord]

Under the new rain qualifying format, why do they use 1st practice speeds to set the starting lineup?


RACE LINEUP
FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks | Dover International Speedway
May 15, 2011 | Race 11 of 36
RAIN OUT Position Based on Owner Points
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POS CAR DRIVER MAKE SPONSOR SPEED TIME BEHIND
1 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's N/A N/A N/A
2 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford Best Buy N/A N/A N/A
3 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Amp Energy Sugar Free / National Guard N/A N/A N/A
4 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota Red Bull N/A N/A N/A
5 20 Joey Logano Toyota The Home Depot N/A N/A N/A
6 22 Kurt Busch Dodge Shell / Pennzoil N/A N/A N/A
7 18 Kyle Busch Toyota M&M's N/A N/A N/A (to the rear because of engine change)
8 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota NAPA Auto Parts N/A N/A N/A
9 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge Miller Lite N/A N/A N/A
10 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Budweiser N/A N/A N/A
11 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet Furniture Row Companies N/A N/A N/A
12 16 Greg Biffle Ford 3M N/A N/A N/A
13 99 Carl Edwards Ford Aflac N/A N/A N/A
14 6 David Ragan Ford UPS "We Love Logistics" N/A N/A N/A
15 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull N/A N/A N/A
16 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Caterpillar N/A N/A N/A
17 00 David Reutimann Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine N/A N/A N/A
18 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford Dewalt N/A N/A N/A
19 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet Target N/A N/A N/A
20 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet CertainTeed / Menards N/A N/A N/A
21 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont N/A N/A N/A
22 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet BB&T N/A N/A N/A
23 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota Kingsford / Bush's Beans N/A N/A N/A
24 17 Matt Kenseth Ford Wiley X Sunglasses N/A N/A N/A
25 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet GoDaddy.com N/A N/A N/A
26 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Ground / AutismSpeaks .org N/A N/A N/A
27 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet Mobil 1 / Office Depot N/A N/A N/A
28 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet Haas Automation N/A N/A N/A
29 34 David Gilliland Ford Taco Bell N/A N/A N/A
30 13 Casey Mears Toyota GEICO N/A N/A N/A
31 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker N/A N/A N/A
32 09 Landon Cassill Chevrolet Thank A Teacher Today / Security Benefit N/A N/A N/A
33 32 Mike Bliss Ford U.S. Chrome N/A N/A N/A
34 7 Scott Wimmer Dodge Fast Five / Speed Energy N/A N/A N/A
35 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet Golden Corral N/A N/A N/A
36 66 Michael McDowell Toyota HP Racing LLC N/A N/A N/A
37 71 Andy Lally* Ford Interstate Moving Services N/A N/A N/A
38 46 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet Red Line Oil N/A N/A N/A
39 60 Mike Skinner Toyota Big Red N/A N/A N/A
40 30 David Stremme Chevrolet Inception Motorsports N/A N/A N/A
41 38 Travis Kvapil Ford A&W All American Food N/A N/A N/A
42 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota NEMCO Motorsports N/A N/A N/A
43 37 Tony Raines Ford Front Row Motorsports N/A N/A N/A

Did Not Qualify
44 181 Scott Riggs Chevrolet Whitney Motorsports - - -

+ Set by Owner Points
* Denotes Rookie

 

[nascage]

Under the new rain qualifying format, why do they use 1st practice speeds to set the starting lineup?

Your guess is as good as mine. I think NASCAR just wants to mix it up a bit. Here's the top ten starting grid for tomorrow's race, as you have already provided:

1 Jimmie Johnson
2 A.J. Allmendinger
3 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4 Kasey Kahne
5 Joey Lagano
6 Kyle Busch
7 Kurt Busch
8 Martin Truex Jr.
9 Brad Keselowski
10 Kevin Harvick

Now, here are your top ten in NSC points:

1 Carl Edwards
2 Jimmie Johnson
3 Kyle Busch
4 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5 Kevin Harvick
6 Ryan Newman
7 Tony Stewart
8 Kurt Busch
9 Clint Boyer
10 Matt Kenseth

Five drivers are on both lists. One could argue that the first lineup gives some "back of the pack" drivers, who simply don't qualify well, the opportunity to run up front. Whereas the second lineup will determine which of the "big dogs" brought there A game, right off the bat.

I don't have a preference either way. Maybe some of you do.

 

[dpkimmel2001]

Under the new rain qualifying format, why do they use 1st practice speeds to set the starting lineup?

The field was set by the rules book, the top 35 in owners points in positions 1-35 by their fastest practice speeds. Then the Go-or-go homers were set, by race attempts, then set by best practice speeds.

They take into account all practice sessions. Some of the positions were determined by the first and some by the final practice. Kurt Busch is a good example. His starting position was determined from his speed in the 2nd practice. He had a speed of 157.922 in that 2nd practice that made him 6th fastest overall. It all depends on where they lined up on the boards after all practice was completed.