The first day of NASCAR’s fall race weekend in the First State is a wash out. Officials with NASCAR and Dover International Speedway say all track activity Friday is canceled.
That includes practice and qualifying for Sunday’s Sprint Cup “AAA 400”. Qualifying for that race and the others this weekend have been scratched and line-ups will be determine by each circuit’s own rules when qualifying is not possible.
The AAA 400 is the first knockout race in Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship elimination format. The field of 16 drivers contending for the season title shrinks to 12 following this week’s race - as the four drivers with the lowest point totals are eliminated.
Jimmie Johnson, a 10-time winner at Dover, is among the drivers in the Chase waiting to see when they’ll be able to get on the track.
Johnson says his history of success could give him an edge if the weather limits practice time.
We’d really like to get out there on the track and at least get an hour to feel things out and understand where the balance of the car is," said Johnson Friday morning. "But if there is a track where limited track time would help us, it would be here.
Also rained out today at the Monster Mile is the K&N Pro Series East “Drive Sober 150.” That will now be run Saturday morning at 9:30 weather permitting. Gates will open to fans at 8 am.
The "Hisense 200" XFINITY Series race is still scheduled to will start as planned at 3:30 pm Saturday and Sunday's "AAA 400" Sprint Cup race remains scheduled to start at 2:30 pm.
