Rain washes out Cup, Busch Bud Pole qualifying
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
June 1, 2001
5:25 PM EDT (2125 GMT)
DOVER, Del. -- Bud Pole Qualifying for Sunday’s NASCAR Winston Cup MBNA Platinum 400 at Dover Downs International Speedway was canceled by rain Friday. The 2001 Winston Cup rule book was used to set the 43-car starting field for the 13th event of the 36-race season.
The last round of track drying began about 3:45 p.m. ET. Some progress had been made, but a heavier rain began at 4:15, stopping the vehicles. The eventual downpour forced the postponement of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series MBNA e-commerce 200 to Saturday at 9 a.m. ET.
Winston Cup point leader Dale Jarrett’s No. 88 UPS Ford will lead the MBNA 400 field to the green flag at 1 p.m. ET Sunday. Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet will flank him. Bud Pole Qualifying was last rained out this season at Darlington Raceway in March.
Jarrett started from the pole in consecutive March races at Las Vegas and Atlanta. Kyle Petty missed his second straight race and his sixth in 13 attempts this season. Rick Mast, Jeff Green, Lance Hooper and Dave Marcis also went home.
Winston Cup “Happy Hour” practice -- in two 45-minute sessions split by a 15-minute break -- will be held Saturday following the NASCAR Busch Series MBNA Platinum 200, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
Bud Pole Qualifying for the NASCAR Busch Series MBNA Platinum 200 was canceled earlier Friday, by rain. The 43-car starting lineup for Saturday’s 1 p.m. ET event was set per the 2001 Busch Series rule book.
Officials began track drying efforts at about 12:50 p.m. ET, but after nearly getting the one-mile high-banked concrete oval dry enough to begin Winston Cup qualifying at 1:30 p.m. ET rain began again and soaked the race track.
A sprinkling rain that began at 11:30 a.m. ET cut short the two-hour Winston Cup practice scheduled to end at noon. Mark Martin was the fastest of the 48 cars that practiced for 90 minutes with a lap of the one-mile oval in 22.992 seconds, an average speed of 156.576 mph in his No. 6 Pfizer/Viagra Ford.
The Busch Series cars practiced for nearly two hours Friday morning, with Kevin Harvick the fastest driver. Bud Pole Qualifying was scheduled to begin at 12:10 p.m. ET.
Busch Series point leader Jeff Green’s No. 10 Nestle NesQuik Ford will lead the field to the green flag, flanked by Winston Cup Rookie of the Year leader Harvick’s No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet. Only 43 Busch cars are on-site.
Scott Riggs won the Bud Pole for the 36-truck MBNA e-commerce 200 on Thursday with a lap of 150.288 mph in his Team ASE Dodge.
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