Points leader Sauter to start up front based on combined practice speeds
Steady rain canceled Keystone Light Pole Qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday at Chicagoland Speedway.
The cancellation means series points leader Johnny Sauter will start first in Friday night's Lucas Oil 225 (8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1) based on the NASCAR rule book, combining speeds from Thursday's two practice sessions.
Brennan Newberry, Jeb Burton, former series champion Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney will be the first five starters for the 15th of 22 races this year. Blaney, who topped opening practice at the 1.5-mile track, is the series' most recent winner after a thrilling victory two weeks ago at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Kyle Busch, the defending race winner and a five-time victor in the series this season, will start at the rear of the 32-truck field because of a driver change. Team driver Erik Jones, an 18-year-old member of the NASCAR Next class, practiced the truck Thursday while Busch was in downtown Chicago for Chase Media Day activities.
Qualifying was scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. ET, but after persistent showers, race officials pulled the plug on the session almost an hour after the scheduled start time. Teams pushed the trucks back to the garage area as track-drying efforts continued in hopes of salvaging the rest of the day's schedule.
MORE:
READ: Latest
|
WATCH: Latest
|
PLAY: NASCAR
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|