By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Following steady rain on Friday, qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has been canceled from Dover International Speedway. With the field being set by owners points, Kyle Busch will start from pole for Sunday’s Gander Outdoors 400.
It is only the third time in 2018 that Cup qualifying has been rained out and the fourth time in the last seven races at Dover.
Busch, who enters Dover as a three-time track winner, will start on pole for only the second time at the 1-mile concrete track.
“I’m excited to have this No. 1 spot going into Sunday,” Busch said. “This is one of the more challenging tracks to pass on. As of late, it’s been troublesome and I don’t know why. It’s better for us not to have to go out and bust out a lap.”
Kevin Harvick will start second. The No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing driver is unsure of his Ford thus far in the weekend.
“We made two laps [in practice] and was fast in qualifying trim,” Harvick said. “That’s really the only thing we did today. We haven’t done anything in race trim. it should be fine.”
Sunday’s 400-lapper stands of the opening race of the Round of 12 and take the green flag at 2 p.m. ET.