[rlhdrider]

The way it ought to be!!!

[Phils20]

What a crap way of doing the starting order.

[Tuck4Bama]

Starting Line-up



1 48 Jimmie Johnson ChevroletLowe'sN/AN/AN/A
2 24 Jeff Gordon ChevroletDuPont Cromax Pro N/AN/AN/A
3 07 Clint Bowyer ChevroletDIRECTVN/AN/AN/A
4 17 Matt Kenseth FordCarharttN/AN/AN/A
5 5 Casey MearsChevroletCARQUEST / Kellogg's N/AN/AN/A
6 20 Tony StewartToyotaThe Home Depot N/AN/AN/A
7 77 Sam Hornish Jr.*DodgeMobil 1 N/AN/AN/A
8 31 J eff Burton ChevroletAT&T Mobility N/AN/AN/A
9 99 Carl EdwardsFordDish Network N/AN/AN/A
10 29 Kevin Harvick ChevroletShell / Pennzoil N/AN/AN/A
11 1 Martin Truex Jr. ChevroletBass Pro Shops / Tracker N/AN/AN/A
12 11 Denny Hamlin ToyotaFedEx Freight N/AN/AN/A
13 12 Ryan Newman DodgeALLTEL / Samsung HDTV N/AN/AN/A
14 16 Greg Biffle Ford3MN/AN/AN/A
15 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. ChevroletAMP Energy / National Guard N/AN/AN/A
16 8 Mark Martin ChevroletPrincipal Financial Group / Mark Martin's 700th start N/AN/AN/A
17 01 Regan Smith* ChevroletCoors Light N/AN/AN/A
18 26 Jamie McMurray FordCrown Royal N/AN/AN/A
19 43 Bobby Labonte DodgeHamburger Helper "My Hometown Helper" N/AN/AN/A
20 9 Kasey Kahne DodgeBudweiserN/AN/AN/A
21 42J uan Montoya DodgeWrigley's Juicy Fruit N/AN/AN/A
22 18 Kyle Busch ToyotaInterstate Batteries N/AN/AN/A
33 41 Reed Sorenson DodgeEnergizer e2 Lithium N/AN/AN/A
24 6 David Ragan FordSo. Cal Insurance N/AN/AN/A
25 96J .J. Yeley ToyotaDLP HDTV N/AN/AN/A
26 40Dario Franchitti *DodgeTargetN/AN/AN/A
27 19 Elliott Sadler DodgeU2 3D / Best Buy N/AN/AN/A
28 7 Robby Gordon DodgeJim Beam N/AN/AN/A
29 15 Paul Menard ChevroletQuaker State / Menards N/AN/AN/A
30 28 Travis Kvapil FordYates Racing N/AN/AN/A
31 66 Scott Riggs ChevroletHaas Automation N/AN/AN/A
32 38 David Gilliland FordFreeCreditReport.comN/AN/AN/A
33 70 Jeremy Mayfield ChevroletHaas Automation N/AN/AN/A
34 22 Dave Blaney ToyotaCAT Paving Products N/AN/AN/A
35 45 Kyle Petty DodgeWells Fargo N/AN/AN/A
36 2 Kurt Busch DodgeMiller Lite N/AN/AN/A
37 44 Dale Jarrett ToyotaUPSN/AN/AN/A
38 21 Bill Elliott FordLittle Debbie N/AN/AN/A
39 83 Brian Vickers ToyotaRed Bull N/AN/AN/A
40 00 David Reutimann ToyotaAaron's Dream Machine N/AN/AN/A
41 55 Michael Waltrip ToyotaNAPA AUTO PARTS N/AN/AN/A
42 34 John Andretti ChevroletFront Row Motorsports N/AN/AN/A
43 78 Joe Nemechek ChevroletFurniture Row Racing N/AN/AN/A

Did Not Qualify

44 84 A.J. Allmendinger ToyotaRed Bull ---
45 49 Ken SchraderDodgeQtrax.com---
46 10 Patrick Carpentier*DodgeCharter Communication-s ---
47 27 Mike Skinner ToyotaBad Boy Mowers ---
48 08 Burney Lamar Dodgerhino's energy drink ---

+ Set by Owner Points
* Denotes Rookie

[Bob Tanner]

Personally, I think the timing of this and the suddenness of the change has a definite smell to it.

I don't know why NA__AR made the decision but I can't help but think it was done win a targeted benefactor in mind.

[titans#1]

how did labonte end up with 19th?

[bob101]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Personally, I think the timing of this and the suddenness of the change has a definite smell to it.

I don't know why NA__AR made the decision but I can't help but think it was done win a targeted benefactor in mind.

There is NO CHANGE from last year. Rain out qualifying is just like it always has been.

Some schmuck on SPEED channel got it wrong this afternoon and everyone ran with it. Later they put out a release saying it's just like it always has been.

Top 35 in points from last year, then race winners from last year, past champions, then if any spots left attempts at races - which is how andretti got in. Busch, Jarret and Elliot got past champion provisionals.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by bob101

There is NO CHANGE from last year. Rain out qualifying is just like it always has been.

Some schmuck on SPEED channel got it wrong this afternoon and everyone ran with it. Later they put out a release saying it's just like it always has been.

Top 35 in points from last year, then race winners from last year, past champions, then if any spots left attempts at races - which is how andretti got in. Busch, Jarret and Elliot got past champion provisionals.

Hmmm...??? This old fart is missing something... With your above explanation I fail to see how Jenkins (Front Row racing) made it. He had only eight attempts last season, while the #10 and #84 both had 36?

But then I'm the same guy whose VCR flashed "12:00" for five years before I finally traded it in on a DVD. So, what do I know?

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Hmmm...??? This old fart is missing something... With your above explanation I fail to see how Jenkins (Front Row racing) made it. He had only eight attempts last season, while the #10 and #84 both had 36?

I'm at a loss on that one too, if they go by qualifying attempts.

[Bassdogs]

Can someone put this all in perspective? What happened? Did Speed Network create this whole contraversy? If so, we need to get off __SC__'s a*s for a change. They screw up enough without being blamed for something that they didn't do.

What is the truth?

[wingkey1]

Sure looks here like last years points have set the line up. If this not so, need help understanding at the VERY least how front row is 24 & 48.

Seems we've got a two page string over -----???? Ummmm -----

We've been suckered by a Medidiot again?



Key benefactor is Hornish who having inherited the 2's points has fairly nice starting position.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by wingkey1

Sure looks here like last years points have set the line up. If this not so, need help understanding at the VERY least how front row is 24 & 48.
Seems we've got a two page string over -----???? Ummmm -----

We've been suckered by a Medidiot again?



Key benefactor is Hornish who having inherited the 2's points has fairly nice starting position.

OK, IF they are going on last years points, which they did up front, then why is Andretti starting? Front Row Racing had 106 owner points and ended up in 53th place. The #10 ended up 37th in owner points and he's gone home.

It looks like they used two different criteria for the Chosen and the Non-Chosen. I still maintain something here has a strong odor.

[clutch]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

OK, IF they are going on last years points, which they did up front, then why is Andretti starting? Front Row Racing had 106 owner points and ended up in 53th place. The #10 ended up 37th in owner points and he's gone home.

It looks like they used two different criteria for the Chosen and the Non-Chosen. I still maintain something here has a strong odor.

I was perplexed that Andretti was in if qualifying was rained out as well

[bob101]

Same rule that's been in place since the inception of the top 35. What is throwing people is that this may have been the first time it was rained out in the first 5 races..which is a tad different from the rest of the races.

What screwed everyone up was the person on speed saying it was 100% based on this years owners points. IT WAS NOT. Tho it does play a part.

Here's the ruleset for the first 5 races. No changes from last year, or the year before that or even the year before that. But it's slightly different because it's the first 5 races.

Again NOTHING new, they just never use it because it only applies to rainouts in the first 5 races, not the rest of the schedule.

What happens if qualifying gets rained out?
If it is the first five races of the season, the previous season OWNERS points are used:

#1) - Previous season Owner Points [position 1-35][top 35 teams do NOT need to attempt ALL the races]
#2) - Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) - ALL Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 or 2
#4) - Current season Owner Points [Top 35][not in by rules 1-3]
#5) - Current season race attempts ties broken by current owners points standings [not in by rules 1-4]

Jayski's® Silly Season Site - Qualifying Rules

#1) They took the top 35 from last year.
#2) Busch got in because he had a win last year
#3) Jarret and Elliot got past championship provisions
#4) David Reuitimann, Brian Vickers, Micheal Waltrip curently are in THIS YEARS top 35 in points
#5) John Andreetti and Joe Nemecheck got in under the rule 5 part with race attempts in the current year (200

*******************************************
Here's the rule AFTER the first 5 races.

#1) - First 35 by current Owner Points [position 1-35][top 35 teams do NOT need to attempt ALL the races]
#2) - Last Years Cup Champ or the Event Champion if not already in the field
#3) - Car Owners whose team has won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#4) - Drivers who have won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#5) - ALL Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4 [is NOT charged against the 6 past champ provisionals]
#6) - Qualifying Attempts [not starts] with Owners points as the tie breaker
#7) - Qualifying Order Position
(all above apply as long as the team was entered by the entry deadline - usually 7-13 days before the race)

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by bob101

Same rule that's been in place since the inception of the top 35. What is throwing people is that this may have been the first time it was rained out in the first 5 races..which is a tad different from the rest of the races.

What screwed everyone up was the person on speed saying it was 100% based on this years owners points. IT WAS NOT. Tho it does play a part.


[/b]#1) - Previous season Owner Points [position 1-35][top 35 teams do NOT need to attempt ALL the races]
#2) - Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) - ALL Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 or 2
#4) - Current season Owner Points [Top 35][not in by rules 1-3]
#5) - Current season race attempts ties broken by current owners points standings [not in by rules 1-4]

Jayski's® Silly Season Site - Qualifying Rules

#5) John Andreetti and Joe Nemecheck got in under the rule 5 part with race attempts in the current year (200

I read that. I must be the dumbest reader here. Under part five I still fail to see how Jenkins' team made the field. From the records I see Jenkins (Front Row) had eight attempts and Red Bull #84 had 36?

I'm not the brightest light in the harbor but I'm sure a long way from being the dimest. Any rule this confusing needs to be changed!

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I read that. I must be the dumbest reader here. Under part five I still fail to see how Jenkins' team made the field. From the records I see Jenkins (Front Row) had eight attempts and Red Bull #84 had 36?

I'm not the brightest light in the harbor but I'm sure a long way from being the dimest. Any rule this confusing needs to be changed!

Under part five I still fail to see how Jenkins' team made the field. From the records I see Jenkins (Front Row) had eight attempts and Red Bull #84 had 36 - The beginning of the unraveling of this is likely in the "current season" element of part five. That, I think (I know, large danger there), eliminates the "36" for Red Bull as a consideration. Remember - I think.

Would be interesting to have one in the know explain the reason/thoughts behind this "first 5 race" approach to setting the field. Obviously the "35" thing is clear in there (like it or not), but some of the "last years winners not already in the 35", and/or "previous champions not already in the 35", etc. -----

Oh well, race on!