Heavy rain showers washed out all Friday's Cup activity at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, including the scheduled qualifying session. As a result, the starting for Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400 race was set by owner points as per the
NASCAR rule book, which at this point are dominated by carry-over points from 2012 putting reigning champion Brad Keselowski on pole position alongside Clint Bowyer.
"It is one of the perks I guess of being the champion in the first few races," said Keselowski. "That is the first time I have had a decent starting position in a rainout," he continued, adding: "I was just thinking when I walked in, with this being Vegas and all, what the odds would be of a rainout in Vegas. I bet that was pretty high."
Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne will make it an all-Hendrick Motorsports second row, ahead of Greg Biffle and Denny Hamlin on row three. Mike Bliss was the only driver to miss out on this week's race after being unable to attempt to qualify on speed.
Although he starts the race from pole, Keselowski does not pick up a spot in the 2014
Daytona Sprint Unlimited exhibition race which is reserved for this year's Cup pole sitters. Not that Keselowski was complaining.
"Whenever you can start up front it is a big deal and you get the first pit stall and all those things that make a big difference on pit road," said the Penske Racing driver.
Starting grid1.
#2 Brad Keselowski Ford
2.
#15 Clint Bowyer Toyota
3.
#48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
4.
#5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet
5.
#16 Greg Biffle Ford
6.
#11 Denny Hamlin Toyota
7.
#17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford
8.
#29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet
9.
#14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet
10.
#24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet
11.
#56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota
12.
#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet
13.
#18 Kyle Busch Toyota
14.
#39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet
15.
#55 Mark Martin Toyota
16.
#99 Carl Edwards Ford
17.
#27 Paul Menard Chevrolet
18.
#20 Matt Kenseth Toyota
19.
#9 Marcos Ambrose Ford
20.
#31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet
21.
#22 Joey Logano Ford
22.
#43 Aric Almirola Ford
23.
#1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet
24.
#78 Kurt Busch Chevrolet
25.
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya Chevrolet
26.
#47 Bobby Labonte Toyota
27.
#51 Austin Dillon Chevrolet
28.
#93 Travis Kvapil Toyota
29.
#34 David Ragan Ford
30.
#13 Casey Mears Ford
31.
#38 David Gilliland Ford
32.
#83 David Reutimann Toyota
33.
#7 Dave Blaney Chevrolet
34.
#32 Ken Schrader Ford
35.
#36 JJ Yeley Chevrolet
36.
#21 Trevor Bayne Ford
37.
#10 Danica Patrick Chevrolet
38.
#30 David Stremme Toyota
39.
#98 Michael McDowell Ford
40.
#95 Scott Speed Ford
41.
#33 Landon Cassill Chevrolet
42.
#87 Joe Nemechek Toyota
43.
#35 Josh Wise Ford
Did Not Qualify#15 Mike Bliss Toyota