The XFINITY Series Dover race postponement -- due to weather -- left teams scrambling to assemble its lineups Saturday afternoon with playoff chances on the line.
Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup contenders, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Austin Dillon were expected to perform double-duty, but with both races now on Sunday, teams had to reassemble its lineups so the trio could focus on their main event -- the first elimination race in the Chase.
Drew Herring will wheel the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for Busch, while Ryan Blaney will sit behind Team Penske's No. 22 Ford for Logano and Regan Smith is set to replace Dillon in the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, according to multiple reports.
Busch enters the Sprint Cup Citizen Soldier 400 (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) fourth on the Chase Grid and, just a few spots behind, sits Logano in sixth. Dillon is currently 14th, five points below the cutoff.
After spotty rain affected events all day Saturday at Dover, NASCAR postponed the XFINITY Series' Drive Sober 200 until 10 a.m. ET Sunday (CNBC, MRN, SIRIUS XM).
The second race of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase was set to be the capstone to a day of action at Dover International Speedway.
Saturday's on-track action started well for the second Sprint Cup practice at Dover. But sprinkles turned to heavier rain with 15 minutes left in that practice, bringing out the red flag after 45 minutes of the 55-minute session.
XFINITY Series qualifying was also off to a good start, but was scrapped after just one round, handing Erik Jones the pole position.
Final Sprint Cup practice was set for 1:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App), but was ultimately canceled due to inclement weather.
Friday's Sprint Cup Coors Light qualifying was canceled due to persistent rain. The field was set by owner standings, allowing Brad Keselowski to start P1 for the second time this year. The Sprint Cup Series will return to the track tomorrow for the Citizen Soldier 400 at 2 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App).
Host Matthew Dillner takes you through the NASCAR XFINITY Series garage at Dover International Speedway as drivers prepare for the second race in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase.
Friday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying session at Dover International Speedway was canceled because of rain. The lineup was set according to the NASCAR rule book, putting Brad Keselowski on the pole for Sunday's Citizen Solider 400 (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Martin Truex Jr., in the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota, will start on the front row alongside the No. 2 Team Penske Ford.
"We earned it because, obviously, we've been having a great season, maybe not with what we've done on track today, but with what we've done throughout the course of the year in scoring a lot of points and winning races," Keselowski said.
"But it's certainly still something to be very proud of, to be this far into the season and be in the points lead. These are the perks you get when you're in that position. We'll take it, and of course, being up front gives us a very advantageous pit road selection for this race, which I think is very critical."
The three-round, group qualifying effort at the 1-mile concrete oval was scheduled to begin at 3:40 p.m. ET, but wet weather delayed that schedule. This marks the third straight Sprint Cup event at Dover that qualifying has been washed out by rain.
Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, Michael Annett, AJ Allmendinger and Jeff Gordon will select Sunday's pit stalls last for receving a fourth written warning from NASCAR.
Sunday's Citizen Soldier 400 is the final event in the 10-race Chase's opening Round of 16. The results will determine which 12 drivers remain championship-eligible and which four fail to advance in the postseason.
Kyle Larson holds the final transfer spot entering the Dover race with a five-point lead over Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammate Jamie McMurray and Richard Childress Racing's Austin Dillon. Larson will start 12th, with McMurray and Dillon directly behind him in 13th and 14th, respectively.
The second of two NASCAR XFINITY Series practices was cut short by rain. The practice lasted about nearly half of its scheduled 85 minutes before being put on hold and eventually called due to rain.
Marty Snider and Chris Rice preview the upcoming weekend at Dover International Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as drivers gear up for the first cutoff race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
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