Sprint Cup Qualifying Washed Out in Daytona

July 2, 2010

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 2, 2010) -- Regan Smith was one of 12 drivers who made a qualifying run Friday before NASCAR officials were forced to cancel the time trial session due to a persistent rain shower at Daytona International Speedway.

The 43-car starting field for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup race will be set according to owner points.

Though Smith was sixth fastest among the 12 drivers who completed their qualifying laps, he will start 31st, based on Furniture Row Racing's owner points position.

"We knew before qualifying there was a better than a 50-50 chance that rain would cancel the session," said Smith, who finished 12th at the Daytona summer race last year. "We made a pretty good qualifying lap in our Furniture Row Chevrolet and felt our speed (187.091 mph) would have put us in the top-20. The good news for us is that we had a great practice yesterday in race trim and know that we have the potential for a good result in Saturday night's race."

Points leader Kevin Harvick will start from the pole. Rounding out the top-five starters in order will be Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon.

Saturday night's 160-lap, 400-mile race will be televised on TNT, beginning with a 60-minute prerace show at 5:30 p.m. MT.

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