Sports
It was the eighth time this season qualifying got the axe thanks to rain on track, and the biggest beneficiary from precipitation was the guy who seems to benefit from everything, Mr. Jimmie Johnson. Though, I'm certainly no Johnson apologist because luck is something that you partially make with your performance -- something the No. 48 has plenty of.
Rain was persistent throughout the day at LMS -- where yours truly will be stationed for the weekend as a fan -- and not a lap of practice was turned by Sprint Cup cars.
Johnson secured the pole because of his position in the owner points, and the rest of the field was set the same way, allowing for all 12 of the contenders in the Chase for the Sprint Cup to be right on top of each other at the front of the field when the green flag is dropped Saturday night.
Johnson's teammate Jeff Gordon was likely somewhat disappointed with the session being wiped from the weekend schedule after turning the fastest lap in qualifying mode during the testing session a few weeks ago at LMS. Instead, he'll start in his points position of eighth.
The biggest losers of Thursday's cancellation were some of the up-and-coming drivers hoping to get their first Sprint Cup starts. Those drivers included former Formula One driver Scott Speed who entered the event in a Red Bull Racing No. 82 Toyota, Chip Ganassi Racing's and my fellow hometown driver Bryan Clauson, and Hendrick Motorsports' Brad Keselowski.
Derrike Cope also didn't make the race.
