CONCORD, N.C., Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Qualifying for NASCAR's UAW-Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway was wiped out Friday by persistent rains.
The qualifying session had begun Thursday night before the rains moved in. Eighteen cars had turned in a qualifying run before the session was postponed. When the drivers returned to the track Friday, so did the rains, so the starting lineup will be based on the current Winston Cup car owner points.
Points leader Tony Stewart was awarded the pole and Mark Martin, who trails Stewart by 72 points in the standings, will start second. He will be followed by rookies Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman.
Once NASCAR officials gave up on qualifying for the Winston Cup race, the rains finally subsided and Michael Waltrip captured the pole for Saturday's Little Trees 300 Busch event.
Waltrip, a Winston Cup regular, led three other drivers from the circuit when he won the pole with a lap of 180.343 miles per hour in a Chevrolet. It was the 13th Busch pole of his career and his second straight.
Waltrip's lap broke Jeff Burton's event record of 179.485 mph set last year in a Ford.
Burton, who two weeks ago won the Mr. Goodcents 300, was second Friday at 180.337 mph in a Ford. Jimmy Spencer was third, followed by Joe Nemechek and Busch regular Scott Riggs.
