Sprint Cup qualifying rained out

MARTINSVILLE, Va., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Friday's rain forced the cancellation of qualifying for the Sprint Cup TUMS QuikPak 500 auto race at the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

The race, the fifth in the season-ending "Race for the Chase," which decides the 2008 points champion, is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Friday's qualifying cancellation means two-time champion Jimmie Johnson starts from the pole position.

Jeff Burton will start on the outside pole.

Burton won last weekend's Bank of America 500 at the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., but was never a good qualifier at Martinsville.

"I was preparing my answer to the media on how I was going to catch Jimmie starting back in the field," he told reporters. "I consider it a good break with the weather that we will be up front to start the race."

Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards start in row two, while Richard Childress Racing teammates Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick will start on the third row.