Bad weather cancels NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Richmond. Starting lineup now set

Alex Bowman will start at the front of the field again.

NASCAR Cup Series qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather at Richmond Raceway on Saturday morning, and as a result, Sunday’s starting lineup was set via the rule book. That means Bowman will sit on the pole — his second P1 start of the 2023 season — and Kyle Busch will start alongside him in P2.

Rain began pouring down around 8:30 a.m. Saturday with smatterings of lightning in the area as well. Cup practice was slated for 10 a.m., and then qualifying was slated immediately thereafter, but both were canceled because the track was too wet.

Saturday’s storms are expected to move through the area after 11 a.m., per local forecasts, and make way for clear skies the rest of the weekend. The Cup Series race’s green flag is set for just after 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The Xfinity Series saw its qualifying canceled, too, on Saturday.

Starting lineup for Cup Series at Richmond Raceway

In lieu of a qualifying session, NASCAR weighs three competition-based metrics to set a starting lineup “by the rule book.” Those include owners points position, as well as the finish and fastest lap from the most recently completed race.

Here is Sunday’s starting lineup.

This story was originally published April 1, 2023 at 10:40 AM.

Alex Zietlow

The Charlotte Observer

Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22. Support my work with a digital subscription