Nascar Today: Qualifying Canceled at Atlanta; Elliott, No. 9 Team Set to Start Fourth
nascar today — HAMPTON, Ga. saw Mother Nature claim its first victim on Saturday for the Cup Series schedule at Atlanta Motor Speedway: qualifying was canceled because of lightning in the area, leaving the starting lineup to be set by the governing body's metric.
Nascar Today: What the qualifying cancellation means
The Cup Series qualifying session was nixed when lightning moved into the area around Atlanta Motor Speedway. With no on-track session, the official starting grid was established by the governing body's metric rather than on-track times. Here's a look at the full starting grid:
Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team positioned after metric set
Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team come out of the metric lineup in a strong spot; Elliott will line up fourth on Sunday afternoon after a fourth-place finish in last week's DAYTONA 500. That sequence—last week's result followed by the metric placement—keeps Elliott near the front for the Atlanta race.
Hendrick Motorsports lineup after the metric
Rounding out the Hendrick Motorsports contingent under the metric system: William Byron will roll off 13th, Kyle Larson 16th and Alex Bowman 36th. Those specific starting positions were assigned when qualifying could not proceed due to the weather interruption.
Schedule and broadcast details for the Atlanta Cup race
Sunday's race is set for a 3 p. m. start and will air on a national television partner. The delay to qualifying required officials to lock the grid without an on-track session, and teams will begin race preparations with the metric-based lineup in place.
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What to watch on race day
- Chase Elliott starting fourth after the metric placement, following a fourth-place finish in the DAYTONA 500.
- Hendrick Motorsports drivers to monitor: William Byron (13th), Kyle Larson (16th), Alex Bowman (36th).
- Race kickoff set for 3 p. m.; viewers should check local listings for the national broadcast partner's schedule.
The qualifying cancellation at Atlanta changed pre-race routines and left teams and drivers to adjust strategy without a timed session. Recent updates indicate the lineup was finalized by the governing metric and teams will proceed under that order; details may evolve if officials release additional clarifications.
