Coverage of Qualifying for the Irwin Tools Night Race Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is scheduled for Friday, August 24, 2012 at 5:10pm/et.
Television (TV): ESPN2, 5:00pm/et
Live Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) - live
Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: none

2012 March Pole Sitter: #16-Greg Biffle, 125.215, finished 13th

2011 August Pole Sitter: #39-Ryan Newman, 122.811mph, finished 8th

Track Qualifying Record: #12-Ryan Newman, March 2003, 128.709mph, 14.908 secs

Oldest Pole Winner: Harry Gant, 54 years, 7 months, 17 days, 8/27/1994

Youngest Pole Winner: Joey Logano, 19 years, 9 months, 23 days, 3/19/2010

Fastest First Practice Speed: #13-Mears, 122.209mph, scheduled to qualify 47th out of 47 drivers

NOTE: no longer doing semi-live qualifying on Jayski.com.
NASCAR.com and FoxSports have live realtime qualifying and hits for my qualifying pages were way down in 2011 due to the availabilty of the real-time qualifying found at those sites.
Will continue to post Jayski.com's unique qualifying results below, to help explain how drivers made the race.
For Realtime qualifying, check out:
NASCAR.com and FoxSports

Bristol qualifying rained out: #13-Casey Mears will start first in the Irwin Tools Night Race Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway after qualifying was rained out and set by the rules book. The 43 drivers who made the race were from the top-35 in owners points and teams with the most race attempts. The field was then set by practice speeds from the first practice. #13-Mears was the fastest in the first practice and will start first [but is not awarded a Coors Light pole or eligible for the Shootout], followed by #2-Keselowski, #16-Biffle, #20-Logano, #43-Almirola, #31-Burton, #27-Menard, #11-Hamlin, #9-Ambrose and #18-Busch
The go-or-go homers who made the race (8): #98-McDowell, #30-Stremme, #26-Wise, #19-Bliss, #23-Riggs, #33-Leicht, #49-Leffler and #87-Nemechek.
The go-or-go homers who failed to qualify for the race (4): #95-Speed, #79-Bires, #91-Sorenson and #37-Yeley.
See qualifying results & starting lineup below or on the Starting Lineup page (pdf).(8-24-2012)

Rain at Bristol: qualifying for the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway has been cancelled, so the rain-out qualifying procedure for all three NASCAR national series is as follows:
If first practice is run [which it was], but qualifying is unable to take place, the starting lineup will be based on speeds from the car's fastest lap from the first practice, with top-35 cars in owner points no longer segregated from the non-top 35 cars. THe Top-35 would make thew race, then, past champions not already in per top-35 [none], then past race winners from 2011-2012 not already in by top-35 [none], then by race attempts [ties broeken by owners points position]. After the 43 drivers eligible are set, the field is set by first practice speeds. #13-Casey Mears would start first [not credited with a pole or for the Shootout]. Missing the race would be: #37-Yeley, #95-Speed, #79-Bires and #91-Sorenson.
The Unofficial Lineup:
1st thru 10th: #'s 13, 2, 16, 20, 43, 31, 27, 11, 9 & 18
11th thru 20th: #'s 24, 5, 29, 78, 56, 88, 17, 38, 39 & 51
21st thru 30th: #'s 14, 55, 15, 34, 36, 1, 99, 42, 22 & 98
31st thru 40th: #'s 30, 26, 83, 19, 23, 47, 48, 33, 49 & 87
41st thru 43rd: #'s 93, 32 & 10
DNQ's: 95, 79, 37, 91.(8-24-2012)

Pole Progression: (who had the pole first, who got it next and who ended up with it)
#10-Patrick, 1st out to qualify, ?mph, starts ?

How did the non Top-35 teams do in qualifying?
Fastest 7 get in, 8th [43rd] spot goes to most recent past champ not in the race already or 8th fastest
[45 entered for 43 spots]:
still need to go out to qualify:
#87-Joe Nemechek,
#49-Jason Leffler,
#33-Stephen Leicht#,
#37-J.J. Yeley,
#23-Scott Riggs,
#19-Mike Bliss,
#91-Reed Sorenson,
#26-Josh Wise#,
#30-David Stremme,
#79-Kelly Bires,
#98-Michael McDowell,
#95-Scott Speed,

Happy Hour practice for the Irwin Tools Night Race Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is over, after 45 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and some notes:
#20-Logano 122.404
#2-Keselowski 122.154
#38-Gilliland 121.929
#17-Kenseth 121.921
#18-Busch 121.883
#13-Mears who was fastest in 1st practice was 15th fastest
#48-Johnson continues to struggle, was 31st after being 41st in 1st practice.
slowest: #10-Patrick 117.732 & #36-Blaney 117.906
See speeds, best 10-lap averages and laps run on the Bristol Happy Hour practice speeds page (pdf).(8-24-2012)

First Friday practice for the Irwin Tools Night Race Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is over, after 120 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and some notes:
#13-Mears 122.209
#2-Keselowski 122.162
#16-Biffle 122.123
#20-Logano 121.999
#43-Almirola 121.999
#48-Johnson was 41st fastest
slowest: #10-Patrick 116.722 & #32-Schrader 118.116
notes: early in the practice, #36-Blaney slapped the wall with the right rear, but drove on.
See speeds and laps run on the Bristol practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(8-24-2012)

Go-or-Go Homers practice at Bristol: the position the 12 drivers who are not in the top-35 of owners points and must qualify by speed to make the Irwin Tools Night Race Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where they practiced in the first practice:
#95-Speed, 28th fastest overall
the eight drivers who would make the race if things stayed the same:
#98-McDowell, 31st
#79-Bires, 32nd
#30-Stremme, 33rd
#26-Wise, 34th
#91-Sorenson, 36th
#19-Bliss, 37th
#23-Riggs, 38th
the four drivers who would miss the race if things stayed the same:
#37-Yeley, 40th
#33-Leicht, 42nd
#49-Leffler, 43rd
#87-Nemechek, 44th of 47 drivers
(8-24-2012)

Race info at: Race Info Page

Event Entry List

Past Champions Provisional page

All Time Sprint Cup Pole Winners

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying procedures:
1) qualifying order will be determined by the driver's fastest lap in first practice.
2) times on the speed sheet will be inverted with the slowest cars attempting their qualifying runs first
3) go-or-go-home cars will now qualify among the 35 teams locked in on owner points and not be separated by the field. 4) the NASCAR Sprint Cup director does reserve the right to change a driver's qualifying order or allow "adjustments or repairs" to cars after the car has taken the green flag at the start/finish line.
5) all cars must qualify with a full fuel cell.
6) qualifying consists of two consecutive timed laps (except at road courses, 1 lap)
7) the fastest lap determines qualifying position
8) in case of a rain-out of practice, a random drawing will be held for cars set up in the garage area to determine qualifying order
9) if qualifying is rained out, the order of the field will be set according to Section 9-5 of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup rule book.

If first practice is run, but qualifying is unable to take place, the starting lineup will be based on speeds from the car's fastest lap from the first practice, with top-35 cars in owner points no longer segregated from the non-top 35 cars. Previously, the top 35 cars lined up in front of all other eligible car owners.(NASCAR)(7-7-2011)

Past Champions Provisional Berths in Sprint Cup: A past champion's provisional may be used by an eligible driver a maximum of six times over the course of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. A team with a past champion eligible driver may only use this provisional a maximum of six times during a season. The provisional gives the eligible driver the 43rd and final starting position in the race field. This is only for a team/driver OUTSIDE the top-35 in owners points, drivers whose team is in the top-35 in owners points, would already be guaranteed in the field and not need the Past Champions Provisional
See my Past Champions Provisional Page for more.

What happens if all qualifying gets cancelled [rain/weather/other]?
If bad weather cancels qualifying, the final starting lineup will be determined by practice speeds. The same rule book procedures will be used to determine eligibility to start a race. If weather cancels practice sessions, then the starting lineup will be set by points, per the rule book.

If qualifying AND all practices are cancled, then:
If it is during the first 5 races of the season, the previous season OWNERS points are used:
#1) - Previous season Owner Points [position 1-35][team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) - Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) - Past Sprint Cup Champions not in by 1 or 2
#4) - Current season Owner Position [Top 35][not in by rules 1-3]
#5) - Current season race attempts ties broken by current owners position [not in by rules 1-4]
#6) - For 2nd race of season, teams that missed Daytona 500, are seeded in owners points by thier finish in the Duels
#7) - Randon Draw if more then one team with no attempts

If qualifying is cancled by at least one practice gets run, then:
If it is the first 5 races of the season, the previous season OWNERS points are used:
#1) - Previous season Owner Points [position 1-35][team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) - Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) - Past Sprint Cup Champions not in by 1 or 2
#4) - Current season Owner Position [Top 35][not in by rules 1-3]
#5) - Current season race attempts ties broken by current owners position [not in by rules 1-4]
#6) - For 2nd race of season, teams that missed Daytona 500, are seeded in owners points by thier finish in the Duels
#7) - Randon Draw if more then one team with no attempts
#8) - One it is determined which teams/driver made the race, then the field is set by 1st practice speeds.

What happens if just qualifying is cancelled?
If it is during the first 5 races of the season, the previous season OWNERS points are used:
#1) - Previous season Owner Points [position 1-35][team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) - Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) - Past Sprint Cup Champions not in by 1 or 2
#4) - Current season Owner Position [Top 35][not in by rules 1-3]
#5) - Current season race attempts ties broken by current owners position [not in by rules 1-4]
#6) - For 2nd race of season, teams that missed Daytona 500, are seeded in owners points by thier finish in the Duels
#7) - Randon Draw if more then one team with no attempts
#8) - One it is determined which teams/driver made the race, then the field is set by 1st practice speeds.

What happens if just qualifying is cancelled?
AFTER the 5th race of the season, the current season OWNERS points are used:
#1) - First 35 by current Owner Points [team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) - Last Years Sprint Cup Champ or the Event Champion if not already in the field
#3) - Car Owners whose team has won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#4) - Drivers who have won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#5) - Past Sprint Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4
#6) - Qualifying Attempts with current Owners points as the tie breaker
#7) - NASCAR will hold a draw for teams with no owners points / attempts
#8) - One it is determined which teams/driver made the race, then the field is set by 1st practice speeds.

NOTE: all above apply as long as the team was entered by the entry deadline - usually 7-13 days before the race

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying procedures:
1) qualifying order will be determined by the driver's fastest lap in first practice.
2) times on the speed sheet will be inverted with the slowest cars attempting their qualifying runs first
3) go-or-go-home cars will now qualify among the 35 teams locked in on owner points and not be separated by the field. 4) the NASCAR Sprint Cup director does reserve the right to change a driver's qualifying order or allow "adjustments or repairs" to cars after the car has taken the green flag at the start/finish line.
5) all cars must qualify with a full fuel cell.
6) qualifying consists of two consecutive timed laps (except at road courses, 1 lap)
7) the fastest lap determines qualifying position
8) in case of a rain-out of practice, a random drawing will be held for cars set up in the garage area to determine qualifying order
9) if qualifying is rained out, the order of the field will be set according to Section 9-5 of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup rule book.