By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
JOLIET, Ill. – When rain forced cancellation of Friday’s knockout qualifying session for Sunday’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN), Kyle Busch was the primary beneficiary.
As the top seed in Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and with his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota seeded first in the corresponding owners’ standings, Busch will start on the pole at the 1.5-mile track for the first of the 10 playoff races that will decide the 2016 champion.
Busch also will get first pick of pit stalls, with the corresponding advantage of choosing the stall nearest the exit from pit road.
Brad Keselowski, who like Busch recorded a series-best four victories during the 26-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season, will start on the outside of the front row, as the 16 Chase drivers take the green flag from the top 16 positions, according to respective seeding.
A three-time winner thanks to last Saturday’s victory at Richmond, Denny Hamlin will start third beside Kevin Harvick, the highest-seeded driver with two wins.
Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. will take the green from fifth and sixth, respectively, with Matt Kenseth in seventh, as Toyota drivers occupy five of the top seven starting positions. Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray are eighth through 16th on the grid, respectively.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400
1. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, Charter Team Owner Points – 1st.
2. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 2nd.
3. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Charter Team Owner Points – 3rd.
4. (4) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 4th.
5. (19) Carl Edwards, Toyota, Charter Team Owner Points – 5th.
6. (78) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, Charter Team Owner Points – 6th.
7. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, Charter Team Owner Points – 7th.
8. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 8th.
9. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 9th.
10. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 10th.
11. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 11th.
12. (41) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 12th.
13. (34) Chris Buescher #, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 13th.
14. (24) Chase Elliott #, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 14th.
15. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 15th.
16. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 16th.
17. (88) Alex Bowman(i), Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 17th.
18. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 18th.
19. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 19th.
20. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 20th.
21. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 21st.
22. (21) * Ryan Blaney #, Ford, Open Team Owner Points – 22nd.
23. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 23rd.
24. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 24th.
25. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 25th.
26. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 26th.
27. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 27th.
28. (15) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 28th.
29. (13) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 29th.
30. (95) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 30th.
31. (38) Landon Cassill, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 31st.
32. (23) David Ragan, Toyota, Charter Team Owner Points – 32nd.
33. (7) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 33rd.
34. (44) Brian Scott #, Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 34th.
35. (83) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, Charter Team Owner Points – 35th.
36. (98) * Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, Open Team Owner Points – 36th.
37. (46) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, Charter Team Owner Points – 37th.
38. (32) Joey Gase(i), Ford, Charter Team Owner Points – 38th.
39. (55) * Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, Open Team Owner Points – 39th.
40. (30) * Josh Wise, Chevrolet, Open Team Owner Points – 40th.
