New Hampshire rain puts van Gisbergen deep in starting grid

Officials were hopeful of getting the field on-track for Qualifying but it was not to be, with the starting grid set by the rule book.

Series leader Cole Custer, in the #00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, will share the front row with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith (#81 Toyota).

Van Gisbergen is officially 28th in the starting order in the #97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, behind team-mates Josh Williams (#11 Chevrolet) in 17th and AJ Allmendinger (#16 Chevrolet) in 22nd.

Worse still for the New Zealander, all of his learning of the 1.058mi oval which is New Hampshire Motor Speedway will have to be done in the 200-lap race itself.

When qualifying is cancelled, NASCAR sets the grid ‘per the rule book’, which is a combination of previous race results (25 percent driver, 25 percent owner), owner points (35 percent), and fastest laps from previous race (15 percent).

With van Gisbergen and Allmendinger having both crashed out of the previous race of the season at Iowa, they were never going to be handed a favourable starting position for Saturday’s (local time) encounter.

The race is due to start just after 15:30 ET/Sunday at 05:30 AEST, although weather forecasts have rain at a more than even money chance tomorrow.