Qualifying Results for the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway

• Qualifying for the AMP Energy 500 was canceled due to rain showers that covered the 2.66-mile Talladega track Saturday morning. The starting field was lined up according to the current owner point standings as a result of qualifying being canceled.
• Kasey Kahne and the No. 9 Budweiser team will lineup 11th for Sunday’s 500-mile race.
• Prior to the start, Kahne will have to move to the rear of the field on Sunday as a result of an engine change that took place following Friday’s practice session after the team discovered there was an issue with a cylinder.
• Jimmie Johnson will start from the pole as a result of being the leader of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings. He is joined on the front row by Mark Martin.
• The AMP Energy 500 is scheduled for a 1:15 pm ET start on ABC. 

Kahne discusses this weekend’s AMP Energy:

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY CHANGES MADE AT TALLADEGA SINCE THE SPRING RACE?  “I think it’s good.  Anything can happen at these types of tracks and everybody knows that when we come here.  It’s unfortunate what happened here with debris getting up in the stands last race.  I think they did what they could to hopefully make it a little bit better and prevent that stuff.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE SIZE FOR THIS RACE?  “I don’t really think that it’s going to affect things that much.  I would say that the racing will be very similar.  I think that the speeds will be up.  These teams seem to keep making their cars better and faster for each race at Talladega or Daytona.  I think (NASCAR) needs to keep things slowed down once in a while, otherwise we’re going to get over 200 (mph) and that probably wouldn’t be a real good thing.”
 

The following is the starting position of the other beverage-sponsored cars participating in the AMP Energy 500 race weekend:

• Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite-6th
• Brian Vickers and the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota-12th
• Casey Mears and the No. 07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet-19th
• Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 26 Irwin/Crown Royal Ford-22nd
• Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet-24th
• Scott Speed and the No. 82 Red Bull Toyota-38th

Sunday’s AMP Energy 500 is scheduled for a 1:15 p.m. ET start. ABC will provide the live television broadcast of the 500-mile event beginning with its pre-race show at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Radio coverage will be provided by the Performance Racing Network (PRN).