Date: April 25, 2014

Event: Richmond 400 Qualifying (Round 9 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Location: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (.75-mile oval)

Pole Winner: None, qualifying canceled due to rain (field set via NASCAR rulebook)

SHR Lineup:  Kevin Harvick (5^th)

         Tony Stewart (20^th)

         Kurt Busch (21^st)

         Danica Patrick (35^th)

Rain canceled today’s qualifying session for the Richmond 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race atRichmond (Va.) International Raceway. As a result, the 43-car field for Saturday night’s 400-lap event around the .75-mile oval was set by taking the fastest lap each driver posted during Friday’s first practice session, per the NASCAR rulebook.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), will start fifth. Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS for SHR, will start 20^th. Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet for SHR, will start 21^st. Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for SHR, will start 35^th.

Harvick’s fast lap in practice was 21.527 seconds at 125.424 mph. Stewart turned a lap of 21.754 seconds at 124.115 mph. Busch timed in at 21.770 seconds at 124.024 mph. Patrick stopped the clock in 22.084 seconds at 122.260 mph.

Rookie Kyle Larson will start first as he posted the fastest speed in Friday’s first practice session with a lap of 21.280 seconds at 126.880 mph. Joining him on the outside of row one is Brad Keselowski, who timed in at 21.396 seconds at 126.192 mph. Clint Bowyer (21.444 seconds at 125.909 mph), Kasey Kahne (21.466 seconds at 125.780 mph) and Harvick comprised the remainder of the top-five.

Forty-five drivers were slated to qualify for the Richmond 400. Michael McDowell and Dave Blaney did not make the field.

The Richmond 400 gets underway at 7 p.m. EDT on Saturday with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with a pre-race show at 6:30 p.m.

-SHR-