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BRISTOL, Tenn. — NASCAR has postponed the Monster Energy Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway because of heavy rain that is not expected to let up on Sunday. The race was pushed until Monday at 1 p.m.

Weather has been a problem all weekend at Bristol, where Friday qualifications were washed out. On Saturday, the Xfinity Series race had a lengthy stoppage for rain.

Cup points leader Kyle Larson will start on the pole next to Chase Elliott.

Bristol officials this year applied a VHT resin to the track surface that is intended to enhance grip. But the nonstop rain has washed away most of the tire rubber accumulated through three practice sessions.

It’s unclear if both the preferred bottom lane and top line will work on Monday. If only one lane works, it could turn into a throwback Bristol race in which bumping is the only way to pass a car.

Larson said he expected NASCAR to call a competition caution early in the first stage Monday to check tire wear.

“I’m sure we will all pit probably because it has shown a lot of tire wear on the left side, so I’m sure everybody will pit,” Larson said. “We will see if people take two or four or whatever, but it kind of just depends on what position you are in at that point if you are going to take two or four (tires).”

Five-time Bristol winner Kurt Busch called the rain “a blessing in disguise.”

“The track was talking about laying down more VHT and they can’t do it while it’s wet,” Busch said. “The VHT is like a grip applicator and you have to heat it up to make it work, so in the drag-racing world the guys do a burnout through it and you have that stripe that you just heat it up and that’s what has to happen for us oval guys. We have to have more cars out there to heat it up, so it’s going to be like ice when we first start off and then the grip will come back once we do heat it up after this rain.

“I’m hopeful that once we burn through some of that top surface, and we get through to where we’re starting to wear it away, then the outside groove will come into play. Hopefully, you’ll have a bottom and a top once it gets down to it.”

Monster Energy

Ford EcoBoost Lineup

Monday

At Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol, Tenn.

Lap length: 0.53 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 1st.

2. (24) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 2nd.

3. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 3rd.

4. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 4th.

5. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 5th.

6. (21) Ryan Blaney, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 6th.

7. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 7th.

8. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 8th.

9. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 9th.

10. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 10th.

11. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 11th.

12. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 12th.

13. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 13th.

14. (77) Erik Jones, Toyota, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 14th.

15. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 15th.

16. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 16th.

17. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 17th.

18. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 18th.

19. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 19th.

20. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 20th.

21. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 21st.

22. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 22nd.

23. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 23rd.

24. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 24th.

25. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 25th.

26. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 26th.

27. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 27th.

28. (95) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 28th.

29. (10) Danica Patrick, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 29th.

30. (34) Landon Cassill, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 30th.

31. (72) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 31st.

32. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 32nd.

33. (38) David Ragan, Ford, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 33rd.

34. (15) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 34th.

35. (83) Corey LaJoie, Toyota, Open Team – 2017 Owner Point 35th.

36. (23) Gray Gaulding, Toyota, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 36th.

37. (33) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, Charter Team – 2017 Owner Point 39th.

38. (51) Timmy Hill, Chevrolet, Open Team – 2017 Owner Point 40th.

39. (55) Derrike Cope, Toyota, Open Team – 2017 Owner Point 41st.

Driver Kyle Larson will start on the pole in today’s race.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_NASCAR-Bristol.jpg.optimal.jpgDriver Kyle Larson will start on the pole in today’s race.

By Jenna Fryer

AP Auto Racing Writer

ON TV

Monday

(at Bristol Motor Speedway)

FOX — Monster Energy Cup race, 1 p.m.