Dodging rain drops at Pocono Raceway!

Rain washed out qualifying Friday afternoon for the second time this year at Pocono and for the 5th time this season. Unfortunately, there’s a 50% of rain over the entire racin’ weekend in Long Pond, PA.

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Rain hit 53 minutes into the first practice session. Mark Martin posted the fastest speed followed by Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon. Is there a theme? Hendrick Motorsports’s 11 wins at Pocono are more than any other. Roger Penske and Joe Gibbs are both tied with 6 wins at the track.

There was a slight thought that the rain would only delay qualifying, but after another hour and a half it was evident that it would be a wash out.

43 drivers are entered into Sunday’s race, so nobody will have to “go-home”. The field will be set by the rule book. For the starting line-up, click here.

Michael Waltrip crashed during practice and will have to go to a back-up. He took a spin off turn 3 into the grass and on pit road. He’ll have to start Sunday’s race in the back of the field.

A.J. Allmendinger spun off turn 2, but caused minimal damage to his #44 ride.

Starting from the pole might not be as important. Just 13 of 63 races have been won from the pole at Pocono Raceway.

Stewart won the Pocono 500 last month for his first official points-paying race win as an owner/driver. Defeat was not in his vocabulary. He started in the back of the field in a back-up car after wrecking his primary in a practice accident. With an average fuel window of 33-39 laps, Stewart chose not to pit for gas during a late race caution. Instead, he pulled out on the restart to lead the final 36 laps. The gamble paid off.

“You don’t have to be on the pole to win here,” Stewart said. “It’s not a deal-breaker to start 43rd. … It really was a benefit having that first pit selection last time, especially our situation of myself crashing the car during practice and having to go to the back for race day. That helped us gain a lot of spots on pit road. It helped take what could have been an extremely long day and make it a good day.”

(Left to right) Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart joke around in the Pocono Raceway garage Friday before practice.

(Photo Credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)