WEATHER AN ISSUE AGAIN AT BRISTOL:  FIELD SET BY POINTS -Kurt Busch To Start Miller Lite Dodge Ninth In Sunday's Food City 500 At Bristol-

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 24, 2006) - After adverse weather forced postponement of last Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Atlanta until Monday, rain here at Bristol Motor Speedway today saw officials to scrap qualifying and establish Sunday's Food City 500 starting field by points.

            "We'll start ninth and go from there," said Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch.  "I wish we could have gotten in qualifying because I was really looking at contending for the pole.  I guess I shouldn't be too upset, though, as starting ninth is better than starting 27th. (The top 35 spots were set by the 2005 car owners' points, which saw the No. 2 car finish in ninth.  If the field was set by the 2006 standings, Busch would be starting 27th, his current position in the standings.)  The big deal is getting in some practice tomorrow.  The weather looks great for Sunday - a little on the cool side for all the great fans that'll jam the stands - but with sunny and dry conditions."

            Defending NEXTEL Cup champ Tony Stewart will start Sunday's race from the pole, with Greg Biffle on the outside of the front row.  Carl Edwards, Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson round out the top five starters. Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Busch and Jeremy Mayfield complete Sunday's top-10 starting grid.

Weather permitting; Saturday's schedule offers practice sessions from 9:30 a.m. till 10:30 a.m. and from 11:05 a.m. till 11:50 a.m.  Sunday's Food City 500 is scheduled to get the green flag at 2:10 p.m. and features live coverage by FOX-TV and PRN Radio.

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