Notes: Stremme inherits lead slot for Showdown

CONCORD, N.C. -- Light rain at Lowe's Motor Speedway late Friday afternoon washed out qualifying for Saturday's Sprint Showdown.

So the field was set according to how the cars had randomly drawn their qualifying order. That put the No. 27 of Kirk Shelmerdine technically on the pole for the event, but NASCAR ruled that both the 27 and the No. 46 to be driven by Carl Long would have to go to the rear of the field after the pace car laps (the 27 for "not being able to present himself for inspection" and the 46 for an engine change).

So when they start racing for real in the Showdown, that will put Sprint Cup regular David Stremme, who drives the No. 12 Dodge for Penske Racing, at the front of the field.

That was news to Stremme. When word came down about it, he was several miles from the track on his way home. He turned his civilian car around and drove back so he could entertain the media a little.

"I was already down the road, on my way home. I was looking forward to getting home -- because dinner is ready and I was hungry," said Stremme, a native of South Bend, Ind. "But that's all right. I was kind of like, this sucks. But then I thought back to when I used to work for the city and had to change snow-plow blades in the middle of the winter. Now that sucked; this job isn't so bad when you think about it."

The top two finishers from the Showdown advance to the All-Star Race, so Stremme said he is appreciative of getting to start up front in the preliminary race.

"I think our chances of making it in are pretty good, given our starting position," said Stremme, currently 27th in Cup points. "We've run well at some places recently, but haven't come up with the finishes to match how we've run."

Stremme said he's pretty sure he knows what to expect in the Showdown.

"I was in one three years ago and there was a big wreck; I was in one two years ago and there was a big wreck; I watched it last year and there was a big wreck," he said. "So within the first five or eight laps, I know there's going to be a wreck. I just don't want to be in it.

"I don't want to tear any cars up, but the top two (in the Showdown) get to stay on the track for the All-Star deal. The longer we can stay on the track, the more information we can gather that might help us in the (Coca-Cola) 600." (Continued)