BROOKLYN, Mich. – Bobby Labonte’s 1991 NASCAR Busch Series title could have been the umbrella he needed.

Instead, his plans were soaked. He was among seven Nextel Cup drivers – Tony Stewart included – who were left out of today’s Cabela’s 250 Busch series race, after qualifying was rained out Friday at Michigan International Speedway.

It was the first Busch qualifying wipeout at MIS.

Labonte could have made the lineup under a provision for past series champions, but he was no longer eligible for the exception this season, because he failed to start a race in the series last season. He had one Busch series start this season, so he’d make the field if the same thing happened next season. “What can you say? There’s nothing you can do about it,” Labonte said.

“It’s just the way it is.

“If we’d had tried to qualify and my car spun out, then I’d say my car was too loose and I spun out. If we were too slow, I’d say we were too slow. But we didn’t make it because of weather and that’s just the way it is.”

The top 35 positions were set based on car owner point standings.

Martin Truex Jr. will take the pole in his first start at MIS. Kyle Busch, who will also be competing at MIS for the first time, will start second, followed by Kevin Harvick, Jason Leffler and Greg Biffle.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Truex Jr. said of taking the pole by the rule book instead of qualifying speed. “It sucks my teammates are both going home. Feel bad for them.”

Rookie Paul Menard, who tested with Truex Jr. at MIS last week, failed to qualify. His speed of 187.251 m.p.h. was the fastest for any driver in practice.

Several other drivers made the field based on criteria set by the NASCAR rule book. Jeff Fuller and Justin Labonte-Bobby’s nephew-made the field based on their car owners having won Busch races in the last two years. Jamie McMurray made the field as a winner of Busch race in the same time span, and last five drivers were set based on owner attempts.

The last driver in, based on six owner attempts, was Mark Martin, who’ll drive the No. 9 Pennzoil Ford, which features a special Batman paint scheme.

Martin, who has a record 45 Busch Series wins, hasn’t started in the series since 2000. He has two Busch wins in seven races at Michigan, one of the reasons why he wanted to run in both races this weekend.

“This track means a lot to me in my career,” Martin said. “It’s one of the most fun tracks I’ve ever driven on. It almost feels like running a quarter-mile on a huge scale.”

Stewart had the seventh-fastest practice time –185.123 — but won’t get to race in the No.81 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevrolet.

Chelsea’s Bill Eversole, who owns a race school that uses MIS, will start 26th among 32 thanks to owner points of the No.72 Hardcore Motorsports Chevrolet.

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AP-NY-08-20-04 2029EDT