In an unfortunate turn of events, the highly anticipated heat races of the NASCAR All-Star Race at the iconic North Wilkesboro Speedway were completely washed out by relentless rain on Saturday. While the main event seems to be safe, the wet weather threw a wrench in the plans for the preliminary races.

Originally, the schedule included Craftsman Truck Series and two 60-lap heat races preceding the main event on Sunday night. However, it appears that Mother Nature is not a fan of stock car racing, as she unleashed a downpour that made it impossible for the races to take place.

Despite the best efforts to use jet dryers to prepare the track in a timely manner, the sheer amount of precipitation proved too much to handle. The rain persisted throughout the day, leaving it saturated and unsuitable for racing. The situation called for the implementation of the backup procedure outlined in the NASCAR rulebook.

With the heat races scrapped, the starting order for the All-Star Race will be determined by the results from Saturday's qualifying session. As a result, Joey Logano will start on pole position, with Brad Keselowski alongside him on the front row. Christopher Bell will begin in third place, courtesy of his team's victory in the Pit Crew Challenge. Daniel Suarez and Chris Buescher round out the top five starting positions.

Fans will undoubtedly miss last year's race-winner, Kyle Larson, who is unavailable due to his participation in the Indianapolis 500. However, NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick will fill in for Larson and showcase his skills behind the wheel of the No. 5 Chevrolet.

Although disappointed by the cancellation of the heat races, racing enthusiasts can still look forward to an exhilarating main event once the track is adequately dried. The NASCAR All-Star Race promises to bring together the biggest stars of the sport, delivering an action-packed spectacle for all fans in attendance.

Despite the setback caused by the unrelenting rain, NASCAR officials and teams remain determined to provide an exciting and memorable experience for spectators as they battle it out at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the coveted All-Star Race title.