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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Ryan Blaney thought he had the best position of the drivers on the playoff bubble, as he qualified third Friday for the NASCAR Cup elimination race Sunday at Kansas Speedway. But NASCAR noticed in post-qualifying inspection that the piece that helps hold up the rear window was not the proper shape. NASCAR disallowed Blaney's qualifying time, and the Wood Brothers Racing driver will start from a deep hole Sunday, when he will roll off 40th in the 40-car field. Blaney indicated that other teams fixed the pieces on their cars Saturday after they saw the Blaney car get penalized Friday. "It stinks what happened. It happens to us, and then you have a handful of playoff cars working on their stuff because theirs was the same way," Blaney said. "We're just the ones who got bit by it. "But we're fine. ... It is going to be more challenging now coming from the back. I would have loved to start third and run solid all day." Four playoff drivers -- the ones lowest in points and without a win in the three-race round -- will be eliminated from championship contention after the race Sunday. It appears that four drivers are vying for the last two spots: Blaney and Jimmie Johnson are nine points and seven points, respectively, ahead of Kyle Busch, the first driver currently below the cutoff. Matt Kenseth is one point behind Busch. In NASCAR's new stage-racing format, the top 10 drivers will earn points on lap 80 and lap 160 of the 267-lap race. Starting 40th instead of third could impact Blaney's ability to score points in that first stage. Kenseth starts third, Busch starts seventh, and Johnson starts 12th. A win by any of those drivers will automatically qualify them into the next round, but if they don't win, every point could be vital. "I'd like to get to top-10 by [the end of] Stage 1 to score some points," the 23-year-old Blaney said. "That will be a big goal of ours. You're going to have to get stage points for sure. "All the cars that are behind us [in points] are super fast, and they've been fast all weekend. ... We've got to score points in both stages." The good news for Blaney? He posted the fastest lap in the final practice Saturday. He was ninth on speed over 10 consecutive laps. "Being fast was definitely a big picker-upper after what happened," Blaney said. "Coming in [Saturday] with it fixed and still being really fast, it helps morale. "Everyone is ready to go. Everyone is in high spirits."
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