FORT WORTH, Texas -- The top two drivers in the NASCAR Cup standings as well as the sport's most popular driver were among the nine whose cars didn't get through technical inspection in time to make a qualifying lap Friday afternoon at Texas Motor Speedway.
Those nine drivers -- nearly a quarter of the 40-car field -- will start at the rear Sunday. They will line up by their position in the standings.
That means Kyle Larson -- the series points leader -- will start 32nd, with Chase Elliott, second in the standings, starting 33rd. Kyle Busch will start 34th, followed by Kasey Kahne, Erik Jones, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chris Buescher, Timmy Hill and Derrike Cope.
With some of the sport's biggest names -- Earnhardt is the sport's most popular driver -- as well as Busch, Larson, Elliott and Kahne with significant fan bases, NASCAR fans didn't get to see several of their favorites take a lap in qualifying.
"NASCAR gives you the rules," Earnhardt said. "You know what to expect coming through the tech line. We failed. That's life. I know that the fans are here to see us, but if we can't get the car through tech, that's on us.
"I would not want NASCAR to be more lenient because we already all try to stretch everything and find holes in the book and read between the lines and try to get things through. I wouldn't want it to be chaos and Wild West out here trying to make sure everybody got to qualify no matter if their car made it through tech or not."
While it isn't rare for a few cars not to get through tech, this was the first time a significant number of drivers failed to make a qualifying lap. It would have been more if qualifying hadn't been halted for a few minutes after a spin by Jimmie Johnson.
"We don't feel good about anybody missing qualifying, but it is something that happens when teams are pushing the envelope," said Elton Sawyer, NASCAR vice president of officiating and technical inspection. "Teams know our expectations and every team was afforded the opportunity to go through inspection.
"Some needed multiple tries and some weren't able to get their cars ready in time to qualify."
NASCAR has changed qualifying tech procedures this year. The teams go through only a quick safety and fuel cell check prior to first practice -- although they are free to voluntarily go through any of the five technical stations. NASCAR also changed the policy this year that if a car fails one station, it must restart the process to keep teams from tinkering on cars in areas where they already had passed inspection.
NASCAR gives the teams three hours to get through tech for qualifying, and all teams were through at least once 30 minutes prior to the first round Friday. Teams also have most of the 20 minutes of the first round of qualifying to get through tech as they only need to complete one lap in those 20 minutes.
"I'm sorry [to the fans] -- we've got to get through tech," Earnhardt said. "You've got to get your car through tech. There can't be any compromise to the rule book. It's up to the teams.
"We'll take our responsibility for not getting our car through tech today. ... I like the strict tech line. Guys will suffer through this and eventually learn their lesson and they'll get inside that box NASCAR wants you to fit in."
Kevin Harvick won the pole for the O'Reilly Auto Parts 500, and he said his Stewart-Haas Racing team already is on its third generation of car this year from what it has learned with the new reduced-downforce package as well as the tech procedures. He said NASCAR got more strict with the inspections starting last week, but qualifying inspection was never completed because of rain at Martinsville Speedway.
"Last week was the beginning of harsher inspection and you had to have everything straight by last week," Harvick said. "It's a process. I think everybody in the garage supports the inspection process to be consistent and thorough and not be a moving target.
"It's taken us a long time to get to this point and rein everything in. ... As long as it's consistent and the process is the same all year, I don't think anybody will have a problem with it."