MARTINSVILLE, Va. — It's not where you start but where you finish that counts most in NASCAR.

Nothing illustrates that more than the front row for Sunday's Goody's 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

When rain canceled Friday's qualifying, the lineup for Sunday's race was set by the rulebook which relies primarily on the series' owner points standings.

That put Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth — first and second in points, respectively, but also notoriously poor qualifiers — on the front row.

"This could be the worst-qualifying front row you've ever seen," Harvick said with a smile.

However, it's Harvick's and Kenseth's strong starts to the season that put them in position to capitalize on Friday's washout.

"It's good to take advantage of (the points position) and this place, I've started in the back many times and been lapped many times, and you struggle all day trying to stay on the lead lap," Kenseth said.

"Hopefully, if you start up front and don't make mistakes and keep the track position, it can be an advantage here to get a decent finish."

The same can be said for Harvick, who has been the series points leader since the season's second race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif, where Harvick finished second to Jimmie Johnson.

"If you're going to have this happen, this is the place to do it," Harvick said. "We've had a good, solid five weeks and that's what we intended was to start well, run up front and lead laps."

Any advantage is helpful for two drivers who have never won on the .526-mile flat concrete oval. Kenseth has finished in the top-five only twice in 20 starts while Harvick has never cracked the top-five.

And while Harvick and need Kenseth will get good pit stall selections based on the lineup they still will have Jimmie Johnson close behind in third.

Johnson, who has won the past four Sprint Cup series titles, has won three of the first five races this season and owns six Martinsville victories, including five of the last seven.

Asked what benefit Harvick could enjoy by picking the first pit stall, Johnson was well-prepared for the answer based on his past performance.

"It is (worth) at least a second and if you have 14-second stop and everybody else has a 13-second stop, you come out even. So it is a huge advantage," Johnson said.

"I have been very fortunate to be in that stall and those guys (Harvick and his team) are going to be tough. Kevin does a good job here and his pit crew has been real fast all year long. I would expect them to make good use of this opportunity."

Greg Biffle will start fourth and Tony Stewart fifth.

With no qualifying, Casey Mears, Terry Cook and Johnny Sauter failed to make the field. All three were 36th or slower during practice.