Brooklyn, MI (Best E Casino) - Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup race at the Michigan International Speedway was postponed due to rain. The 3M Performance 400 has been pushed back until Monday and the green flag is scheduled to drop, weather permitting, at 12 p.m.

When the flag drops, series points leader Jeff Gordon will lead the 43-car field. The No.24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was the last qualifier on the track on Friday and stole the pole from Greg Biffle's grasp.

Row two will consist of Kasey Kahne and Bobby Labonte.

Other drivers of note and their starting positions: Jimmie Johnson (seventh), Denny Hamlin (eighth), Clint Bowyer (ninth), Carl Edwards (13th), Jeff Burton (19th) and Tony Stewart (35th).

Just four races remain until the cutoff for the "Chase for the Nextel Cup." Following an eventful Sunday in upstate New York, the picture is becoming clearer as to who is a contender and who is just a pretender.

The race for the final position in the "Chase" appears to be coming down to Kurt Busch, his Penske teammate Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Biffle.

Biffle, with his second-place starting position and great history at MIS, should make some headway this week, but still has a long road. He is 15th in the standings and 212 points out of the "Chase." But at MIS Biffle owns two wins and six top-10s in nine career starts.

After Michigan, the series travels to Bristol, California and Richmond where the 12 drivers who make the "Chase" will be decided.