Beam retired from racing that year, but continued to field cars for other drivers, including Ned Jarrett and Cale Yarborough.
Due to heavy rain, qualifying was cancelled, and the drivers drew for grid positions by lot.
Beam drew pole position, but pulled off the track on the pace lap to let the entire field go past.
[3] Beam's 84-race streak took place over the span of 22 months 10 days, and was being threatened by Clint Bowyer, who if he finished the first ten races of the 2009 season could have tied the record.
Bowyer's teammate Kevin Harvick fell three short when his engine failed in the 2009 Auto Club 500 ending his streak at 81 races without a DNF.