Pakistani NASCAR driver won't race after embarrassing lap

• Nur Ali was guaranteed a starting spot because of his team's top-30 status
• Timmy Hill will replace Ali for the Great Clips 200
• Nationwide director Joe Balash said it could prompt discussions over minimum speed requirements

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Nur Ali, the first NASCAR driver of Pakistani descent, will step out of his car for today's Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway after qualifying more five seconds slower than any other driver.

Joe Balash, Nationwide series director, told USA TODAY Sports that the team had informed him that Timmy Hill would drive for Ali.

Ali was guaranteed a starting spot because his team was in the top 30 in car owner points. Ali made his first series start last month at Kansas Speedway, finishing 33rd, and was not approved by NASCAR to run last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

"NASCAR has been great to me; I respect all the drivers in the series," Ali said, adding that his decision to step aside could further prove that point to competitors.

Ali's qualifying lap was 102.837 mph, more than 17 mph slower than any other driver in Saturday's 45-driver session (Derek White was 44th-best at 120.144 mph). Joey Logano won the pole with a lap of 132.621 mph.

NASCAR does not have a minimum speed rule, and Balash said it was too early to know if that would be added to the rule book in the future.

"I've been with the series over nine years, and we've really never had to sit down and have those conversations,'' Balash said. "Part of what we do with the Nationwide Series is develop new drivers. And part of developing new drivers has to be getting them laps on the racetracks. Practice laps are one thing; competitive laps are another."

Also, Elliott Sadler, tied with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for the points lead, will start the rear of the field after hitting the wall in qualifying and going to a backup car.