Brad Keselowski rallied from a difficult start through the first 12 scheduled events of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season by notching his first pole position for the upcoming All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday, May 16.
The qualifying format for this year’s All-Star Race festivities features a combined qualifying session. It consisted of competitors with a guaranteed spot in the All-Star Race and those without. The latter will compete in the All-Star Open before the All-Star Race.
Each competitor registered for either the All-Star Open or Race commenced their qualifying session by taking the green flag. Then, they cycled once around the North Wilkesboro circuit for a full lap before entering pit road at pit road speed.
The teams then completed a mandatory four-tire pit stop with no fuel inside one of two NASCAR-designated pit stalls. Following the pit stops, the competitors returned to the track and sped back to the checkered flag.
The overall qualifying time was evaluated from the drop of the green flag through to the checkered flag being claimed by a competitor.
The competitors competing in the All-Star Open qualified first, with their speeds determining the overall lineup for the Open. Afterward, the competitors competing in the All-Star Race qualified. The latter session set the starting lineup for the event’s two 75-lap Heat Races that will occur on Saturday, May 17.
During the All-Star Race qualifying session, Keselowski was seventh-fastest during the event’s practice session and posted a three-lap qualifying session on the track at 77.264 mph in 87.363 seconds. His No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse team executed a 13.081-second pit service. This allowed Keselowski to claim the top starting spot for NASCAR’s mid-regular-season exhibition event. It is the first of his career.
With the pole, Keselowski, whose previous best starting spot in the All-Star Race was second a year ago, will attempt to win his first All-Star Race in his 17th in the event start this upcoming Sunday, May 18. In addition to the All-Star Race overall, Keselowski will also start on the pole for Saturday’s first of two Heat events that will determine the rest of the starting lineup for the All-Star Race.
Keselowski’s 2025 All-Star Race pole occurred as the 2012 Cup Series champion from Rochester Hills, Michigan, is currently ranked in 33rd place in this year’s regular-season standings. Although mired with an average-finishing result of 27.2 and nine finishes outside the top-20 mark, Keselowski now hopes to turn the tide during Sunday’s All-Star Race for his first victory of the year.
“Yeah, it’s pretty freaking cool, man,” Keselowski said on FS1. “To win the pole for the All-Star [Race]. I’ve never done that.
It’s one of the things I’ve never done in my career,” he said, and to do it by so much like that, like nine-tenths, but a total team effort,” he continued. “The pit crew and [crew chief] Jeremy Bullins, the team that gave me a rock solid car and a rock stop pit stop and said, ‘Here you go. Here’s the ball.’ I nailed the lap and just really proud. Happy for everybody.”
Christopher Bell will start on the front row for this year’s All-Star Race and is No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team won the Pit Crew Challenge during the previous two seasons. They posted the second-fastest three-lap qualifying session on the track in 88.253 seconds and as a result, Bell will also start in first place for Saturday’s second Heat event.
Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe and William Byron posted the top three fastest qualifying sessions. Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott posted the sixth- through 10th-fastest session, respectively.
Notably, Justin Allgaier, the reigning Xfinity Series champion, posted the 15th-fastest session in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) Chevrolet entry that is normally occupied by Kyle Larson. Allgaier is serving as a reserve competitor for Larson as he attempts to qualify for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Arrow McLaren.
Larson’s second Indy 500 attempt for the 2025 season is a part of his second overall attempt to achieve motorsports’ Double Duty. His goal is to compete in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, Sunday, May 25, Memorial Day weekend.
The HMS’ No. 5 team will not be competing in either of Saturday’s All-Star Heat events, which means that Larson will start at the rear of the field for this year’s All-Star Race.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch, Josh Berry and Harrison Burton posted the 11th – 14th-fastest qualifying session. Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney and Daniel Suarez rounded out the 20-car field of competitors currently guaranteed starting spots for the 2025 All-Star Race.
All-Star Race Qualifying position, best speed, best time:
1. Brad Keselowski, 77.264 mph, 87.363 seconds
2. Christopher Bell, 76.485 mph, 88.253 seconds
3. Alex Bowman, 76.391 mph, 88.361 seconds
4. Chase Briscoe, 76.143 mph, 88.649 seconds
5. William Byron, 75.741 mph, 89.120 seconds
6. Joey Logano, 75.624 mph, 89.257 seconds
7. Austin Dillon, 75.319 mph, 89.619 seconds
8. Denny Hamlin, 75.065 mph, 89.922 seconds
9. Tyler Reddick, 74.858 mph, 90.171 seconds
10. Chase Elliott, 74.626 mph, 90.451 seconds
11. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 74.607 mph, 90.474 seconds
12. Kyle Busch, 73.994 mph, 91.224 seconds
13. Josh Berry, 73.980 mph, 91.241 seconds
14. Harrison Burton, 71.479 mph, 94.433 seconds
15. Justin Allgaier, 71.090 mph, 94.950 seconds
16. Chris Buescher, 68.687 mph, 98.272 seconds
17. Ross Chastain, 68.260 mph, 98.886 seconds
18. Austin Cindric, 68.143 mph, 99.057 seconds
19. Ryan Blaney, 67.273 mph, 100.338 seconds
20. Daniel Suarez, 63.125 mph, 106.931 seconds
Pit Crew Challenge Winner: No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team
As Keselowski celebrated his first All-Star pole achieved on the track, the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team led by Travis Peterson and piloted by Michael McDowell were also left victorious as the team won the 2025 Pit Crew Challenge.
During the All-Star qualifying session, McDowell’s No. 71 Chevrolet team posted the fastest pit service at 12.9 seconds. Despite McDowell qualifying in the fourth position overall for the 2025 All-Star Open, his team were awarded a $100,000 prize.
“This is awesome,” Dax Hollifield, jackman for the No. 71 team, said. “This is definitely beyond my wildest dreams. I was up at like 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning, Monday night, trying to figure out what I wanted for a setup. My man, Travis, and [the] No. 71 team got it for us. We’ve been working hard this year. We’re probably the youngest team on pit road. It’s just hard work and determination. That’s the part of today, I’d say. It’s been awesome.”
Trackhouse Racing’s No. 99 Chevrolet team led by Matt Swiderski and piloted by Daniel Suarez posted the second-fastest pit stop time at 13.175 seconds. Front Row Motorsports’ No. 4 Ford team and Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 Toyota team followed suit in third and fourth, respectively, in the final leaderboard. Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota team led by crew chief Adam Stevens and piloted by Christopher Bell posted the fifth-fastest pit stop time at 12.709 seconds. Bell’s team had claimed the Pit Crew Challenge title during the previous two seasons.
Rounding out the top 10 in the Pit Crew Challenge leaderboard were Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 48 Chevrolet team, Team Penske’s No. 2 Ford team, Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet team, RFK Racing’s No. 60 Ford team and RFK Racing’s No. 6 Ford team.
Pit Crew Challenge Results/Time:
1. Spire Motorsports No. 71 Chevrolet, 12.587 seconds
2. Trackhouse Racing No. 99 Chevrolet, 12.600 seconds
3. Front Row Motorsports No. 4 Ford, 12.669 seconds
4. Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota, 12.695 seconds
5. Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota, 12.709 seconds
6. Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet, 12.813 seconds
7. Team Penske No. 2 Ford, 12.886 seconds
8. Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet, 13.059 seconds
9. Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing No. 60 Ford, 13.066 seconds
10. Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing No. 6 Ford, 13.081 seconds
11. Trackhouse Racing No. 88 Chevrolet, 13.175 seconds
12. Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet, 13.269 seconds
13. Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing No. 17 Ford, 13.309 seconds
14. Trackhouse Racing No. 1 Chevrolet, 13.420 seconds
15. 23XI Racing No. 35 Toyota, 13.559 seconds
16. Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota, 13.741 seconds
17. Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet, 13.973 seconds
18. Hyak Motorsports No. 47 Chevrolet, 14.012 seconds
19. Kaulig Racing No. 10 Chevrolet, 14.038 seconds
20. Front Row Motorsports No. 38 Ford, 14.040 seconds
21. Team Penske No. 22 Ford, 14.064 seconds
22. Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet, 14.085 seconds
23. Legacy Motor Club No. 42 Toyota, 14.166 seconds
24. Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota, 14.460 seconds
25. 23XI Racing No. 45 Toyota, 14.887 seconds
26. Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet, 14.999 seconds
27. Team Penske No. 12 Ford, 15.041 seconds
28. Richard Childress Racing No. 8 Chevrolet, 15.287 seconds
29. 23XI Racing No. 23 Toyota, 15.580 seconds
30. Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford, 15.623 seconds
31. Rick Ware Racing No. 15 Ford, 15.794 seconds
32. Haas Factory Team No. 41 Ford, 15.957 seconds
33. Rick Ware Racing No. 51 Ford, 17.044 seconds
34. Garage 66 No. 66 Ford, 17.075 seconds
35. Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet, 17.722 seconds
36. Legacy Motor Club No. 43 Toyota, 19.848 seconds
37. Kaulig Racing No. 16 Chevrolet, 34.690 seconds
38. Front Row Motorsports No. 34 Ford, 36.417 seconds
All-Star Open Pole Winner: Shane van Gisbergen
Prior to the All-Star Race qualifying session, Shane van Gisbergen, a Cup Series Rookie-of-the-Year candidate from Auckland, New Zealand, claimed the pole position for the 2025 All-Star Open.
During the Open qualifying session, van Gisbergen posted a three-lap qualifying average session at 76.112 mph in 88.685 seconds. Coupled with a 13.175-second pit stop from his No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team, the services both on the track and pit road were enough for van Gisbergen to claim the top-starting spot for an upcoming Cup Series event for the first time in his career. In addition, van Gisbergen is one of 18 competitors who will attempt to claim the final three starting spots for the 2025 All-Star Race.
“I think we finally got all the things right,” van Gisbergen said. “Qualifying’s been a weakness. My lap was pretty good and then, coming in [pit road] was good. Pit stop guys were insane, so really good for them. Thanks to WeatherTech, thanks to the Trackhouse pit crew, and we’re up front for tomorrow. I’ve never started at the front for an oval so I don’t know what to do there. I have to learn the rules and see how we go.”
Van Gisbergen will share the front row with Carson Hocevar, the latter of whom clocked in his best three-lap average session at 76.112 mph in 88.884 mph.
Noah Gragson, McDowell and Ryan Preece all qualified in the top five while Zane Smith, Justin Haley, John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Gibbs and Ty Dillon earned the remaining top-10 starting spots, respectively.
Cole Custer, Erik Jones, rookie Riley Herbst, Bubba Wallace, Cody Ware, AJ Allmendinger, Todd Gilliland and Chad Finchum rounded out the 18-car starting grid for the 2025 All-Star Open.
All-Star Open Qualifying position, best speed, best time:
1. Shane van Gisbergen, 76.112 mph, 88.685 seconds
2. Carson Hocevar, 75.942 mph, 88.884 seconds
3. Noah Gragson, 75.338 mph, 89.596 seconds
4. Michael McDowell, 75.326 mph, 89.610 seconds
5. Ryan Preece, 75.261 mph, 89.688 seconds
6. Zane Smith, 74.604 mph, 90.478 seconds
7. Justin Haley, 74.590 mph, 90.495 seconds
8. John Hunter Nemechek, 74.306 mph, 90.841 seconds
9. Ty Gibbs, 74.243 mph, 90.918 seconds
10. Ty Dillon, 73.816 mph, 91.444 seconds
11. Cole Custer, 73.330 mph 92.050 seconds
12. Erik Jones, 70.609 mph, 95.597 seconds
13. Riley Herbst, 67.737 mph, 99.650 seconds
14. Bubba Wallace, 67.710 mph, 99.690 seconds
15. Cody Ware, 67.641 mph, 99.791 seconds
16. AJ Allmendinger, 60.843 mph, 110.942 seconds
17. Todd Gilliland, 55.014 mph, 122.695 seconds
18. Chad Finchum, 46.867 mph, 144.025 seconds
The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race festivities continue with the Heat Races that will commence on Saturday, May 17, at 5:10 p.m. ET on FS2. The All-Star Open will occur on Sunday, May 18, at 5 p.m., where the top-two finishers and the Fan Vote winner will transfer to the All-Star Race that will follow suit at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.
