- Carson Hocevar won Sunday’s All-Star Open to advance to the NASCAR All-Star Race along with runner-up John Hunter Nemechek; 17th-place finisher Noah Gragson earned the final All-Star spot by winning the Fan Vote for the third consecutive year
- Ty Dillon finished third in the Open with Erik Jones fourth and Michael McDowell fifth; Pole winner Shane van Gisbergen led the first 54 laps but lost track position after a four-tire pit stop and ended up 13th
- Tickets and camping packages for Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race are on sale at northwilkesborospeedway.com
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (May 18, 2025) – The NASCAR All-Star Race added two first-time participants – winner Carson Hocevar and runner-up John Hunter Nemechek – through the All-Star Open on Sunday at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Noah Gragson qualified for his third All-Star Race start by winning the Fan Vote for the third consecutive year.
Hocevar, though, felt like the real winner. The Spire Motorsports driver assumed the point after pole winner Shane van Gisbergen dominated the opening 50 laps, but pitted for four tires under a caution period and never recovered the track position.
Hocevar used a quick two-tire stop, clean air and a strong car to keep all comers at bay, while a slew of contenders fought it out for the second transfer spot. Nemechek’s Legacy Motor Club team opted to take four tires under a late caution for Riley Herbst’s spin, and used the improved grip to catch and pass Bubba Wallace for second. Wallace faded to eighth on old tires.
Ty Dillon ended up third with Erik Jones fourth and Michael McDowell fifth. Gragson advanced after finishing 17th.
CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 SPIRE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (Race Winner): “Super big for this group, this team. It’s great to win, especially being challenged by tires there. I had my hands full. We definitely have to go to work here on our race car because I didn’t really like it, but it’s a good sign that we didn’t like it and we were still pretty quick there.”
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, NO. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB TOYOTA (Runner-Up): “We have a shot to go win a million dollars. Hats off to this No. 42 team. We unloaded and we had good two- or three-lap speed, but no longer on pace. Proud of them for the effort they put in yesterday and what they were able to find, and pitting there at that last deal, I knew I couldn’t win from where I was at. We came and got two (tires) and that helped us out. Hats off to the whole 42 team. Proud of the effort.”
NOAH GRAGSON, NO. 4 FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS FORD (Fan Vote Winner): “The fans are the GOATs. It’s awesome to be part of this All-Star Race. Thank God for that Open Race, because I feel like we got the balance fixed.”
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