Keselowski and Bell Capture All-Star Heat Race Wins

(NORTH WILKESBORO, NC – MAY 17, 2025 – RIS) Brad Keselowski took full advantage of the outside line to take the first heat race for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star. Christopher Bell led 69 laps to win the second heat to finish setting the lineup

The first heat race started off with Brad Keselowski leading the field, flanked by Alex Bowman with William Byron, Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick the top five in the field. This race will set the order of the inside lane in the All-Star Sunday. 

Keselowski led for 72 of the 75 laps in the first heat, followed by Ross Chastain and William Byron in a constant side-by-side over the final laps of the race. Byron’s car appeared quicker but Chastain held the outside line to use momentum to keep the second-row starting position in Sunday’s All-Star. Ryan Blaney took on new tires in the competition caution but copied his speeding penalty from qualifying, getting dropped to the back of the field for the restart. In spite of the drawback, he maneuvered his way to fourth.

“It’s been a good two days for everyone on this 6 crew and hopeful the other two cars can have good runs,” said Keselowski. “It’s good to be starting up front with the Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang and to be running fast.  This is fun.

“Those guys that put tires on, they were really hard to hold off. I had the preferred groove and just tried to use it to my advantage.  We’ll see if that’s the case tomorrow.”

Kyle Larson, after qualifying 21st for the Indianapolis 500, will be in the field for Sunday's All-Star race.

Unofficial Results: Heat One NASCAR All-Star Race, May 17, 2025 - North Wilkesboro Speedway 
Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Laps, Status, Laps
 1) 1, Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford, 75, Running, 74
 2) 9, Ross Chastain, No. 1 Busch Light Fan Vote Chevrolet, 75, Running, 1
 3) 3, William Byron, No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet, 75, Running, 
 4) 10, Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Menards/Wrangler Ford, 75, Running, 
 5) 2, Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Chevrolet, 75, Running, 
 6) 7, Josh Berry, No. 21 DEX Imaging Ford, 75, Running, 
 7) 5, Tyler Reddick, No. 45 SiriusXM Toyota, 75, Running, 
 8) 4, Austin Dillon, No. 3 Dow Salutes Veterans Chevrolet, 75, Running, 
 9) 6, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 SUNNYD Chevrolet, 75, Running, 
10) 8, Justin Allgaier, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 0, ,

Race Length: 75 Laps, 46.875 Miles
Time of Race: 30:23
Average Speed: 92.567 mph
Margin of Victory: 2.085 Seconds

Fastest Lap: No. 45, lap 15, 18.714 sec

Comments: Brad Keselowski was won Heat 1 for the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.

Cautions: 1 for 6 laps;
Laps: 32-37 (All-Star Caution).

Lead Changes: 2 among 2 drivers; B. Keselowski 1-53; R. Chastain 54; B. Keselowski 55-75.

Christopher Bell drove to the lead over Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin on the start of the second heat. Logano easily got around Hamlin within the first five laps, as Hamlin fell back to ninth in the ten-car field, then Harrison Burton passed easily. Hamlin’s lap times ran about a half second slower than Bell’s

Chase Briscoe opted to stay on the track instead of pitting during the competition caution. Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano and Chris Buescher followed. Bell and Cindric took only right-side tires in their stops. Logano and Buescher mounted scuffed tires while Elliott, Kyle Busch and Suarez had new sticker tires saved that they used in this stop. 

Briscoe lost positions from the start before getting spun off the fourth turn. Briscoe stopped for scuff immediately, Bell and Logano moved to the lead on the restart, with Chase Elliott running third. 

Bell moved on to lead Logano by just over two seconds at the end of the second heat race. Chase Elliott, Kyle Bush and Chris Buescher were the balance of the top five, with all ten cars on the lead lap.

Unofficial Results: Heat Two NASCAR All-Star Race, May 17, 2025 - North Wilkesboro Speedway
Str, Driver, Car, Laps, Status, Tms Led, Laps Led
1) 1, Christopher Bell, No. 20  Mobil 1 Toyota, 75, Running, 2, 69
2) 3, Joey Logano, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, 75, Running, , 
3) 5, Chase Elliott, No. 9 Amazon Prime Video Chevrolet, 75, Running, , 
4) 6, Kyle Busch, No. 8 SENIX Chevrolet, 75, Running, , 
5) 8, Chris Buescher, No. 17 Kroger/Tylenol Ford, 75, Running, , 
6) 10, Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet, 75, Running, , 
7) 2, Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, 75, Running, 1, 6
8) 9, Austin Cindric, No. 2 Freightliner Ford, 75, Running, , 
9) 7, Harrison Burton, No. 51 Morton Buildings Ford, 75, Running, , 
10) 4, Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Progressive Toyota, 75, Running, ,

Time: 30 Mins, 23 Secs
Average Speed: 92.567 MPH
Margin of Victory: 2.085 Seconds

Fastest Lap: No. 20, lap 50, 18.539 sec

Comments: Christopher Bell was won Heat 2 for the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro

Cautions: 2 for 12 laps;
Laps: 32-39 (All-Star Caution [None]);
43-46 (#19, 99 Incident Frontstretch
Lead Changes: 2 among 2 drivers;
C. Bell 1-33;
C. Briscoe 34-39;
C. Bell 40-75