NASCAR changes North Wilkesboro All-Star schedule due to weather
By Asher Fair
Friday night's qualifying session for Saturday's heat races for the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway was rained out, but instead of opting to set the startling lineups via the driver standings, NASCAR has pushed the session back to Saturday.
Qualifying for the two 60-lap heat races around the four-turn, 0.625-mile (1.006-kilometer) North Wilkesboro, North Carolina oval is now scheduled to begin at 11:40 a.m. ET on Saturday, May 18, with live coverage set to be provided by Fox Sports 1.
This decision comes after NASCAR effectively discarded the results of qualifying for the All-Star Open and set the lineup for that 100-lap race by the driver standings.
When the rain started to fall, 18 of the 20 drivers had already made their qualifying attempts. But because Hendrick Motorsports' Alex Bowman and Joe Gibbs Racing's Ty Gibbs did not get to do so in the same conditions, NASCAR simply resorted to driver points, putting Gibbs on pole with Bowman alongside him on the front row.
A full All-Star Open starting lineup can be found here.
The qualifying order for the All-Star Race heat races was determined by reverse driver standings.
NASCAR All-Star Race: Full North Wilkesboro qualifying order
Kevin Harvick, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
A.J. Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
With Kyle Larson set to be at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday as he attempts to qualify for the 108th running of the Indy 500, Kevin Harvick is set to replace him behind the wheel of the No. 5 Chevrolet in qualifying. Harvick is ineligible to compete in a heat races, and he is also ineligible to compete in the 200-lap All-Star Race itself.
If Larson is able to make it to North Wilkesboro, where he won last year's All-Star Race, on Saturday night for his heat race, he would start from the rear. If he misses the heat races, he would start Sunday's main event from the rear, provided he is able to make the trip from Indianapolis.
A top 12 qualifying effort for Larson at Indianapolis on Saturday would advance him to the second round on Sunday. A top six effort in that round would move him through to the Firestone Fast Six, but his priority is reportedly the All-Star Race if timing becomes a factor.
NASCAR All-Star won't compete at North Wilkesboro Speedway. NASCAR All-Star won't compete at North Wilkesboro Speedway. dark. Next
Fox Sports 1 is set to provide live coverage of NASCAR All-Star Race qualifying beginning at 11:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 18. The heat races are set to be shown live on Fox Sports 2 beginning at 5:20 p.m. ET.
Fox Sports 1 is set to carry live coverage of both the All-Star Open and the main event beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET, respectively, on Sunday, May 19. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the action!
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