It doesn’t pay points, and it won’t lock him into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, but Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing’s No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse are taking the victories where they can find them.
The Rochester Hills, Michigan-native was able to capture the first All-Star Heat Race, leading a whopping 72 of 75 laps to take the triumph and back up his pole-winning speed from All-Star Qualifying at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday.
Keselowski started from the pole position in the opening heat race, only to run away from the pack until the competition caution was displayed at Lap 30. Then, crew chief Jeremy Bullins called an audible, electing to stay on the racetrack on the same tires they started the race on, while the majority of others stayed on the racetrack.
The driver-owner wasn’t alone in that strategy but was the only one of the four drivers (which included Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.) to stay anywhere near the front of the pack. Those with tires quickly made progress in the pack, but just couldn’t get the No. 6 out of the race lead.
When the checkered flag dropped after 75 laps, Ross Chastain was ranked in second place in the nine-driver heat race, netting him a third-place starting spot for the NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday evening. William Byron finished third and will start fifth in the All-Star Race.
Ryan Blaney started from dead last on the field, drove through the pack, and had to do it again after speeding on pit road during the only pit stop of the 75-lap heat. Blaney returned to fourth place and will start seventh in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
Alex Bowman was fifth (will start ninth), with Josh Berry (starting 11th), Tyler Reddick (starting 13th), Austin Dillon (starting 15th), and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (starting 17th), rounding out the nine drivers that took the green flag during the first heat race.
Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet did not participate in the All-Star Heat Race, as Larson was back in Indianapolis qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. Larson will return to North Wilkesboro on Sunday and start 19th in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
Christopher Bell Dominates Heat #2 at North Wilkesboro
It seemed to be the same song, second verse in Saturday’s NASCAR All-Star Heat Races from North Wilkesboro Speedway, although this time, it was Christopher Bell dominating rather than Brad Keselowski.
The driver of the No. 20 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing dominated the first stint of the event after starting from the pole over teammate Chase Briscoe.
When the competition caution was thrown at Lap 30, the games of pit strategy were different than those in the first 75-lap heat race.
Only Chase Briscoe, who was runner-up at the time of the caution, elected to stay on the racetrack, while the remainder of the field hit pit road to get fresh Goodyear tires.
While staying out worked for Brad Keselowski in the opening heat, it certainly didn’t work anywhere near as well for Briscoe, who was immediately kicked to the outside on the restart, and after falling outside the top-five, got spun around by Daniel Suarez.
That was the only natural caution that flew between the two heat races for Saturday’s NASCAR All-Star festivities.
After Bell had reclaimed the lead and the race resumed, the No. 20 Toyota Camry XSE pulled away from the remainder of the pack, winning the heat by over two seconds.
Joey Logano finished second and will start from fourth in the NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday, with Chase Elliott (starting sixth), Kyle Busch (starting eighth), and Chris Buescher (starting 10th), rounding out the top five.
Daniel Suarez, Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-10.
