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Chris Owens/HHP photo
- Michael McDowell’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports pit crew claimed victory in Friday’s NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear; Brad Keselowski will start Sunday’s All-Star Race from the pole after posting a one-minute, 27.362-second run in the three-lap, four-tire pit stop format
- Shane van Gisbergen was quickest among All-Star Open teams in Friday’s qualifying, and will roll off first in Sunday’s All-Star Open
- Tickets and camping packages to Saturday’s and Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race events are on sale at northwilkesborospeedway.com
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (May 16, 2025) — Michael McDowell still has work to do to qualify for the NASCAR All-Star Race, but McDowell’s pit crew left North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday with 100,000 reasons to celebrate. Despite entering NASCAR All-Star Open qualifying as a heavy underdog, McDowell’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports crew collected a $100,000 bonus for changing four tires in 12.587 seconds to win the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear.
McDowell will start fourth in Sunday’s All-Star Open after Shane van Gisbergen, Carson Hocevar and Noah Gragson topped the No. 71 team’s overall time across three laps and a four-tire pit stop. McDowell has to finish in the top two in the Open to advance to Sunday night’s $1 million NASCAR All-Star Race, but his team stole the spotlight on Friday.
“This is awesome,” said Dax Hollifield, the jackman on the No. 71 crew and a former Virginia Tech football player. “It’s definitely beyond my wildest dreams. We’ve been working hard this year. We’re probably the youngest team on pit road.
“It was just hard work and determination that made the difference. I’ve got no words. I can’t breathe. I blacked out during the stop.”
Keselowski Surges To First All-Star Race Pole
Brad Keselowski hasn’t had much to smile about in 2025, entering All-Star Race weekend ranked 33rd in NASCAR Cup Series points. The 2012 series champion managed a big smile on Friday, though, after his No. 6 RFK Racing Ford blistered North Wilkesboro’s five-eighths-mile oval in NASCAR All-Star Race qualifying.
Keselowski finished the unique qualifying session — with the same format as was used in the Open – in a scintillating one minute, 27.362 seconds to score his first career All-Star Race pole. Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota finished 0.89 seconds in arrears of Keselowski’s machine.
“It’s pretty cool to win the pole,” Keselowski said. “I’ve never won an All-Star Race pole, so this is something new for my career. It was a total team effort. The pit crew, (Crew Chief) Jeremy Bullins, everyone gave me a rock-star car. I’m so happy for everybody on this team.”
Keselowski will also start Saturday’s first of two All-Star Heat Races from the pole, with Bell leading Heat No. 2 to green.
Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe and William Byron completed the top five in qualifying.
‘SVG’ Rules The Roost In Open Time Trials
Three hours after Shane van Gisbergen saw North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time, he qualified on the pole for his debut race at the iconic track. The rookie from New Zealand will lead the field to green for Sunday’s All-Star Open, after his No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet posted the quickest time in the three-lap, four-tire pit stop format to set the grid.
Van Gisbergen’s 1:28.684-second run over three laps and a four-tire pit stop beat Carson Hocevar by 0.2 seconds.
“I think we got all the things right,” van Gisbergen said. “Thanks to WeatherTech and the Trackhouse pit crew. I’ve never started up front on an oval, so I’ll have to figure that one out.”
The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race Week continues Saturday with the Window World 250 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race, two All-Star Heat Races and a Jake Owen concert presented by Raymer Oil. Sunday’s racing action begins with the FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries 150 preceding the All-Star Open and All-Star Race.
TICKETS:
Race week packages or individual event day tickets and camping can be purchased online at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com.
MORE INFO:
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