News

NASCAR All-Star Race Qualifying:
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro, NC – May 18, 2024

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway, not far from Team Penske's home base in Mooresville, NC, for the second consecutive year, hosting the NASCAR All-Star Race where teams battle for a $1 million grand prize. This 0.625-mile short track has been repaved for the first time since 1981 with a fast pace being set by competitors in the completed practice and qualifying sessions. Race conditions will become even more exciting as NASCAR will be using two compounds of Goodyear tires in the 200-lap feature race for the first time ever, forcing strategy to play an even bigger force in the weekend's events.

Rain plagued the first day of activities leading into this year's All-Star event, although Friday allowed for one round of full-field practice, with this morning (Saturday) giving qualified All-Star entries a chance to secure their starting positions for heat races, and eventually the main event.

Joey Logano and the No. 22 team soared above the competition and secured the pole position in today's qualifying session, guaranteeing them the top starting spot for tomorrow's main event. Both him and Blaney will still compete in tonight's Heat Race #1 (5 PM ET on FS2) to determine the full starting order for Sunday's exhibition (8 PM ET on FS1).

All-Star Open qualifying was cancelled due to rain, with the starting order for Sunday's event (5:30 PM ET on FS1) set per the rulebook, so Austin Cindric will line up sixth. Two drivers and one Fan Vote winner will then transfer from that race into the All-Star Race.

Full field lineups for the upcoming heat races and All-Star Open

Joey Logano, driver, No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang
All-Star Qualifying: 1st
The No. 22 team will start on the pole for Sunday's All-Star Race

Ryan Blaney, driver, No. 12 Menards/Wrangler Ford Mustang
All-Star Qualifying: 17th
The No. 12 team will start 9th in Heat Race #1

Austin Cindric, driver, No. 2 Keystone Light Ford Mustang
Open Qualifying*: 6th
*Open Qualifying was set per the rule book due to rain

HEAR FROM LOGANO: "It’s probably the most fun qualifying session we have all year, and I think that’s why we didn’t cancel it last night. We just postponed it to today because everyone looks forward to this event, and it really does a great job at showcasing every team member on the team. From setting the dash to make sure all the lights are right and making sure you maximize your speed on pit road, to the car going fast obviously. Executing onto pit road, rolling time. The spotter helping me be able to make sure I hit all the right lights around the corners to maximize that. Obviously, the pit crew doing their part and then back onto the racetrack. It’s a very detail-oriented exchange all the way through that we typically see every weekend when we have green flag stops, but it’s really neat to put it all on the line and do that today. It’s a very special pole, maybe the most special pole I’ve ever had because it’s a great example of everybody and I’m proud of that. It’s a lot of work that goes into the minute-and-a-half out there."

RETURNING TO WILKES COUNTY: Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Austin competed in last year's All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro where they finished sixth, 10th and 21st respectively.

$1 MILLION WINNERS: Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney have both found their way to All-Star Victory Lane with triumphs in 2016 and 2022 respectively. Altogether, Team Penske has taken the top prize in four All-Star Races (2002, 2010, 2016, 2022).

COMING UP: Heat race coverage kicks off this evening at 5:20 p.m. ET with coverage on FS2, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 with both Team Penske qualifiers in Heat Race #1.