Kyle Larson topped the leaderboard at 109.144 mph in Friday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice for the All-Star events at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the first official series laps at the .625-mile oval since 1996.
The 50-minute session served all Cup teams before Sunday’s exhibition races — the All-Star Open (5:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and the All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM).
MORE: Practice results | North Wilkesboro schedule
Behind Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was Brad Keselowski in the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford at 108.408 mph. Completing the top five were Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at 108.204 mph, Chris Buescher in the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford at 108.064 mph, and Chase Briscoe in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford at 107.965 mph.
Series points leader Ross Chastain was 16th fastest with a speed of 107.056 mph in the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. His teammate Daniel Suárez went for an early spin in the session, brushing the wall with the back end of his No. 99 Chevrolet. He suffered no significant damage but posted just the 32nd-fastest lap at 105.659 mph.
William Byron, the series’ most recent winner coming off his Darlington victory, was fastest of the bunch in 10-lap average speed at 106.458 mph in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Rounding out the top five in 10-lap averages were Hamlin (106.261 mph), Christopher Bell (106.205 mph), Buescher (106.188 mph) and Martin Truex Jr. (106.063 mph).
Long-run speed may prove critical in Sunday’s All-Star festivities. The 21 drivers locked into the All-Star Race will be split into two 60-lap heats on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM), with Heat Race 1 setting the inside row for Sunday’s main event while Heat Race 2 sets the outside row.
The All-Star Open will pit the 16 drivers not yet locked into the All-Star Race against each other for a 100-lap contest, while the big show — with a $1-million payout, mind you — lasts 200 laps.
RELATED: Full format details | At-track photos: North Wilkesboro
Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, was fastest in 30-lap average speeds at 103.653 mph. Behind him were Tyler Reddick (103.425 mph), Ty Gibbs (103.391 mph), Aric Almirola (103.013 mph) and Joey Logano (102.890 mph).
Kevin Harvick, the 2014 Cup Series champion, returned to his famed No. 29 Friday at North Wilkesboro, harkening back to his days at Richard Childress Racing — specifically the white and red paint scheme he donned in his inaugural Cup Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his rookie 2001 season. Now driving a Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick was eighth-fastest in single-lap speed Friday at 107.790 mph.