NASCAR Cup Series managing director Brad Moran joined the “Hauler Talk” podcast to explain why Chris Buescher’s team was given an L1 penalty after finishing eighth at Kansas Speedway.

The rule violations were found when Buescher’s No. 17 Ford was inspected at the NASCAR R&D Center this week. Moran said the maximum 2 inches of reinforcement behind the front bumper foam had been exceeded.

“Unfortunately, the No. 17 did not meet the rule and had a larger area than what is permitted to be bonded into the nose piece,” Moran said. “They can work in that area, but they went too far would be the simplest terms of putting it.”

The Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing team was penalized 60 driver and owner points, five driver and owner playoff points and fined $75,000. Crew chief Scott Graves also will be suspended from the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600.

RELATED: Updated Cup Series standings

NASCAR has meted out harsher L2 penalties for modified parts, and Moran explained why this penalty fell into the L1 category.

“As the car was being developed, we recognized we were doing damage to the nose of the car and didn’t want to be using up good parts (on repairs),” Moran said. “We put out communications that were very clear and specific that teams could strengthen behind the foam, which is where there was cracking and damage during the races.

“It was an area around the foam that you’re allowed 2 inches, and it was beyond that, which is a rule violation. They were allowed to modify that area but not to the extent they did, and that’s why it turned it into an L1.” …

The latest episode of “Hauler Talk” also recapped last weekend at Kansas, where numerous Cup teams had tire trouble in practice and the race. NASCAR managing director of racing communications Mike Forde explained how Goodyear conducts “pressure sweeps” to set minimum tire regulations by using predictive computer modeling to determine durability for certain camber and PSI (pounds per square inch) settings. At Kansas, the minimum PSI for the left rear tire was 22 pounds, but Forde said Goodyear confirmed several teams were running well below that.

Forde said NASCAR doesn’t enforce or officiate Goodyear’s minimum tire pressures because “we get that teams are pushing the envelope. It adds strategy and makes it lot more interesting. … We trust the teams to police themselves. They don’t want to get the drivers hurt. There’s been an incredible emphasis on safety over the last two decades, and teams are part of that. They’re not going to put drivers in an unsafe position just for the sake of speed and winning.” …

During the podcast, NASCAR senior director of racing communications Amanda Ellis provided a peek into a drivers-only meeting held last Saturday at Kansas. Among the topics were the logistics for the Mexico City race next month and a new aerodynamic device for superspeedway racing.

Other topics covered during the 14th episode of “Hauler Talk,” which explores competition issues in NASCAR:

— Why Layne Riggs was disqualified for an improperly secured bed cover after finishing second in the Truck race at Kansas.

— How NASCAR determined Dawson Sutton intentionally caused a yellow to earn a two-lap penalty.

— A review of the qualifying and race formats for the 2025 All-Star Race.

Click on the embed above to listen or search for “Hauler Talk” wherever you download podcasts to hear it on your phone, tablet or mobile device.

Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 while working at the San Bernardino Sun, Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA TODAY and for the past 10 years at NBC Sports Digital. He is a contributor to the new “Hauler Talk” show on the NASCAR Podcast Network. He also has covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.

NASCAR assessed an L1-level penalty to the No. 17 RFK Racing team on Thursday following last weekend’s Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.

During inspection this week at the R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina, series officials discovered that the No. 17 Ford was in violation of Sections 14.1.C (overall assembled vehicle rules) and 14.5.4.G (front bumper cover) of the NASCAR Rule Book. The team went over the maximum reinforcement allowed for its front bumper covers.

As a result, the team and driver Chris Buescher were each assessed with the loss of 60 championship points and five playoff points, and the team was fined $75,000. Additionally, crew chief Scott Graves has been suspended for the next two races through Charlotte.

The team released a statement on Friday stating that it was continuing to evaluate a potential appeal to the penalties assessed to the No. 17 Ford but decided that Graves would begin serving his suspension effective immediately. The team named Doug Randolph as the acting crew chief, beginning with All-Star Weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

RELATED: Updated Cup Series standings

Buescher drove the No. 17 Ford to an eighth-place finish in Sunday’s AdventHealth 400, which was won by Kyle Larson. Before the penalty, Buescher was 12th in the point standings, but he dropped to 24th afterward.

Thursday’s penalty announcement also impacted the current Cup Series Playoffs standings, moving Buescher out of the provisional 16-driver field and jostling other drivers around the elimination line. Before the 60-point deduction, Buescher was 33 points above the line — he now drops to minus-27. Ryan Preece moves from minus-7 to +14 as the provisional 16th driver in the field, which nudges Kyle Busch to the last driver out at minus-7.

The Cup Series is at North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend for Sunday’s All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1) before returning to points-paying action in the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video).

SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Day 2 running laps in preparation for the May 25 Indianapolis 500 was both encouraging and functional for NASCAR star Kyle Larson. The 2021 Cup Series champ ran 103 laps Wednesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and turned in a fast lap of 223.985 mph, double the number of laps and ultimately a faster speed than Tuesday’s opening practice.

Even with three brief stoppages for rain in the six hours of on-track time available, Larson’s No. 17 Arrow McLaren Racing Chevrolet turned in a full day of work at the historic speedway, setting his fastest speed of the day in the closing 10 minutes of practice.

RELATED: Kyle Larson’s month of May schedule

Much of the 32-year-old Californian’s time on track came with a fellow NASCAR champion watching. Three-time and reigning Cup Series champ Joey Logano was a trackside guest of Team Penske, the two-time defending Indy 500 winning team that also fields cars for Logano, Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric in NASCAR’s premier series.

“It’s fun to watch Larson as one of us,’’ Logano said with a grin, “He’s a freak, able to just do whatever he wants and to jump in and be good at it.’’

Five drivers have attempted the Memorial Day weekend “Double” — the late John Andretti, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, Kurt Busch and Larson. Only Stewart, however, has completed all 1,100 miles.

Larson, who planned to compete in both races last year, didn’t get a chance to run laps in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for the NASCAR part of the doubleheader. After an 18th-place finish in the Indy 500, he was late arriving at Charlotte Motor Speedway because of a rain-delayed race start in Indy. When he did arrive at the Charlotte track, the weather had already halted action, and ultimately, NASCAR called the race early.

Asked if he ever had a desire to try the double, Logano was quick to decline.

“I’m so center-focused on winning and not really focused on having fun, it’s just about winning, so for me, it’s best just to stay in my lane, my NASCAR lane and keep doing that as best as we can,’’ Logano said. “But it is fun talking to Kyle [Larson] about some of the things that are different. And surprisingly hearing him say how similar our Cup cars are [to Indy cars] now.  “It’s probably closer than it’s ever been with the Next Gen car now that we’re creating a lot of downforce underneath the car, the smaller sidewall tires and the cars are a lot more edgier than they used to be.’’

Reigning NTT IndyCar Series champion, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou, posted the top speed of the day — and the week so far — with a lap of 227.546 mph around the massive 2.5-mile historic oval. The speed was so good that Palou was nearly two mph quicker than the field of 34 cars vying for a spot in the 33-car starting lineup.

The 2018 Indy 500 winner, Penske Racing’s Will Power, was second fastest at 225.584 mph. Power’s No. 12 Chevrolet was quickest on Tuesday’s opening day of practice. His Penske teammate, two-time defending Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden, was third on the speed chart with Ganassi’s Scott Dixon and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Connor Daly rounding out the top five.

MORE: Larson’s opening day Indy 500 practice recap

Larson said he was satisfied with his Wednesday effort and that he definitely feels more comfortable already with the benefit of having an Indy 500 under his belt.

“The pit stop stuff, I know what to expect a little bit better there and what it takes to turn into the stall and get stopped at your sign,’’ Larson said, adding, “I should get up to speed a little quicker on that [now] and then I think race procedure still I will revisit later in the week. I made some mistakes on the starts last year, missed some shifts and stuff so hopefully I will clean that up a little bit this year and make things easier on myself.

“As far as confidence and whatnot with the car, I’m more confident after yesterday than I was with the open test (earlier this month). I feel like my balance is better this time around, just have gotta get it better in traffic.”

Practice resumes Thursday with the six-hour session starting at noon ET (FS2). Television coverage moves to FS1 at 4 p.m. ET.  Fast Friday to prepare for pole qualifying follows with another six-hour session from noon to 6 p.m. ET. Two days of qualifying to set the 33-car field are Saturday and Sunday. Larson started fifth last year.

Here’s what’s happening in NASCAR with Kansas Speedway in the rearview and the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway (Sun., 8 p.m. ET, FS1) up next.

1. Data deep dive — hidden trends from the first 12 races of 2025

In NASCAR, the numbers go deeper than just wins and laps led. NASCAR Insights has been keeping track of passer, defense, speed, restart and pit crew deep analytics this year. The season averages are producing some interesting insights.

So many things have happened since William Byron opened the season with a second straight Daytona 500 victory.

Christopher Bell won three straight races. Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin nearly matched it shortly thereafter. Josh Berry won a race before any of his Team Penske cohorts and has the No. 21 car looking like a factor. Kyle Larson is just on another planet right now, and looks like he’s about to enter a whole other universe, too.

It’s been an impactful open to 2025, with major narratives front and center. But what does the story within the story tell?

Let’s dig into the season-long advanced statistical averages, courtesy of NASCAR Insights, to see if we can uncover any trends lying under the surface that could become apparent in the next third of the season and beyond.

— Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, mired in one of his most frustrating seasons to date, is 20th or worse in every statistical average so far … except he’s seventh in Defense Rating, which “evaluates a driver’s ability to hold their position when under pressure, assessing their effectiveness in fending off faster cars.” Despite his frustrations and lack of speed, Keselowski is able to hang in there with the best of them; we’ve seen him find his way to the front this year, even despite all that. It’s likely his team finds speed gains at some point this season and that, combined with his cool-headedness, could perhaps lead to a win.

— Cole Custer’s No. 41 Haas Factory Team pit crew ranks 13th, while Custer is outside the top 30 in everything else. That’s still a solid backbone, and the team — which is probably still adjusting from a massive transition — should only find ways to go faster from here as Custer continues to reacclimate to the Cup Series. Not saying a Custer playoff appearance is in the crystal ball, but I’d be surprised to see this team not find some better results over the summer and build some momentum for 2026.

— Noah Gragson is 11th in restarts and 17th in defense to rank in the top half of the field there, and he’s doing it with the 28th-best speed and 29th-best passer rating. It stands to reason that if the No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford gains in the speed area, Gragson could be fighting for consistent top 15s at the very least and perhaps a win, given his restart ability in particular.

— On the flip side, Las Vegas winner Josh Berry is getting eaten up on restarts (25th) despite being in the top 15 in passing, speed and defense. This is not necessarily unexpected from a sophomore in the Cup Series, and, if it’s something he’s presumably able to improve upon, he could round into a deep-in-the-playoffs kind of driver.

— Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Ford has been a bullet in 2025 — as evidenced by his first-place rating in both passing and speed — but he ranks outside the top 10 in defense … which doesn’t seem ideal when a driver has the clear fastest car. On a perhaps related note, Blaney is the only winless driver among the four associated with Team Penske. (For now.)

— Spire Motorsports has taken an obvious leap forward in 2025, seemingly in the mix with at least one of its drivers on a weekly basis. So, it’s quite surprising that Carson Hocevar’s P14 rating in passing is the highest that any Spire driver is ranked in any category. Either their early 2025 returns are a fluke or this trio is about to break out in a big way, should any speed gains be found.

— Ryan Preece has also taken a significant leap this year in his first season with RFK Racing, and he appears to be the real deal. Preece and the No. 60 team were on it at Kansas, but he’s also ranked fifth in passing for year. For context — teammates Keselowski and Chris Buescher, both of whom expected to make the playoffs when cars rolled into Daytona, rank 25th and 22nd, respectively.

MORE: NASCAR Insights: Ryan Preece continues superb season at Kansas

— Similarly to Custer’s No. 41 group, JGR’s Ty Gibbs (2nd) and Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez (7th) are bolstered by strong pit crews, but are struggling across the board otherwise, averaging 21.75 and 21.25 in the other categories, respectively. Gibbs is still a developing Cup driver and Trackhouse has undergone some internal transitions. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that either picks things up the rest of the way and strikes while the iron is hot for a win after being put in a favorable position by their pit crews.

— And finally … why the heck hasn’t Chase Elliott won since April 2024, when his teammates seem to be able to pour it on at will lately? Restarts, restarts, restarts. Elliott’s peripherals on all the other categories are mostly in line with them, but his restart ability in 2025 thus far (16th) pales in comparison to William Byron (1st) and Kyle Larson (2nd). Elliott is a well-established NASCAR superstar — a Cup champion, after all — and has an average ranking of 5.0 between passing, speed and defense. At some point he’s going to just flat-out dominate and win a race, restarts be damned.

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

2. Will an All-Star Race victory spark someone’s championship run?

The winner of the All-Star Race went on to win the Cup Series championship in three of the last five years and 13 times total. With several drivers in need of a spark, could Sunday be an *ahem* turning point in someone’s season?

The All-Star Race, with no points up for grabs and a $1 million check waiting in Victory Lane for the winner, is supposed to be a pressure-free cash scramble, but is there perhaps a little more riding on it?

The exhibition event has turned into a true showing of strength for the stars of the sport, with each of the last nine races won by Cup Series champions. The race and the Bill France Cup feel intimately tied together, with three of the past five champions also having won the race earlier in the season.

With only seven drivers having won so far this year and several playoff-hopeful drivers staring down the notion of being in “must-win” territory (and some already there), will we see a driver celebrate in North Wilkesboro and perhaps set their season on a new trajectory?

Nobody needs it more than Keselowski, and an All-Star victory would cross off one of his few remaining boxes in a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career. RFK’s co-owner/driver has finished second three times in the race, tied with Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader for most runner-up trophies without a win. We’ve seen him run up front lately (before things seem to always crumble for one reason or another), but it’s quite possible the 2012 champ puts it all together this weekend. And lest we forget — Carl Edwards nearly won a title for Roush the year of his only All-Star win in 2011.

It’s not just Keselowski, though. There are plenty of drivers still looking for a win that expected to have one by now, and an All-Star Race triumph could absolutely be a launching pad for whoever wins it. Sixteen times in the history of the race it was the winner’s first victory of the season, and only three times did those winners not go on to win an actual points race in the remainder of the year.

On the opposite end of the spectrum you may even find it likely that Larson, in what is setting up to be a torrid month of May, comes to North Wilkesboro and stomps his way to a record-tying fourth win. His trajectory, in that case, isn’t altered — it’s solidified.

Larson has all but turned this race into a personal side hustle, with all three of his wins coming in the last six years, tying Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip and trailing only Jimmie Johnson’s four.

That’s a combined 18 Cup Series championships right there, and if Larson adds another All-Star win on Sunday?

A 19th feels inevitable.

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

3. Letarte on Larson: ‘Reminds me a little of Jimmie in his prime’

NASCAR Inside the Race discusses Kyle Larson’s recent Cup Series dominance and compare him to seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.

4. Logano an all-time A-Lister among All-Stars

The three-time and current defending champion Joey Logano somehow manages to elevate his game even further at the annual NASCAR All-Star Race and his consistency is unparalleled. (Credit: Racing Insights)

DriverTop-10 streakAll-Star Race wins
Joey Logano*102
Matt Kenseth91
Kyle Busch71
Dale Earnhardt73
* active streak

5. Catch the pack — news and notes from around the garage

Paint Scheme Preview: 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race

Month of May: Kyle Larson’s on-track schedule as he attempts The Double

Top 5 drivers revealed in 2025 All-Star Race Fan Vote

Straight Talk straight stat: Kyle Larson’s Kansas dominance

@nascarcasm: Fake texts to Kansas winner Kyle Larson

NASCAR’s Moran dissects Cup practice tire failures: ‘Sometimes (teams) go a little too far’

Hamlin nets back-to-back DNFs for first time since 2013

Chase Briscoe’s ‘weird’ day lands him top five for best career Kansas finish

Slow stop slumps Chase Elliott’s winning chances at Kansas; Hamlin also derailed

Three Up, Three Down: Drivers in focus leaving Kansas

Power Rankings: Bell re-emerging as elite force — is first All-Star Race win coming?

 

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

 

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. – Less than two weeks before taking to the high banks of Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600, 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion and Coca-Cola Racing Family driver Chase Elliott took to the high seas Tuesday during the final stop of the 2025 Mission 600 campaign.

Mission 600, which serves as a prelude to the spectacular pre-race salute to the U.S. Armed Forces ahead of the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend, pairs NASCAR drivers with regional military branches to experience a day in the life of the brave men and women who defend our country.

During his visit, Elliott toured the U.S. Coast Guard Station Wrightsville Beach, part of U.S. Coast Guard Sector North Carolina, whose primary missions range from Search and Rescue, Marine Safety and Ports and Waterways Coastal Security to Marine Environmental Protection, Aids to Navigation, Maritime Law Enforcement and Recreational Boating Safety. The Hendrick Motorsports driver participated in a mock search-and-rescue mission, de-watered a simulated vessel in distress and took the helm of a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RB-M).

GET TICKETS: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

“I think in anything that you do, really, the people, is what makes it special,” Elliott said after the visit. “This unit here was it was no different. The crew was just extremely professional. Any time you have an opportunity to hang around individuals like that and see what they do on a daily basis, it makes my job a lot of fun. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.”

Elliott’s visit came ahead of National Boater Safety Week, May 17-23. In addition to serving as an opportunity to educate Elliott and the public about the importance of boater safety — emphasizing wearing life jackets and boater awareness on the water — the event provided a great morale boost for the unit.

“We run duty crews here, 24/7,” said Chief Petty Officer Parker Hofmann. “We just kind of ran him through all the missions and everything that we respond to on a day-to-day basis here. Kind of how our life is, what we do for fun, what we do for training, what we do to prepare us for the missions.

“We have some big NASCAR fans here, and they were excited to be able to meet him, interact with him. It really boosted the morale and I think going forward, he definitely earned some fans here today.”

For Elliott, the feeling was mutual, and it drives home what it means to race in the Coca-Cola 600 — one of NASCAR’s crown jewel events, on Memorial Day Weekend.

“I have always felt like NASCAR – and Charlotte Motor Speedway in particular – has always done a really good job of showcasing and showing that appreciation that we, as the industry, have for our servicemen and women around the world,” Elliott said. “I think it’s really special to be a part of a sport that has that type of showcasing, on a yearly basis. And it seems like it just gets bigger and better every year. It really makes me proud to be a part of it.”

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Madhouse is getting ready to host a night of chaos and calamity for The Great Clips Crash Fest.

A skid race, chain race, and demolition derby will throw some non-traditional wrinkles into the action this Saturday, May 14.

Fans will get to see the always-wild chain race for the first time this season. Plus, it’s a case of Mario Kart-style drifting come to life as drivers attempt to complete five laps in the skid race. A demolition derby will cap the night as competitors try to survive the carnage to be the last driver standing.

Meanwhile, the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series returns to the Twin 25 “Madhouse Scramble” format. Burt Myers is now two wins away from the magical “century mark” after he won the Kevin Powell Motorsports 100, but the field continues to chase Mike Speeney, who opened his lead in the series standings to eight points over Brandon Ward.

The Law Offices of John Barrow Sportsman, QRC HVAC & Refrigeration Street Stock, and Q104.1 Stadium Stock Series drivers will also be in action.

Gates open at 6 p.m. Saturday night with racing action to start at 8 p.m. Fans can get tickets online right now at www.bowmangrayracing.com. Tickets are $12 for adults and $2 for kids ages 6 to 11.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway for All-Star Weekend, with $1 million on the line in Sunday’s All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series All-Star Race | Cup Series All-Star Open | Craftsman Truck Series

Qualifying will look a little different this weekend as each Cup Series team entered will set a three-lap qualifying effort, with a mandatory pit stop on the second lap acting as the Pit Crew Challenge. The total elapsed time will set the lineups for the All-Star Open and two All-Star heat races.

RELATED: All-Star Race format explained

Qualifying is set to begin Friday at 6 p.m. ET for Open cars and at 7 p.m. ET for All-Star cars, both on FS1.

The qualifying order below is determined via the driver’s points position in the regular season standings. Justin Allgaier will be in place of Kyle Larson for qualifying.

MORE: Weekend Schedule | Live lineup updates 

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

Pos.Car No.DriverPoints Pos.
151Harrison Burton (i)N/A
25Justin Allgaier (i)52
36Brad Keselowski33
499Daniel Suárez27
53Austin Dillon22
68Kyle Busch18
721Josh Berry17
847Ricky Stenhouse Jr.15
92Austin Cindric14
1019Chase Briscoe13
1117Chris Buescher12
121Ross Chastain11
1322Joey Logano9
1448Alex Bowman8
1511Denny Hamlin7
1645Tyler Reddick6
1712Ryan Blaney5
189Chase Elliott4
1920Christopher Bell3
2024William Byron2

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend with qualifying set for Saturday at 10:35 a.m. ET on FS2.

QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series All-Star Race | Cup Series All-Star Open | Craftsman Truck Series

The qualifying order below is determined via metric that combines the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%). Qualifying will be two laps and one round.

The Truck Series will take to the track for the Window World 250 on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET (FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

MORE: See full Weekend Schedule

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

Pos.Car No.DriverMetric ScoreGroup
1 67Ryan Roulette40.41
26Norm Benning39.51
375Patrick Emerling39.21
490Justin Carroll38.91
502Jayson Alexander29.31
666Luke Baldwin28.51
733Frankie Muniz #28.31
822Tyler Tomassi(i)25.61
934Layne Riggs251
102Derek White24.71
1176Spencer Boyd23.91
1215Tanner Gray23.71
1344Connor Jones23.31
1491Jack Wood22.51
155Toni Breidinger #22.41
1677Andres Perez De Lara #20.21
1781Connor Mosack #19.81
1871Rajah Caruth19.21
1926Dawson Sutton16.52
2042Matt Mills14.72
2188Matt Crafton14.52
2238Chandler Smith12.52
2318Tyler Ankrum12.42
2498Ty Majeski11.92
2599Ben Rhodes11.32
261Brent Crews10.82
2745Kaden Honeycutt8.62
289Grant Enfinger8.12
2919Daniel Hemric7.92
3052Stewart Friesen7.42
3113Jake Garcia7.32
3217Giovanni Ruggiero #72
337Sammy Smith(i)3.42
3407Kyle Busch(i)2.92
3511Corey Heim2.42

 

 

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway for All-Star Weekend, with $1 million on the line in Sunday’s All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio). Drivers not yet locked into the main event have a chance to race their way in through the All-Star Open (5:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio) or win the Fan Vote to gain entry.

QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series All-Star Race | Cup Series All-Star Open | Craftsman Truck Series

Qualifying will look a little different this weekend as each Cup Series team entered will set a three-lap qualifying effort, with a mandatory pit stop on the second lap acting as the Pit Crew Challenge. The total elapsed time will set the lineups for the Open and two All-Star heat races.

RELATED: All-Star Race format explained

Qualifying is set to begin Friday at 6 p.m. ET on FS1.

The qualifying order below is determined via the driver’s points position in the regular season standings.

MORE: Weekend Schedule | Live lineup updates 

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

Pos.Car No.DriverPoints Pos.
1
66Chad Finchum43
215Cody Ware36
388Shane van Gisbergen #35
441Cole Custer34
535Riley Herbst #32
64Noah Gragson31
710Ty Dillon30
843Erik Jones29
97Justin Haley28
1054Ty Gibbs26
1116AJ Allmendinger25
1234Todd Gilliland24
1338Zane Smith23
1471Michael McDowell21
1577Carson Hocevar20
1642John Hunter Nemechek19
1760Ryan Preece16
1823Bubba Wallace10

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — NASCAR fans already know the names of the stars on track, but in May, the often unsung heroes on pit road will get their moment to shine.

The NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday, May 16, as part of NASCAR All-Star Race Week festivities. Held exclusively at the historic short track, this high-octane, timed pit stop event is more than just a sideshow, it’s a full-blown battle of speed, precision and composure under pressure.

For one night only, the spotlight shifts from the drivers to the crew members, giving fans a front-row seat to the raw adrenaline that happens behind the wall. And the stakes? Huge. The fastest crews don’t just win bragging rights, they secure top starting positions for the Open and heat races for the NASCAR All-Star Race, setting the tone for the weekend. It’s strategy and execution at their rawest, all under the Friday night lights in Wilkes County.

RELATED: Full explanation of expanded All-Star Race format

For two consecutive years, the same Joe Gibbs Racing crew has taken top honors. Front tire changer Blake Houston, tire carrier Jacob Holmes, jackman Derrell Edwards and fueler Peyton Moore powered Ty Gibbs to victory in 2023 and helped Christopher Bell win the pole for the 2024 All-Star Race heats on the strength of a 13.223-second pit stop. The crew returns in 2025 alongside Bell, who is already locked into the All-Star field.

“We are excited to defend our back-to-back title in North Wilkesboro,” Edwards said. “It’s a great event to showcase the pit crews. The goal is for the trophy to stay at JGR for as many years as possible. You don’t want to miss it as the 20 (car) pit crew go for three in a row.”

Steeped in history, the Pit Crew Challenge dates back to 1967 at Rockingham Speedway, where it continued until 2003. In 2005, it was reimagined in a bracket-style format and hosted at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte during All-Star Week. Although it was discontinued in 2012, the challenge made a triumphant return in 2023 as a marquee event at North Wilkesboro’s throwback-style All-Star weekend.

“It’s always fun for the guys to have a moment. Every week, they’re in stressful situations and they really don’t get rewarded for any of the good they do, it’s expected,” said Richard Childress Racing Pit Crew Coach Ray Wright. “We look forward to having the ability to just go out there and lay it all on the line and see how fast stuff we can do, so we’re looking forward to it.”

RELATED: All-Star weekend schedule | All-Star Fan Vote polls open

All-Star weekend kicks off with All-Star Friday presented by Raymer Oil, featuring a combined All-Star/Open qualifying session and the Pit Crew Challenge. New this year, pit crews from all entered teams, both All-Star and Open, will be eligible. Open cars will go out first to set the lineup for the Open, followed by All-Star cars to determine the heat race lineups.

Drivers will take the green flag, complete one lap at speed, and on the second lap enter one of two designated pit stalls for a four-tire stop (no fuel). Once complete, they’ll race back to the checkered flag. The qualifying time will be the total elapsed time from the green to the checkered, and the overall fastest team will claim the pole for Heat Race 1 and the All-Star Race.

The pit crew with the fastest stop during the qualifying run (with no penalties) wins the Pit Crew Challenge, receiving the signature pit crew trophy and a $100,000 prize. Timing lines are set one box before and one box after the designated stop areas. Challenge results will also determine pit selection order.

NASCAR INSIGHTS’ TOP FIVE PIT CREWS
These crews are ranked by average four-tire pit stop time throughout the 2025 season

1. NO. 23 23XI RACING TOYOTA
Driver:
Bubba Wallace
Crew:
Joe Crossen, Austin Dickey, Adam Hartman, Joshua Pech, Nathan Ricketts

2. NO. 54 JOE GIBBS RACING TOYOTA
Driver:
Ty Gibbs
Crew:
Ian Anderson, Braxton Brannon, William Cooper, Jackson Gibbs, Kevon Jackson

3. NO. 11 JOE GIBBS RACING TOYOTA
Driver:
Denny Hamlin
Crew:
Joel Bouagnon, Dylan Dowell, Austin Maloney, Kenneth Purcell, Deven Youker

4. NO. 17 RFK RACING FORD
Driver:
Chris Buescher
Crew:
JaQuan Bailey, Travis Juedes, Nick Patterson, Jakob Prall, Bailey Walker

5. NO. 5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET
Driver:
Kyle Larson
Crew:
Jafar Hall, Brandon Harder, Eric Ludwig, Michael Moss, Allen Stallings