Fast speeds paid big dividends on Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota pit crew posted a 13.223-second pit stop during NASCAR All-Star Race qualifying, which earned the crew a $100,000 prize and the trophy from the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear.
Bell, however, won’t start Sunday’s All-Star Race from the pole. Joey Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford posted the quickest overall time in Saturday’s All-Star Race qualifying, which included a four-tire pit stop and three laps around North Wilkesboro’s 0.625-mile oval.
Logano and his crew completed the job in 89.754 seconds, which eclipsed Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 RFK Racing Ford team by 0.386 seconds. Bell, Daniel Suarez and Chris Buescher completed the top five in overall time.
“This qualifying session is the most fun session of the year,” Logano said. “I think that’s why we didn’t cancel it for rain last night, we just postponed it. Everybody looks forward to this. It’s a very detail-oriented exchange, where you really need to put it all on the line to do the job.
“It’s a special pole – really, it’s the most special pole I’ve ever won.”
Bell was pleased with his third-fastest overall time, but thrilled for his crew taking the $100,000 prize.
“I’m incredibly happy for them and honored to be their driver,” Bell said. “I was happy to stop on my mark, which has been a huge topic of conversation in our meetings. These guys did amazing. That was a whole lot of fun.”
Tyler Reddick was sixth on the overall speed chart with Ross Chastain seventh and Martin Truex Jr. eighth. Michael McDowell and A.J. Allmendinger completed the top 10.
Two-time NASCAR All-Star Race winner and FOX: NASCAR analyst Kevin Harvick continued his substituting role for Kyle Larson, who won last year’s All-Star Race but spent Saturday attempting to qualify for his first Indianapolis 500. Harvick was 12th in qualifying, but Larson will re-take the seat of his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on Sunday for the All-Star Race.
