The stage is set. The 2025 All-Star Race is on the horizon, and the lineup for the exhibition event at North Wilkesboro Speedway has now been decided. RFK Racing co-owner/driver Brad Keselowski won the first heat race on Saturday, giving him some much-needed momentum going into Sunday’s event. Meanwhile, Christopher Bell, who is currently on an eight-race winless streak after securing three triumphs in a row early this season, has gone on to win Heat 2.

With the Next-Gen car’s struggles on short tracks being well-documented, the starting lineup could make all the difference in getting a result at ‘The Key to the Blue Ridge’. Could Keselowski or Bell go on to snatch the $1 million prize money and bragging rights at the All-Star Race? Going by their starting positions, their chances are looking good.

Christopher Bell gives credit where it’s due

North Wilkesboro Speedway has built a notorious reputation for being difficult to pass on. That’s the reality for almost every short track on the NASCAR calendar, with every car having virtually identical setups, and there’s minimal tire falloff to make a meaningful difference. Last year, Joey Logano led 199 out of 200 laps in the All-Star Race after starting from pole, and went on to take the triumph by finishing ahead of Denny Hamlin. That shows how important qualifying and heats can be in the exhibition event.

Brad Keselowski might not have a top-10 in the Cup Series this season, but he certainly turned up the ‘heat’ at North Wilkesboro by finishing ahead of Ross Chastain and William Byron in Heat 1. Even though he was going to be on pole irrespective of the Heat race outcome after finishing first in qualifying on Friday, the veteran led 74 out of 75 laps to keep momentum on his side. A much-needed boost for the #6 team, who have shown speed after months of laboring around the bottom of the pack.

Christopher Bell also followed Keselowski’s pattern of qualifying well and turning up at the Heat race as he finished right behind Brad K during qualifying on Friday. Bell has evidently gone cold since his 3-race win streak to start the season, and even if we give him the benefit of the doubt for not entering Victory lane, the driver has just three top-5 finishes since his win at Phoenix in March! While the top-10s are there, he has also struggled to lead laps, with just 28 laps led since that last win. So, after a dominant qualifying run that puts him in a spot to capitalize on a track that’s hard to pass on, Bell couldn’t help but praise his team, saying, “The guys did an amazing job on getting the car better overnight. It was refreshing to get out front after 30 laps and just cruise. This thing was on rails.”

But how did Keselowski and Bell start from the pole in their respective Heat races? That’s because the RFK Racing co-owner clocked a time of 1:27.362 seconds in qualifying to score the pole for Heat Race 1, finishing ahead of Alex Bowman and William Byron. Meanwhile, the No. 20 Toyota driver scored the pole for Heat Race 2 with a qualifying time of 1:28.252 seconds, marginally faster than his teammate Denny Hamlin. Even veteran crew chief Rodney Childers felt Christopher Bell showed great speed at the 0.625-mile track by posting on X during practice, “Standing down in the corner, the 20 looked really good. And I didn’t have timing and scoring.” However, despite the front row being as valuable as it’s ever been, we have seen some inspiring drives from the back of the grid at North Wilkesboro.

In 2023, Daniel Suarez started on pole, led 55 laps before being overtaken by Kyle Larson, who went on to win the All-Star Race. Despite finishing eighth in Heat 2 and starting at 16th place, ‘Yung Money’ gained track positions at a difficult venue to snatch a win, a prospect that will inspire the rest of the grid in the upcoming race. However, going by the speed, experience, and starting positions of Brad Keselowski and Christopher Bell, it’s well within the realm of possibility that it might end up a two-horse race. Time will tell.

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Bell rues missed opportunity at the All-Star Race

There’s minimal margin for error in the Cup Series. With the stakes high, points up for grabs, and a spot in the playoffs on the line, drivers and teams don’t have the liberty to experiment with tuneups, tire configurations, and strategy for the majority of the year. However, exhibition events like ‘The Clash’ and the ‘All-Star Race’ are a break from the norm, allowing racers to make bold moves on the track and compete fearlessly since there’s only $1 million and some bragging rights on the line. No big deal, right?

Well, this is why NASCAR wanted to implement the ‘Run What Ya Brung’ theme for the All-Star race. This would allow each team to build their own setup within a stipulated set of rules and test the true capabilities of the Next-Gen car. However, because of rising costs and a short time frame (around 1 month) to prepare, most teams rejected this proposition. But Christopher Bell was hyped about it.

Reflecting on how the All-Star Race was a mixed opportunity, Christopher Bell said, “I was bummed that we didn’t get to do the ‘run what you brung’ thing. I thought that was really cool. I understand the reasoning behind it, and how it does make it a really expensive event, but I genuinely enjoy trying different things.” The Oklahoman said, “I think this and the Clash are two events that are great opportunities to try and improve our sport.”

For many at NASCAR’s highest level, the All-Star Race isn’t like the other fixtures on the calendar. The once dilapidated North Wilkesboro Speedway has been painstakingly revived for just this event, and even though points might not be up for grabs, the stakes are as high as they can be. Having finished second at Kansas Speedway, Christopher Bell will be eager to break into Victory Lane once again. Will he manage to break his streak during the All-Star weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!