NASCAR All-Star Race starting lineup: Kyle Busch wins the pole with help from his pit crew

In the final round of a unique qualifying format that combined driver and pit crew skills, Kyle Busch was able to beat Ryan Blaney to win the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway. Busch prevailed in a three-round qualifying competition in which his Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew was able to make an enormous difference.

After William Byron posted the fastest lap in time trials, the eight fastest drivers in single-car qualifying were pitted against each other in a tournament in which they launched off from pit road, had their over-the-wall pit crew perform a pit stop, and then raced the car they were up against off into Turn 1 and back to the checkered flag.

Busch and Blaney were able to get similar launches and had similar pit stops in the final round, but Busch’s choice of the inside line proved to be the difference as Blaney had to compensate for taking the long way around.

Blaney will start on the outside of the front row, followed by the six other drivers who advanced to the tournament and then the remaining drivers from time trials.

Meanwhile, Tyler Reddick won the pole for the All-Star Open by posting a lap of 28.880 seconds (186.981 MPH). However, Reddick will have to start the race from the rear of the field after making unapproved adjustments to his car following qualifying. Drivers in the Open will race for three available spots in the All-Star Race, with the fourth and final spot in the race going to the winner of a Fan Vote.

NASCAR All-Star Race starting lineup

1. #18 – Kyle Busch
2. #12 – Ryan Blaney
3. #24 – William Byron
4. #5 – Kyle Larson
5. #45 – Kurt Busch
6. #1 – Ross Chastain
7. #19 – Martin Truex Jr.
8. #10 – Aric Almirola
9. #22 – Joey Logano
10. #16 – A.J. Allmendinger
11. #14 – Chase Briscoe
12. #2 – Austin Cindric (R)
13. #9 – Chase Elliott
14. #20 – Christopher Bell
15. #4 – Kevin Harvick
16. #11 – Denny Hamlin
17. #23 – Bubba Wallace
18. #6 – Brad Keselowski
19. #34 – Michael McDowell
20. #48 – Alex Bowman
21. All-Star Open Stage 1 winner
22. All-Star Open Stage 2 winner
23. All-Star Open Stage 3 winner
24. Fan Vote winner
    
    

NASCAR All-Star Open starting lineup

1. #8 – Tyler Reddick
2. #99 – Daniel Suarez
3. #47 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
4. #43 – Erik Jones
5. #17 – Chris Buescher
6. #31 – Justin Haley
7. #3 – Austin Dillon
8. #7 – Corey LaJoie
9. #21 – Harrison Burton (R)
10. #41 – Cole Custer
11. #77 – Landon Cassill
12. #42 – Ty Dillon
13. #51 – Cody Ware
14. #38 – Todd Gilliland (R)
15. #15 – Garrett Smithley
16. #78 – B.J. McLeod