Brad Keselowski claims pole for All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway

North Wilkesboro, NC-Brad Keselowski, who suffered through the worst start of a season in his cup career, won the pole for Sunday night’s All-Star race in North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Keselowski, who is 33rd in the points, also earned the pole for his heat race on Saturday with the qualifying effort.

There will be two heat races on Saturday. The first heat race contains those in the strange number positions in the qualifying results. The second heat contains those in the proportional positions in the qualifying results.

Keselowski will be on the pole for the first heat. Christopher Bell, who qualified second, will be on the pole for the second heat race. The Heat Races set the starting lineup for Sunday’s All-Star race except the pole. Keselowski gets it, no matter how he ends in his heat race.

Shane van Gisbergen, who is 35th in points, earned the pole for Sunday’s Open, the 18-car event for those who want to go to the All-Star race.

Both fields were set in an qualifying format with three rounds and a four-band kernel stop. The fastest passage of time earned the pole.

Keselowski, who finished the 26th or worse in nine of the first 12 points races of the season, said Friday’s qualifying effort is significant for his RFK racing team.

“Thi (success) is tangible, it is visible beyond our team ring,” Keselowski said. “They build up. They build momentum. They build positivity in the group that manifests in a higher level of teamwork and workmanship.

“I think the team is a fairly resilient group. I don’t care who you are as a team, we all need a positive reinforcement and encouragement. There was nothing negative about today. ‘

Michael McDowell’s Pit Crew placed the fastest four-band kernel stop during his qualifying effort at 12,587 seconds to win the $ 100,000 bonus. The pit staff for Daniel Suarez were second at 12,600 seconds.

Shane van Gisbergen won the pole for Sunday’s All-Star Open. Carson Hcevar qualified second, Noah Gragson third, McDowell fourth and Ryan Preece fifth.

The top two Afrates in the open progress to the All-Star race. A third manager will transfer via the fan voice.