Motorsports

Nonstop Spring Stretch Revs Up This Weekend at Barber

Rest up, friends. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is about to engage high gear. Beginning with this weekend’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst at Barber Motorsports Park, cars will be on track 14 of the next 18 weekends as teams chase race wins and the prestigious Astor Challenge Cup. Fourteen races will […]

Published

2 weeks ago

May 1, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Rest up, friends. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is about to engage high gear.

Beginning with this weekend’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst at Barber Motorsports Park, cars will be on track 14 of the next 18 weekends as teams chase race wins and the prestigious Astor Challenge Cup. Fourteen races will be contested in that span, plus Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge qualifying.

SEE: Event Details

This month is particularly busy, with track activity on 16 of the 30 days. After this weekend’s race in Birmingham, Alabama, the action heats up at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 10 and the 109th Running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 25. Capping the month is practice and qualifying for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, a 100-lap street race Sunday, June 1.

This weekend’s event opens with Friday’s practice at 3:30 p.m. ET (FS2, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). Saturday’s schedule has the weekend’s second practice at 11:30 a.m. (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network) and qualifying for the NTT P1 Award at 2:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Sunday’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix airs at 1:30 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

McLaughlin: Barber’s Latest King

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has staged races at Barber Motorsports Park since 2010, and a common thread is the two-year occupancy drivers have had in victory lane.

Initially, it was Will Power with command, winning the 2011 and 2012 races. Then Ryan Hunter-Reay won two in succession (2013, 2014). Josef Newgarden conquered the events in 2017 and 2018. Scott McLaughlin is the latest double winner.

McLaughlin’s win last year was particularly impressive. He led 58 of the 90 laps, controlling the first 27 laps as the pole winner. A late caution brought Power and his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet closer to the front, but McLaughlin held him off by 1.3194 seconds for the first of his three wins during the season.

A return to Barber Motorsports Park could be what juices McLaughlin’s season. Since winning the pole for the year’s first race, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding, the driver of the No. 3 Good Ranchers Team Penske Chevrolet has finished races in the fourth, 27th and sixth positions. He is eighth in the standings and can’t afford to have series leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing get too far ahead of him. McLaughlin is 73 points in arrears.

Power Powerful at Barber

Power’s success at this 17-turn, 2.3-mile road course runs deeper than his two race wins. He also leads all drivers with four poles.

Power is one of three drivers to have competed in all 14 races at the track – Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal (No. 15 Hendrickson International Honda) are the others – and he has consistently strong. He has amassed 216 laps led at the track, pacing the field in nine different races. He has completed every lap in all but one race (he went off course midway through the 2018 event).

As for finishes, no driver can match Power’s productivity. He has 11 top-five finishes, including last year’s second-place effort. He finished second in 2021 and third in 2023.

Like McLaughlin, Power needs to start finishing ahead of Palou to have any chance at winning the season title. Power, who is bidding for his third series championship, is ninth in the standings, 79 points out of the lead.

Can Palou Remain at the Front?

Palou, whose No. 10 Honda features HRC sponsorship and a different, colorful livery this weekend, has started the season with race finishes of first, first and second to build a 34-point lead over his nearest championship contender, Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 PreFab Honda). Those chasing the winner of the past two titles – and three of the past four – might not want to be reminded that many of Palou’s best tracks are coming up.

Of the next 11 venues on the schedule, Palou has won series races at seven of them, including two each on the IMS road course, Road America, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland International Raceway. He is also a former race winner at Barber Motorsports Park (2021), on the downtown street circuit in Detroit and at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and he was second in one of last year’s races at Iowa Speedway. He also seems overdue to win the Indianapolis 500 given his performances over the past four years (119 total laps led, average finish of 5.0).

Palou has been consistently strong in the races at Barber Motorsports Park, posting top-five results in each of the past four races. In succession, he has finished first, second and fifth twice, leading 72 laps in those starts.

Picking Pole Winner

There have been three races this season and three different drivers earning the top starting position. There are 15 drivers in this weekend’s 27-car field who have been No. 1 in qualifying at some point in their career in the series. Last year, eight drivers won a pole in this series.

Competition in qualifying never has been better on display than at Barber Motorsports Park, where the past nine races have seen poles from nine different drivers. Beginning with Helio Castroneves’ pole there in 2015, the top qualifier has been Simon Pagenaud, Power, Newgarden, Takuma Sato, Pato O’Ward, Rinus VeeKay, Romain Grosjean and McLaughlin. Will another driver make it 10 new faces clutching the NTT P1 Award?

Kirkwood, who won the pole (and the race) at Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, is a strong possibility. So is Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist, who has qualified in the top four in three of his past four starts in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda. Another one to watch is Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard, who qualified second in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in the most recent race on a permanent road course, in March at The Thermal Club. Lundgaard and Rosenqvist are third and fourth in the standings, respectively.

Rosenqvist Joining the No. 100 Club

This is scheduled to be the 100th career start for Rosenqvist, whose first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race was the 2019 event at St. Petersburg, Florida. He finished fourth in that race.

Rosenqvist will become the eighth driver in this weekend’s 27-driver field to reach 100 starts. Dixon leads the way at 405 starts, and he can break Mario Andretti’s all-time record as early as the “500.” Power has made 305 starts.

Rahal has 295 starts and can achieve 300 in next month’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway. Newgarden has made 218 starts, Alexander Rossi (No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet) stands at 150 starts and Conor Daly (No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet) is at 118 starts. Colton Herta of Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian has made 102 starts after earning No. 100 in this year’s season-opening race.

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Kyle Larson crashes on Turn 3 on Fast Friday – Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — Kyle Larson went into the wall on Turn 3 on Fast Friday. Larson had both left tires below the white line of the track. He spun and the front of his car hit into the wall. Larson said he is OK after the crash. “Just got loose in 3,” Larson said. […]

Published

25 minutes ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — Kyle Larson went into the wall on Turn 3 on Fast Friday.

Larson had both left tires below the white line of the track. He spun and the front of his car hit into the wall.

Larson said he is OK after the crash.

“Just got loose in 3,” Larson said. “Just kind of had a lot of front grip and just kind of swung the back around on me. Ended up spinning and getting into the wall a couple times. Yeah, bummer, but I think it didn’t look like too major damage I think as we quickly drove by the car. I’m sure we’ll be fine tomorrow.”

Larson was asked how he mentally resets after crashing.

“I race so often and I honestly crash a lot,” Larson said. “I feel like I get over things pretty quickly. I was happy right there that the speed didn’t really bother me. When you go from race trim to qualifying trim here, the boost feels like way more power and I was a bit nervous about that. It didn’t feel crazy to me. I like that the speed aspect didn’t scare me. You can deal with the crash.”

Larson was able to get back on the track before the end of practice on Fast Friday.

Larson is attempting to do “The Double,” racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. This is his second attempt. Larson qualified fifth for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 and finished in 18th.

Larson won the NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2021. He leads NASCAR in points in the 2025 season.

Qualification for the Indy 500 is on Saturday and Pole Day is on Sunday. The 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 25.

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Worms Disrupt NASCAR: 1979 Holly Farms 400 Postponed – Speedway Digest

Editors Note: This is a multi-part series looking back on historical events at North Wilkesboro Speedway as the 2025 NASCAR All Star Race approaches NORTH WILKESBORO, NC – The North Wilkesboro Speedway was poised to host the 1979 Holly Farms 400, a key event in NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series, but an unusual natural phenomenon brought […]

Published

26 minutes ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Editors Note: This is a multi-part series looking back on historical events at North Wilkesboro Speedway as the 2025 NASCAR All Star Race approaches

NORTH WILKESBORO, NC – The North Wilkesboro Speedway was poised to host the 1979 Holly Farms 400, a key event in NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series, but an unusual natural phenomenon brought the weekend to a halt. Heavy rainfall soaked the track, canceling qualifying and threatening the race. Yet, it wasn’t just the rain that stopped the show—millions of earthworms and nightcrawlers invaded the speedway, creating a slippery, chaotic scene that delayed the event.

The newly sponsored Holly Farms 400, set for the 0.625-mile oval in Wilkes County, drew thousands of fans eager to watch stars like Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, and Cale Yarborough compete. Persistent downpours left the infield waterlogged, driving countless worms to the surface as they fled flooded soil. The worms blanketed pit road, clogged drainpipes, and littered the racing surface, making it treacherous for drivers. During practice runs, tires lost grip on the worm-covered asphalt, raising safety concerns.

Crews worked tirelessly to clear the track, but the sheer number of worms overwhelmed their efforts. With qualifying already scrapped and conditions deemed unsafe, NASCAR officials postponed the race to October 14, a rare decision that disappointed teams and spectators but prioritized safety.

Two weeks later, under clear skies, the race went off without a hitch. Benny Parsons dominated, leading 167 of the 400 laps to secure his 19th career victory, edging out Cale Yarborough by half a second in a dramatic finish. Richard Petty took third, as over 20,000 fans filled the stands, undaunted by the earlier setback.

The 1979 Holly Farms 400, forever dubbed “The Worm Race,” stands as a bizarre chapter in NASCAR history, where tiny creatures upstaged high-powered machines and reminded everyone that nature can still call the shots.

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Brad Keselowski on pole for All-Star Race, McDowell’s pit crew wins $100,000 bonus

After Shane van Gisbergen earned a shock pole for the Open race, it was time for the 20 All-Stars to go out and qualify for NASCAR’s annual exhibition race. Made up of two laps including a four-tire pit stop in the middle of it all, It takes every part of the team to go P1 […]

Published

46 minutes ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Several drivers sped on pit road, derailing their entire runs. This included SVG’s Trackhouse Racing teammates Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain, as well as Chris Buescher, Austin Cindric, and Ryan Blaney.

But the No. 6 RFK Racing crew and driver Brad Keselowski were perfect. After what has been the worst start to a season ever for the former Cup Series champion, Friday provided some relief as he secured pole position with a wildly impressive lap, almost one full second quicker than the nearest competition.

“Yeah, it’s pretty freaking cool man,” said Keselowski. “To win the pole for the All-Star Race — I’ve never done that. It’s one of the things I’ve never done in my career, and to do it by so much — like nine tenths — it’s a total team effort. The pit crew and [crew chief] Jeremy Bullins and the team gave me a rock solid car and said here you go, here’s the ball. I nailed the lap, and just really proud. Really happy for everybody.”

Beyond Keselowski, the No. 71 Spire Motorsports pit crew also had reason to celebrate. While driver Michael McDowell is in the Open, his pit crew had the fastest stop of any team, which earned them the honor of winning the Pit Crew Challenge. As a result, they will be awarded $100,00 and a pretty cool trophy. They beat the No. 99 Trackhouse pit crew by just 0.013s for the big prize.

Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: David Jensen / Getty Images

Christopher Bell qualified second, Alex Bowman third, Chase Briscoe fourth, and William Byron fifth. Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, and Chase Elliott filled out the remainder of the top ten.

These drivers will be split into two heat races tomorrow, which will officially set the full lineup for the main event on Sunday, but no matter where he finishes in his heat race, Keselowski will still start from pole position for the All-Star Race.

Photos from All-Star Race – Practice

Motorsports

NASCAR All-Star Race revs up Wilkes County economy

WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — The countdown to the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway has officially begun, drawing race fans from across the nation and beyond. The event is expected to attract thousands of visitors, providing a significant boost to the local economy. Graig Hoffman, Executive Director of the NASCAR All-Star Race, highlighted the […]

Published

47 minutes ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Graig Hoffman, Executive Director of the NASCAR All-Star Race, highlighted the track’s historical significance. “NASCAR racing and racing in general was founded on that moonshine culture, this is ground zero for that here in Wilkes County,” he said. Hoffman also compared the venue to a legendary sports landmark, stating, “It’s like nothing else out there, this is the Wrigley Fields of NASCAR right here at North Wilkesboro Speedway.”

The recently restored speedway has contributed nearly $43 million to the statewide economy over the past two years. Local businesses are feeling the positive impact, with many benefiting from the influx of visitors.

Seth Cohn, owner of TwoBoros in downtown Wilkesboro, expressed his enthusiasm for the event’s economic benefits. “I have to say, from my perspective as a business owner, it’s been fantastic, I get to see these people come year after year, and it’s not just racing fans, it’s people who find us, they love us, and they come back year-round,” said Cohn.

Cohn shared a personal anecdote about the connections formed during the race weekends. “I had a couple that came in three years in a row, that came to see me every Tuesday, and they say ‘Hey, Seth how you doing? We’re to the left when you get to the campgrounds, just come by and see us,'” he said.

Tickets for the weekend’s events are still available for Saturday and Sunday.

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Motorsports

NASCAR All-Star Heat Race Lineups: May 2025 (North Wilkesboro)

North Wilkesboro Speedway starting positions for the NASCAR All-Star heat races and All-Star Open NASCAR Cup Series qualifying is complete at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the $1,000,000 to win race weekend. The results have been used to set the starting grid for two heat races and the All-Star Open. View North Wilkesboro heat races lineups […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

North Wilkesboro Speedway starting positions for the NASCAR All-Star heat races and All-Star Open

NASCAR Cup Series qualifying is complete at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the $1,000,000 to win race weekend. The results have been used to set the starting grid for two heat races and the All-Star Open.

View North Wilkesboro heat races lineups for the NASCAR All-Star Race below.

North Wilkesboro TV Schedule

Heat Races: 20 cars are locked into the NASCAR All-Star Race. Their time in qualifying has set the lineups for two heat races. The results of the heat races will set positions 1-20 in the NASCAR All-Star Race feature.

All-Star Open (LCQ): 18 drivers aren’t locked into the All-Star Race. They’ll race in the All-Star Open with the top 2 transferring into the All-Star Race.

Fan Vote: One additional driver will start the race based on the fan vote.

NASCAR All-Star
Heat 1 Lineup
May 17, 2025

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Alex Bowman

3. William Byron

4. Austin Dillon

5. Tyler Reddick

6. Ricky Stenhouse Jr

7. Josh Berry

8. Justin Allgaier

9. Ross Chastain

10. Ryan Blaney

View Qualifying Results

NASCAR All-Star
Heat 1 Lineup
May 17, 2025

1. Christopher Bell

2. Chase Briscoe

3. Joey Logano

4. Denny Hamlin

5. Chase Elliott

6. Kyle Busch

7. Harrison Burton

8. Chris Buescher

9. Austin Cindric

10. Daniel Suarez

View Qualifying Results

Bubba Wallace - NASCAR All-Star Race - North Wilkesboro Speedway (1) — Credit: NORTH WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 19: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Alltroo Toyota, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 19, 2024 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

North Wilkesboro
Starting Lineup
NASCAR All-Star (Open)
May 17, 2025

Note: The top two finishers from the All-Star Open will transfer into the All-Star Race.

Pos | Driver | Best Time

1. Shane van Gisbergen
1:28.684

2. Carson Hocevar
1:28.884

3. Noah Gragson
1:29.596

4. Michael McDowell
1:29.610

5. Ryan Preece
1:29.688

6. Zane Smith
1:30.477

7. Justin Haley
1:30.495

8. John Hunter Nemechek
1:30.841

9. Ty Gibbs
1:30.917

10. Ty Dillon
1:31.444

11. Cole Custer
1:32.050

12. Erik Jones
1:35.597

13. Riley Herbst
1:39.650

14. Cody Ware
1:39.791

15. Bubba Wallace
1:39.690

16. AJ Allmendinger
1:50.942

17. Todd Gilliland
2:02.694

18. Chad Finchum
2:24.024

NASCAR Cup Series - North Wilkesboro Speedway — NASCAR Cup Series (Photo: North Wilkesboro Speedway)

NASCAR All-Star Race
Starting Lineup
North Wilkesboro Speedway
May 18, 2025

1. Heat 1 (Winner)

2. Heat 2 (Winner)

3. Heat 1 (2nd Place)

4. Heat 2 (2nd Place)

5. Heat 1 (3rd Place)

6. Heat 2 (3rd Place)

7. Heat 1 (4th Place)

8. Heat 2 (4th Place)

9. Heat 1 (5th Place)

10. Heat 2 (5th Place)

11. Heat 1 (6th Place)

12. Heat 2 (6th Place)

13. Heat 1 (7th Place)

14. Heat 2 (7th Place)

15. Heat 1 (8th Place)

16. Heat 2 (8th Place)

17. Heat 1 (9th Place)

18. Heat 2 (9th Place)

19. Heat 1 (10th Place)

20. Heat 2 (10th Place)

21. All-Star Open (Winner)

22. All-Star Open (2nd Place)

23. Fan Vote Winner

Links

North Wilkesboro Speedway | CARS Tour | NASCAR

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NASCAR Qualifying Results: Christopher Bell DENIED All-Star pole as former Cup Series champ sets the pace

The full NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results from North Wilkesboro Speedway are in, with the lineups set for both of Saturday’s All-Star Race Heats and Sunday’s All-Star Open. The two All-Star Race Heats will set the starting lineup for Sunday’s 250-lap All-Star Race, with 2012 Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski set to start Heat 1 […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The full NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results from North Wilkesboro Speedway are in, with the lineups set for both of Saturday’s All-Star Race Heats and Sunday’s All-Star Open.

The two All-Star Race Heats will set the starting lineup for Sunday’s 250-lap All-Star Race, with 2012 Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski set to start Heat 1 out front, and Christopher Bell set to lead the way at the front of Heat 2.

Keselowski set the fastest time of all eligible All-Stars in Friday evening’s session, just edging three-time 2025 Cup Series winner Bell to do so.

Meanwhile, Alex Bowman and Chase Briscoe set the third and fourth fastest times of the All-Stars and will therefore start on the front rows of Heats 1 and 2, alongside Keselowski and Bell.

The starting lineup for Sunday’s All-Star Open was also set at North Wilkesboro on Friday, with Shane van Gisbergen pipping Carson Hocevar to pole in that session.

The top two drivers from the All-Star Open on Sunday will qualify for the main All-Star Race later that evening.

Elsewhere, Michael McDowell’s No. 77 crew won the Pit Crew Challenge, bagging $100,000 in doing so.

With that said, let’s take a look at Friday’s qualifying results in full and the starting lineups for both All-Star Race Heats and the All-Star Open.

READ MORE: NASCAR Cup Series 2025: All-Star Weekend start times, schedule and how to watch live on TV

NASCAR Cup Series: Who is on pole for the All-Star Race Heats?

After Friday evening’s qualifying session from North Wilkesboro Speedway, here are the starting lineups for Saturday’s All-Star Heat Races.

All-Star Race Heat No. 1 starting lineup

Position	Driver	Car No.	Team
1	Brad Keselowski	6	RFK Racing Ford
2	Alex Bowman	48	Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
3	William Byron	24	Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
4	Austin Dillon	3	Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
5	Tyler Reddick	45	23XI Racing Toyota
6	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	47	HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet
7	Josh Berry	21	Wood Brothers Racing Ford
8	Justin Allgaier	5	Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
9	Ross Chastain	1	Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
10	Ryan Blaney	12	Team Penske Ford

All-Star Race Heat No. 2 starting lineup

Position	Driver	Car No.	Team
1	Christopher Bell	20	Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2	Chase Briscoe	19	Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
3	Joey Logano	22	Team Penske Ford
4	Denny Hamlin	11	Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
5	Chase Elliott	9	Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
6	Kyle Busch	8	Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
7	Harrison Burton	51	Rick Ware Racing Ford
8	Chris Buescher	17	RFK Racing Ford
9	Austin Cindric	2	Team Penske Ford
10	Daniel Suarez	99	Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

READ MORE: Star driver plummets in playoff standings after brutal late penalty

NASCAR Cup Series: Who is on pole for the All-Star Open?

After qualifying on Friday evening, here is the starting lineup for Sunday’s All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Pos	Driver	Car No.	Team	Time / Gap
1	Shane van Gisbergen	88	Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet	1:28.684
2	Carson Hocevar	77	Spire Motorsports Chevrolet	+0.200
3	Noah Gragson	4	Front Row Motorsports Ford	+0.911
4	Michael McDowell	71	Spire Motorsports Chevrolet	+0.926
5	Ryan Preece	60	RFK Racing Ford	+1.004
6	Zane Smith	38	Front Row Motorsports Ford	+1.793
7	Justin Haley	7	Spire Motorsports Chevrolet	+1.811
8	John Hunter Nemechek	42	Legacy Motor Club Toyota	+2.157
9	Ty Gibbs	54	Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota	+2.233
10	Ty Dillon	10	Kaulig Racing Chevrolet	+2.760
11	Cole Custer	41	Haas Factory Team Ford	+3.366
12	Erik Jones	43	Legacy Motor Club Toyota	+6.913
13	Riley Herbst	35	23XI Racing Toyota	+10.966
14	Bubba Wallace	23	23XI Racing Toyota	+11.006
15	Cody Ware	15	Rick Ware Racing Ford	+11.107
16	AJ Allmendinger	16	Kaulig Racing Chevrolet	+22.258
17	Todd Gilliland	34	Front Row Motorsports Ford	+34.010
18	Chad Finchum	66	Garage 66 Ford	+55.340