FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Texas native James Buescher and Daniel Suarez drove their manner into the NASCAR All-Star race for an opportunity to win $1 million Sunday evening, and Erik Jones bought the ultimate spot within the 24-car discipline on a fan vote.
Stenhouse and Buescher received the primary two 20-lap phases within the qualifying race earlier Sunday. Suarez completed in entrance in the course of the remaining 10-lap shootout, the third time the Mexican driver has raced into the All-Star discipline.
“It means we’re going to get another shot at it, and have some fun,” Suarez mentioned.
That trio and Jones, within the No. 43 automobile for Petty GMS Motorsports, joined the 20 drivers that have been already locked into the non-points All-Star race being held at Texas Motor Speedway for the second time.
Kyle Busch, the 2017 All-Star winner, was on the pole for the principle occasion.
Ryan Blaney certified second on Saturday evening, forward of William Byron and reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, who has received his final two All-Star begins. After successful the All-Star race final June, Larson additionally received the Cup playoff race at the 1 1/2-mile Texas monitor within the fall.
At the beginning of the All-Star open race Sunday, Stenhouse was pushed to entrance row after pole winner Tyler Reddick needed to go to the again of the 16-car discipline due to unapproved adjustments since qualifying Saturday. Reddick was as much as fifth by the top of the primary stage, however wrecked out within the remaining phase when he bought free and went into the wall.
“Took off good on that start,” mentioned Stenhouse, who superior to his fourth All-Star race. “Once we had clean air, felt I could control the car behind me.”
Texas is the fourth monitor to host the annual exhibition, however solely the second the place the All-Star race has been a number of instances. The inaugural All-Star race was held in Charlotte in 1985, with Atlanta internet hosting in 1985 earlier than 33 in a row in Charlotte. The race moved to Bristol in 2020 when North Carolina wouldn’t enable spectators as a consequence of COVID-19 restrictions.
Last yr’s All-Star race was 100 laps damaged into six segments, 4 of them solely 15 laps, with some inversion gimmicks and a green-flag pit cease. It is a little more easy this yr with 125 laps over 4 segments (25, 25, 25 and 50 laps). There shall be a pit cease competitors earlier than the longest phase, with the winner of that beginning on the entrance two rows with the three stage winners.
“A good balance between short, quick, but also long enough to let the tires fall off and let some things happen, especially in that last stage,” mentioned Kevin Harvick, a two-time All-Star winner and four-time runner-up.
Harvick is in his twenty second All-Star race, whereas Kurt Busch is in his twenty first. Mark Martin holds the report with 24 All-Star appearances.
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