Christopher Bell, Brad Keselowski achieve all-star heat races in North Wilkesboro

North Wilkesboro, NC-Brad Keselowski and Christopher Bell each achieved dominant victories in the heat races on Saturday at the North Wilkesboro Speedway and will start in the front row for the All-Star race on Sunday evening.

The heat races set the line -up for the exhibition race on Sunday. Keselowski has already been insured number 1 for the starting place by publishing the fastest time in qualifying friday on Friday.

Keselowski led 74 out of 75 laps to win his HEAT race. Ross Chastain finished second, William Byron finished third, Ryan Blaney became fourth and Alex Bowman took fifth place.

Keselowski was the only car in the top 5 of the nine-car race that drove the same tire set for the entire distance.

“The boys who put on the tires were really difficult to keep,” said Keselowski. “I had the preferred groove and only tried to use it to my advantage. We will see whether this is the case (Sunday).”

Keselowski said the route was racy.

“It's definitely not a single groove racing route,” he said. “You led me very hard. We had a good pace and that was a bit of a dog fuck, so I thought it was a great race.”

Keselowski finished second in the All-Star race three times. This is the most runner-up for the most second-placed, without winning the event that pays the winner $ 1 million.

Bell led 69 of the 75 laps to win the second heat on Saturday.

“In practice (Friday) I knew that I had the feeling that I had a lot of car potential if they could get a rear under control,” said Bell. “The boys did a great job to make the car better overnight, and it was really refreshing to get out and easy to drive them.

“Then I didn't know how it would work with Joey (Logano) directly behind me, but this thing was on rails. I am really happy and excited about the opportunity (Sunday).”

The only round that Bell did not run was when Chase Briscoe hadn't played with the rest of the field, and tried the same strategy that Keselowski used to win the first warmth. Briscoe said it was his call to stay outside.

It didn't work. He did not get a good restart, was hung three and fell back in the 10-car race in front of the TOP 5 before the contact turned it on the frontstretch.

Logano finished second, Chase Elliott third, Kyle Busch Vierst and Chris Buescher fifth.

All-Star racing starting line-up

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Christopher Bell

3. Ross Chastain

4. Joey Logano

5. William Byron

6. Chase Elliott

7. Ryan Blaney

8. Kyle Busch

9. Alex Bowman

10. Chris Buescher

11. Josh Berry

12. Daniel Suarez

13. Tyler Reddick

14. Chase Briscoe

15th Austin Dillon

16. Austin Cindric

17. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

18. Harrison Burton

19. Kyle Larson (will pull qualified car back since Justin Allgaier)

20. Denny Hamlin

21. Winner of All-Star Open

22. Second of All-Star Open

23. Fan votes winner