Brad Keselowski shares his anticipation about the million-dollar event after the All-Star Heat Race triumph

Brad Keselowski grabbed attention on Saturday, May 17, at North Wilkesboro Speedway by winning Heat Race 1, locking in a front-row spot for Sunday’s (May 18) NASCAR All-Star Race. His win came a day after earning the pole in qualifying, putting him in a strong position for the $1 million race.

Driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang for RFK Racing, Keselowski led all 75 laps in the heat and held off late charges from Ross Chastain and William Byron, who had fresher tires. The win gives Keselowski a boost in what has been a tough season.

“It’s been a good two days for everyone on this 6 crew,” Keselowski said via Speedway Digest. “It’s good to be running up front and running fast. This is fun.”

He explained that the team used the heat race to test setup choices and tire behavior, adding:

“Those guys that put tires on, they were really hard to hold off. I had the preferred groove and just tried to use it to my advantage.”

Brad Keselowski is ranked 33rd in the Cup Series standings with 148 points. He is 321 points behind the leader, Kyle Larson, after 12 races. He has no wins, no top-10 finishes, and no laps led. His average start is 24.917, and his average finish is 27.167. He’s recorded five DNFs.

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A big turnaround for Brad Keselowski ahead of the All-Star main event

Brad Keselowski has openly acknowledged how rough this season has been. Statistically, it has been one of the worst of his career. His teammates, Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece, have consistently outperformed him. But qualifying for the All-Star Race gave Keselowski a shot to reset the narrative.

This year’s qualifying format was different. Drivers had to run three laps and complete a mandatory four-tire pit stop. Many ran into problems, especially with pit road speeding penalties. Keselowski avoided those mistakes and delivered his best performance of the season.

Keselowski told Speedway Digest:

“It doesn't hurt. Being on the pole feels really good, especially to win the pole by that much. It's just a total team effort.”

“This event, this format, pushes you to your limits... I stuck my part. That felt really good,” he added.

He also credited his crew for staying focused and not taking unnecessary risks during the pit stop. According to Keselowski, crew chief Jeremy Bullins and the rest of the team gave him a consistent, well-prepared car and let him confidently do his job on track.

His lap time was 87.363 seconds, with a top speed of 77.264 mph. He beat second-place qualifier Christopher Bell by almost a full second.

The NASCAR All-Star Race will take place Sunday, May 18, at 5 PM ET. It will be broadcast on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM. Brad Keselowski will lead the field, looking for his first All-Star Race win and hoping to turn around a difficult 2025 season.