NASCAR insider picks Joe Gibbs’ star driver as favorite to win 2025 All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season heads to the North Wilkesboro Speedway for the second exhibition race of the season, the All-Star Race. Ahead of the event, NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass gave his prediction, picking the winner, top-five finishers, and a long-shot winner for the 2025 All-Star Race.

Pockrass picked Joe Gibbs Racing’s star driver Christopher Bell to take the checkered flag at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday, May 18. Bell won the Heat 2 on Saturday and will start from the second position in the 23-driver field on Sunday.

Rounding out Pockrass’ top five predictions are Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, and the defending winner of the event, Joey Logano. He chose Tyler Reddick as a long-shot prospect. He also picked Carson Hocevar and Ty Gibbs as the top-two finishers from the All-Star Open and Shane Van Gisbergen as the fan vote winner to advance to the All-Star Race field.

Pockrass wrote on X:

“My pick for all-star race tonight: Christopher Bell ... top-5: Bell Blaney Keselowski Elliott Logano ... longshot: Reddick Open pick: Hocevar ... top-5: Hocevar Gibbs Gragson Smith Preece ... fan vote: SVG”

Christopher Bell has had an impressive season so far with three wins, six top-five finishes, and eight top-10 finishes in 12 races so far and will look to clinch his career All-Star Race victory.

Meanwhile, Pockrass’ picks, Blaney, Keselowski, and Logano, are the top favorites to win the All-Star Race in the odds table.

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Kevin Harvick picks the 23XI Racing driver to win the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway

The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion-turned-commentator, Kevin Harvick, picked Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney as a favorite to win the season’s second non-points-paying event.

On the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, when his co-host Kaitlyn Vincie asked him to give his prediction for this weekend’s All-Star Race, Harvick picked Blaney and said [47:12]:

“I think as you look at the All-Star Race, it's a chance for people to get themselves back where they want to be and change the course of their season. We saw it with Joey Logano last week or last year when he went to the All-Star race, hadn't done squat to start the year, went and dominated, changed the rest of his season, and put him back on track. So with all that being said, Mr. Bad Luck himself, Ryan Blaney, I'm picking.”

Catch NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams in action at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can witness the 250-lap Cup Series race on FS1.