The qualifying session, which was postponed from Friday due to rain at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway, featured a three-lap run with the driver completing a four-tire pit stop with mock fuel delivery on the second lap.
Logano, who drives the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske, proved to be exceptionally fast on track and led the leaderboard with an average lap speed of 75.206 mph, and yet his pit crew had the fifth-best stop on pit road.
Logano will start first in his heat race Saturday night but also starts on the pole for the 200-lap All-Star main event, with the winner earning $1 million.
“This qualifying session is the most fun qualifying session of the year, and it takes the whole team, right? The car has to go fast, we have to execute on pit road, the spotter has to do a good job, the pit crew had to do their part,” Logano said.
“Everybody’s got to do their part to make this happen. Never got an (all-star) pole before, actually I think I’ve never (correctly) stopped in the stall.”
Fellow Ford driver Brad Keselowski ended up second fastest overall (74.884 mph) and will start on the pole for the second heat race on Saturday.
Bell ended up third quick (74.859 mph) but the pit crew for his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team ripped off the fastest pit stop at 13.223 seconds.
It’s the second year in a row the pit crew won the competition as the same group served as Ty Gibbs’s pit crew last season when they won the challenge.
As the winner of the pit crew challenge, Bell’s team will get the first pick of pit stall for Sunday night’s All-Star Race main event.
“What can you say? It’s two in a row for these guys and it’s been awesome,” Bell said of his pit crew. “I’m incredibly happy for them and honored to be their driver.”
Said Michaeal Hicks, the rear tire changer on Bell’s pit crew: “I’m blessed to be with this group of guys. I couldn’t do this if I didn’t have a good supporting cast. Those guys are the best on pit road, and we’ve got a stud for a driver.”
Daniel Suarez ended up fourth fastest overall and Chris Buescher rounded out the top five.
Other than Logano, the results of Saturday night’s heat races will determine the lineup for Sunday night’s All-Star Race.
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