NASCAR All-Star race results: Kyle Larson breezes past field at North Wilkesboro, nabs $1 million prize

David Suggs

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NASCAR All-Star race results: Kyle Larson breezes past field at North Wilkesboro, nabs $1 million prize image

A new generation of NASCAR fans hoped to witness an outpouring of carnage and chaos at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday.

What they got instead was, in the words of Kyle Larson, an "old-fashioned ass whooping."

Larson put on a show at the slippery Blue Ridge Mountain track, blazing to the front after incurring a speeding penalty on pit road on Lap 18.

MORE: All-Star trophy pays homage to North Wilkesboro's roots as 'Moonshine Capital of America'

He kept his spot through it all. He was the biggest beneficiary of a clean race that featured just two caution flags — one of which was prescheduled after Lap 100.

Larson cruised to victory, besting 23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace by nearly four seconds. He seemed to find the perfect path to victory, routinely veering onto the apron and getting his four wheels on the gritty surface.

MORE: North Wilkesboro Speedway photos, before and after renovation

Larson also leaves North Wilkesboro Speedway $1 million richer. Everyone else? Well, they were playing for pride.

It's Larson's third career All-Star Race win, tied for second-most in NASCAR history. At just 30 years of age, the Hendrick Motorsports star's legacy continues to grow. What will he do next?

MORE: Watch NASCAR Cup Series races live with Fubo (free trial)

Sunday's spectacle was far from a classic. It did offer a glimpse into just how beloved the 0.625-mile North Wilkesboro track is to NASCAR fans, though, with the ever-present roar from the grandstand soundtracking Larson's dominance.

The Sporting News tracked updates from Sunday's All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Scroll below to see all the action as it happened in the Cup Series' returns to an iconic venue.

NASCAR All-Star race results

Kyle Larson's pockets got a little bigger; he takes home his third All-Star Race win and $1 million cash prize. Here is the unofficial top 10:

PlaceDriverCar No.Team
1Kyle Larson5Hendrick Motorsports
2Bubba Wallace2323XI Racing
3Tyler Reddick4523XI Racing
4Chase Briscoe14Stewart-Haas Racing
5Chase Elliott9Hendrick Motorsports
6Ryan Blaney12Team Penske
7Daniel Suarez99Trackhouse Racing
8Erik Jones43Legacy Motor Club
9Ty Gibbs54Joe Gibbs Racing
10Joey Logano22Team Penske

NASCAR All-Star Race live updates, highlights from North Wilkesboro

(All times Eastern)

9:37 p.m.: White flag out. And it's Larson who takes the checkered flag! His bank account gets $1 million larger.

9:36 p.m.: Larson is six laps from glory. His lead over Wallace remains at four seconds.

9:31 p.m.: Gibbs faring well in his first All-Star Race. He's up to P9 — the highest position among JGR drivers. The kiddo is showing impressive consistency in his first full-time Cup Series season.

9:28 p.m.: Wallace and Reddick gaining some ground on Larson. 25 laps to go. Briscoe pushing hard for P3, but he's got a 1.3 second deficit to make up to catch the 23XI star.

9:26 p.m.: Briscoe trying to make his way up the field. He just passed Elliott for P4. But it will take some doing to get back to the top.

9:20 p.m.: Larson is in the clear if things can remain clean on the track, per Bob Pockrass.

9:12 p.m.: Larson has captured the All-Star Race on two separate occasions. Has a chance to join Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon for second-most All-Star Race wins in a career.

9:10 p.m.: Larson's lead over Wallace is up to about 1.75 seconds. Reddick not too far behind his 23XI teammate in P3.

9:05 p.m.: We're back to green at North Wilkesboro. Larson retains his spot at the front of the pack, slightly in front of Wallace.

8:56 p.m.: CAUTION! Competition yellow is waved. It's between Truex and Byron for the free pass and it seems Truex just inched ahead of the No. 24. He'll stay on the lead lap when the race goes back to green.

8:55 p.m.: Bubba passes Suarez for P2. He's a world away from Larson, though. One lap away from the competition caution. 

8:52 p.m.: Larson putting on a show. However, competition caution is scheduled after 100 laps. So, that should make things a little tighter. Nevertheless, his lead is up to 12 seconds over Suarez and Wallace. Just pure dominance for the Hendrick Motorsports superstar.

8:47 p.m.: Larson is placing all four tires on the apron when he makes his way around the bends. Looks like that's getting him all the grip he needs. Just lapped Harvick and Keselowski. His lead over Suarez is now up to a whopping eight seconds.

8:46 p.m.: It's Larson's world at present. He's six seconds up on Suarez and on the precipice of lapping cars. 75 laps down and it's been about as good of an All-Star Race as he could imagine.

8:38 p..m.: Larson is well and truly in this race. He's all the way up to the top, quite literally outrunning his competition after putting new tires on at Lap 18. 56 laps through and Larson leads the pack.

8:30 p.m.: Kyle Larson making serious gains on the leaders. He's already passed 10 drivers since the race's restart. Still some distance away from the front of the pack, but that should prompt drivers to descend towards the concrete surrounding the turns.

8:24 p.m.: CAUTION! Stenhouse spins out in the races early moments, brining out the first caution flag of the day.

8:23 p.m.: 15 laps have been completed. Suarez still leading the way.

8:17 p.m.: We are underway at North Wilkesboro! Leading off in today's race is Daniel Suarez and Joey Logano it.

7:56 p.m.: Kevin Harvick will be flying around the track in that iconic No. 29, agreeing a deal with Richard Childress Racing to ride in his old racing stripes.

7:45 p.m.: Driver's intros underway at North Wilkesboro. No one received more boos than Bubba Wallace, who responds with a mock sob a la Kyle Busch.

6:37 p.m.: Gragson's car heading into the garage to get some repairs. He took a big shot on that collision, but looks like he'll get his chance in one of NASCAR's most popular events.

6:30 p.m.: And the winner of the fan vote is...Noah Gragson! He'll be at the rearguard in tonight's race!

6:29 p.m.: Berry and Gibbs punch their ticket to tonight's final! Great race by the Cup Series newcomers.

6:27 p.m.: Almirola is gaining ground on Gibbs. Looks like that No. 54 is a bit loose. Berry poised to earn his place into tonight's race. Still, Gibbs in P2. Two laps to go!

6:25 p.m.: It's a three-horse race for first. Berry still faster than everyone else. Almirola searching for grip along the racetrack but he can't find it. Just seven laps remaining from this year's All-Star Open.

6:23 p.m.: Berry the fastest car on the track with 15 to go! He's doing his thing in that Grade-A Hendrick technology.

6:20 p.m.: McDowell gets Gibbs out the way down a lap! Berry makes the lead with 21 laps left! Almirola right behind Gibbs. This is getting tasty!

6:19 p.m.: Beef might be for dinner here at North Wilkesboro.

6:11 p.m.: CAUTION! The race restart doesn't last too long. Gibbs gets inside of McDowell and attempts to make the pass. He makes the move but looks like it caused a precipitous maneuver by Haley, who veers into McDowell's No. 34 before clattering into the wall. Haley is headed to the garage. McDowell is off to pit road.

6:04 p.m.: CAUTION! Four cars involved: Gragson, Gilliland, Newman and Bilicki all collected after Gragson clips the inside wall. Lots of damage for Newman and Gilliland's cars, in particular. Could pose an interesting situation for Cup Series fans; after all, Gragson is one of the sport's more popular drivers.

6:03 p.m.: Berry steals a march on Gibbs, taking first place on pit road. Looks like Gibbs had trouble with his jack.

5:57 p.m.: Caution thrown at Lap 41. Gibbs in control thus far; he's led every lap.

5:52 p.m.: Aric Almirola strutting up the field. He's in P4, five spots higher than his starting position. As for Gibbs, he just lapped last-place Josh Bilicki. We're about 10 laps away from the competition caution (Lap 40).

5:49 p.m.: Through 20 laps, Gibbs still is holding tight in P1. Berry a little over two seconds behind in P2. Justin Haley about a second behind Berry in third.

5:45 p.m.: 10 laps down and it's Gibbs with a second-long lead. Ryan Newman trying to chase down the pack in the No. 51. He sits in P12.

5:42 p.m.: And we're green from North Wilkesboro. Michael McDowell attempts to go three wide on the corner but loses grip. That drops him to seventh. 97 laps remain. Ty Gibbs sitting at the front of the pack.

5:33 p.m.: Commands are through. The Open is five minutes away!

5:20 p.m.: No cars to the rear for today's Open.

5:05 p.m.: All-Star Open set to start in about 30 minutes. Should be an enthralling affair to figure out which drivers take their spots in tonight's All-Star Race.

MORE: North Wilkesboro Speedway, a famous NASCAR ghost, brought back to life in ‘Cars 3’

What channel is NASCAR on today? 

  • TV channel: FS1 (U.S.) | TSN5 (Canada)
  • Live stream: FoxSports.com, Fubo
  • Radio: MRN

Sunday's race will be broadcast on FS1 in the United States. Canadian viewers can find it on TSN5.

Veteran broadcaster Mike Joy will lead the telecast as the race's lap-by-lap announcer. He'll be joined in the booth by Clint Bowyer and Darrell Waltrip.

Cord-cutters can follow the action on FoxSports.com, as well as with Fubo, which offers a free trial.

NASCAR start time today

  • Date: Sunday, May 21
  • Time: 5 p.m. ET (Open) | 8 p.m. ET (All-Star Race)

The listed start time for the NASCAR All Star Race is 8 p.m. ET, but the green flag is scheduled to be dropped at 8:14 p.m. ET. Fans can get an early racing fix by tuning in to the All Star Open at 5 p.m. ET. The Open will help to complete the field for the All-Star Race. 

All-Star Race 2023 starting lineup 

Start pos.DriverCar No.Team
1Daniel Suarez99Trackhouse Racing
2Chris Buescher17RFK Racing
3Joey Logano22Team Penske
4Austin Dillon3Richard Childress Racing
5Chase Briscoe14Stewart-Haas Racing
6William Byron24Hendrick Motorsports
7Christopher Bell20Joe Gibbs Racing
8Brad Keselowski6RFK Racing
9Denny Hamlin11Joe Gibbs Racing
10Bubba Wallace2323XI Racing
11Ryan Blaney12Team Penske
12Martin Truex Jr.19Joe Gibbs Racing
13Chase Elliott9Hendrick Motorsports
14Kyle Busch8Richard Childress Racing
15Kevin Harvick29Stewart-Haas Racing
16Kyle Larson5Hendrick Motorsports
17Austin Cindric2Team Penske
18Ross Chastain1Trackhouse Racing
19Ricky Stenhouse Jr.47JTG Daugherty Racing
20Tyler Reddick4523XI Racing
21Erik Jones43Legacy Motor Club
22Josh Berry48Hendrick Motorsports
23Ty Gibbs54Joe Gibbs Racing
24Noah Gragson42Legacy Motor Club

All-Star Open lineup at North Wilkesboro

Before the All-Star Race, the drivers who are not already locked into the main event will race for the remaining open spots. The starting order for this race was determined Friday through a pit crew competition.

Start pos.DriverCar No.Team
1Ty Gibbs54Joe Gibbs Racing
2Josh Berry48Hendrick Motorsports
3Corey LaJoie7Spire Motorsports
4Harrison Burton21Wood Brothers Racing
5Justin Haley31Kaulig Racing
6Michael McDowell34Front Row Motorsports
7Todd Gilliland38Front Row Motorsports
8Ryan Preece41Stewart-Haas Racing
9Aric Almirola10Stewart-Haas Racing
10AJ Allmendinger16Kaulig Racing
11Josh Bilicki78Live Fast Motorsports
12Ty Dillon77Spire Motorsports
13Chandler Smith13Kaulig Racing
14Ryan Newman51Rick Ware Racing
15Noah Gragson42Legacy Motor Club
16JJ Yeley15Rick Ware Racing

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.