NASCAR All-Star: Ty Gibbs' crew wins the Pit Crew Challenge, giving their driver the pole for All-Star Open

The pit crew for NASCAR's top rookie wins an extra $100,000 in the Pit Crew Challenge at North Wilkesboro

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. -- The pit crew for the No. 54 Toyota driven by Ty Gibbs won the Pit Crew Challenge at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Friday evening, prevailing in a special contest that helped set the starting order for both Saturday's All-Star Race heat races and the All-Star Open on Sunday. Gibbs' crew earned a $100,000 bonus, and their 13.012 second stop earned their driver the pole for the Open.

Gibbs' crew entered All-Star Weekend as the 12th-ranked crew on pit road, per Fox Sports, but shone in the return of the Pit Crew Challenge held for the first time since 2012. Executing the stop were tire changers Blake Houston and Michael Hicks, tire carrier Jacob Holmes, jackman Derrell Edwards and fueler Peyton Moore.

Thanks to the work of his crew, Gibbs -- who was six years away from being born when NASCAR last raced at North Wilkesboro -- became the first driver of the weekend to take the elevator ride to the track's Victory Lane.

What a stop! Retweet to congratulate the No. 54 team and @TyGibbs on their North Wilkesboro Speedway Pit Crew Challenge WIN. #AllStarRace pic.twitter.com/NUWZOV9SfC

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 19, 2023

First elevator ride of the weekend goes to Ty Gibbs and his @JoeGibbsRacing crew pic.twitter.com/AnA7r5xTve

— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) May 19, 2023

While Gibbs must qualify for the All-Star Race through the All-Star Open, Daniel Suarez's No. 99 crew was best in class among those teams already qualified for the All-Star Race, which will give Suarez the top starting spot in Heat 1. Chris Buescher, whose No. 17 crew was third-fastest overall, will start on the pole in Heat 2.

Both Heats will determine the starting lineup for the All-Star Race, with Heat 1 setting the inside row and Heat 2 deciding the outside row.

All-Star Heat Race 1 starting lineup

1. #99 - Daniel Suarez
2. #9 - Chase Elliott
3. #22 - Joey Logano
4. #11 - Denny Hamlin
5. #14 - Chase Briscoe
6. #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
7. #2 - Austin Cindric
8. #29 - Kevin Harvick
9. #12 - Ryan Blaney
10. #20 - Christopher Bell
11. #43 - Erik Jones
    

All-Star Race Heat 2 starting lineup

1. #17 - Chris Buescher
2. #3 - Austin Dillon
3. #24 - William Byron
4. #1 - Ross Chastain
5. #5 - Kyle Larson
6. #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
7. #23 - Bubba Wallace
8. #6 - Brad Keselowski
9. #8 - Kyle Busch
10. #45 - Tyler Reddick
    

All-Star Open starting lineup

1. #54 - Ty Gibbs (R)
2. #48 - Josh Berry
   
3. #7 - Corey LaJoie
4. #21 - Harrison Burton
5. #31 - Justin Haley
6. #34 - Michael McDowell
   
7. #38 - Todd Gilliland
8. #41 - Ryan Preece
9. #10 - Aric Almirola
10. #16 - AJ Allmendinger
11. #78 - Josh Bilicki
12. #77 - Ty Dillon
13. #13 - Chandler Smith
14. #51 - Ryan Newman
15. #42 - Noah Gragson (R)
16. #15 - J.J. Yeley