Kevin Harvick predicts winner for 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro
This Sunday, North Wilkesboro Speedway hosts the 40th NASCAR All-Star Race, the iconic racetrack’s second consecutive year hosting the event.
Kyle Larson, last year’s winner, is back to defend his crown but Kevin Harvick is going with one of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates to get it done at North Wilkesboro. Speaking on his “Happy Hour” podcast, Harvick picked William Byron to win his first career All-Star Race.
“I’m gonna pick William Byron because he did the tire test there, and I think those guys are gonna have a little bit of an advantage,” Harvick said.
Byron finished P20 at North Wilkesboro last year and comes into this year’s event riding a hot streak. In his last eight starts, he’s tallied two wins and six top 10s. He sits fifth in the points standings and is one of two drivers with three victories this season, the other being Denny Hamlin.
“This race is just as competitive. A chance to win a million dollars. It’s a stat that people talk about even after your career is over,” Byron said. “It’s ‘how many championships do you have, how many DAYTONA 500 wins and how many All-Star wins?’ It matters. The difference is you know that there’s no points on the line, so it’s a bit more aggressive. We were lucky enough to do the tire test this year but that was before we knew about the option tire. We ran about 600 laps that test, so we feel pretty good about our setup.”
Kevin Harvick’s ‘Happy Hour’ co-hosts give their picks for NASCAR All-Star Race
Kaitlyn Vincie, Harvick’s co-host, went with Larson to take the checkered flag at North Wilkesboro. Harvick, who retired from full-time Cup Series competition this past season, is notably practicing and qualifying the No. 5 Chevrolet for the event as Larson prepares to run in the Indy 500 later this month.
Mamba Smith went outside the box with his pick, going with Noah Gragson. Gragson has been impressive in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing, recording three top 10s in his last five starts.
“I’m gonna go a little outside the box and I’m gonna go with Noah Gragson,” Smith said. “… I’m gonna give Noah a million bucks. I think that would be really wild to see.”
In order to qualify for the 8 p.m. main event, Gragson will have to finish in the top-2 of the All-Star Open at 5:30. The field for the All-Star open is made up of 20 drivers, all of whom didn’t win a race last season, have never won an All-Star Race and are still looking for their first Cup Series championship.