Kenseth won the pole for Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, which will be just his second race since returning to the NASCAR Cup Series with Roush Fenway Racing.
Kenseth will be joined on the front row by fellow Roush Fenway Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
ALL-STAR RACE: Live updates, results and highlights from Charlotte
The qualifying format called for the 17 drivers to run three laps, including a pit stop, with no pit road speed limit. That led to cars flying into the pits at high speed, a jarring sight for fans used to drivers strictly obeying speed limits in regular points races.
The drivers seemed to like it.
“It’s way fun coming on pit road at 160,” Kurt Busch told FS1.
Kenseth got into his pit box smoothly and his teammates got him out quickly, as did Stenhouse’s crew.
MORE: Kurt Busch expects Talladega-style racing
“Having both cars on the front row is a tribute to these guys … this was more about the car and the team than it was about me,” Kenseth told FS1.
Alex Bowman, Daniel Suarez and A.J. Allmendinger were the stage winners of Saturday’s All-Star Open and Chase Elliott won the fan vote. The four drivers will move on to the All-Star race
The Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star race starts at 8 p.m. ET Saturday.
Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race starting lineup
- Matt Kenseth 2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 3. Clint Bowyer 4. Kevin Harvick 5. Martin Truex Jr. 6. Ryan Blaney 7. Kyle Busch 8. Brad Keselowski 9. Austin Dillon 10. Joey Logano 11. Jimmie Johnson 12. Jamie McMurray 13. Ryan Newman 14. Denny Hamlin 15. Kurt Busch 16. Kasey Kahne 17. Kyle Larson 18. Alex Bowman 19. Daniel Suarez 20. A.J. Allmendinger 21. Chase Elliott
