Kyle Larson set the pace in Cup Series practice for the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway.
Larson — a three-time All-Star winner (2019, 2021, 2023) — posted a fastest lap of 157.950 mph in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the first on-track tune-up ahead of Sunday’s first All-Star Race running (1 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the 1-mile concrete oval. His best lap time was 0.018 seconds quicker than second-fastest Michael McDowell’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevy (157.826 mph).
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Denny Hamlin slotted third-fastest, with Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs rounding out the top five in that order.
The extended 90-minute session included pit-stop practice time available to all teams in preparation for Saturday’s qualifying (noon ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Those time trials will feature multiple laps and include a four-tire pit stop, which will determine the winning team in the annual Pit Crew Challenge.
Sunday’s 350-lap All-Star event will be divided into three segments, with the 36-car field pared down to 26 for a 200-lap final portion. That final 26 will include 19 already eligible drivers (race winners since 2025, plus former Cup champions and All-Star Race winners), six drivers transferring from the first two segments, and the top vote-getter in fan balloting who is not otherwise qualified.
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McDowell was fastest in practice among drivers who enter Dover without a guaranteed spot in the final segment, followed in that category by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (13th) and Riley Herbst (14th), Erik Jones (16th) and Connor Zilisch (17th).
Chase Briscoe made contact with the outside retaining wall at the Turn 2 exit with roughly five minutes left in practice, scraping the right side of his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He posted the 27th-best lap in the session.
Defending All-Star Race winner Christopher Bell was sixth-fastest in Friday’s practice.
This story will be updated.
