Denny Hamlin Takes All-Star Race Pole In Chaotic Qualifying Session

In a qualifying session that pushed drivers and pit crews to their limit, it was Denny Hamlin who came out on top at Dover Motor Speedway, and will lead the field to the green flag in Sunday's NASCAR All-Star Race.

Hamlin's pole-winning qualifying time was 1 minute, 49.298 seconds.

Unlike traditional race weekends, where the starting lineup is set by fastest single-lap speed, the NASCAR All-Star Race features a multi-lap qualifying format, infused with a live four-tire pit stop.

And the qualifying format threw many for a loop, as a slew of drivers and teams have miscues during their runs.

Even Hamlin, who went for a spin on track during his warm-up lap, found trouble.

"I was just trying to get as much heat in the tires as I possibly could. No, I was just trying to feel it out, and it was slick," Hamlin said of his spin prior to his timed qualifying run. "So, honestly, at this point I just didn't want to flat-spot [my tires]. And I still could feel a little bit of vibration on my lap."

Surprisingly, Hamlin was able to turn a good opening lap despite the tires getting additional wear from the spin. And as he came to pit road, his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew did their part by clicking off the fifth-fastest pit stop of the session.

"...hats off to the team. You know, they're the ones that keep you in the game, and it's all about the pit stop and stuff like that," Hamlin stated.

Hamlin topped Brad Keselowski for the pole position, while Erik Jones was the fastest driver not locked into Sunday's All-Star final segment. Jones will have a track position advantage on the other 16 drivers vying for the seven spots remaining in the All-Star Race field through the opening two 75-lap segments of the All-Star Race.

Ross Chastain and William Byron rounded out the top-five qualifiers for the NASCAR All-Star Race.

While Hamlin took home the pole position, had it not been for a speeding penalty, there's a chance that Zane Smith could have collected the pole position. Prior to the assessment of his 10-second penalty for speeding on pit road, Smith recorded a qualifying time 0.003 seconds faster than the one turned in by Hamlin.

However, a pole in the All-Star Race wasn't meant to be for Smith, who will instead start the race from the 25th position. Although, it wasn't a total loss for Smith's No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team, as his pit crew turned the fastest pit stop during the qualifying session with a 12.612-second effort during Smith's qualifying run.

By turning the fastest pit stop, Smith's pit crew took home the win in the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge, which netted the group an impressive trophy and an even-more impressive $100,000 payday.

The No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team won the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge. — The No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team embrace each other after claiming the $100,000 bonus for winning the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge. | Matt Marrie | Racing America On SI

Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge Top-Five

1. 38 - Front Row Motorsports, 12.612 seconds
2. 97 - Trackhouse Racing, 12.841 seconds
3. 17 - RFK Racing, 12.886 seconds
4. 23 - 23XI Racing, 12.971 seconds
5. 11 - Joe Gibbs Racing, 12.992 seconds

While the speeding penalty served as a missed opportunity for Smith, the driver will be able to take solace in knowing he wasn't the only driver to suffer a pit road speeding penalty in the qualifying session.

Six drivers were busted for speeding on pit road. In addition to Smith, Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Michael McDowell, Connor Zilisch, and Ryan Preece also went too fast on pit road during their runs.

Buescher would then spin as he was exiting pit road, which caused him to also receive a blend-line violation penalty.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was unable to turn in a qualifying effort, as he went for a spin on the frontstretch during his first lap of the session. Incredibly, Stenhouse was able to keep his No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet from being destroyed, but he'll start near the rear of the field in Sunday's race.

“Keep driving it!”

NASCAR All-Star qualifying is heating up at Dover. pic.twitter.com/Ku1kfNDHcG
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 16, 2026

Several pit crews also had issues in the session, including Chase Elliott's No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports pit crew, and Ryan Blaney's No. 12 Team Penske group.

Both drivers suffered extremely slow pit stops, but to add insult to injury, both were tagged with additional 10-second penalties for violations on pit road.

John Hunter Nemechek left his pit stall before his No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team could finish securing the lug nut on his left front wheel. That would end his qualifying run.

Daniel Suarez, the driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, turned in a run fast enough for the sixth starting spot in Sunday's NASCAR All-Star Race, but it all came undone after he finished his final lap of the session.

TROUBLE for Daniel Suarez. Take a look at what happened. pic.twitter.com/wCZePBCUOm
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 16, 2026

The right front wheel flew off his car, and Suarez would slam into the outside wall. Due to the issue being attributed to an improper pit stop, his qualifying time and his team's pit stop time were disallowed, and Suarez will start from the rear of the field on Sunday afternoon.

*indicates drivers that are currently not locked into final segment of All-Star Race

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Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge Top-Five

NASCAR All-Star Race Starting Lineup