Kevin Harvick predicts winner at NASCAR All-Star Race

This Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the 2025 All-Star Race. It’s the third annual All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, as NASCAR came back to the once defunct racetrack in 2023.

Now revived, North Wilkesboro has produced two different All-Star race winners — Kyle Larson in 2023 and Joey Logano in ’24. FOX Sports analyst Kevin Harvick is going with Logano’s Team Penske teammate, Ryan Blaney, to take the checkered flag in the All-Star Race and secure the $1 million payday, he said on his “Happy Hour” podcast.

“I think as you look at the All-Star Race, it’s a chance for people to get themselves back where they wanna be and change the course of their season. We saw it with Joey Logano last year when he went to the All-Star Race, hadn’t done squat all year and dominated. Changed the rest of his season and put him back on track,” Harvick said. “So, with all that being said, Mr. bad luck himself, Ryan Blaney. That’s who I’m picking.”

‘Happy Hour’ podcast hosts submit picks for All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro

Bad luck has indeed been hanging around the 2023 Cup champion this season. While Blaney is fifth in the points standings, he already has four DNFs through 12 starts. Though winless, Blaney has six top 10s and five top 5s in the eight races he’s finished. Blaney won the 2022 All-Star Race, albeit at Texas Motor Speedway.

Harvick’s co-host, Kaitlyn Vincie, is also rocking with Blaney on Sunday. Mamba Smith went in a different direction, picking Josh Berry to find Victory Lane.

“I’m a believer now in this guy. I’m a believer. Gimme Josh Berry,” Smith said. “On a short track for $1 million after what he did at Bowman Gray beating and banging to get himself into that race and coming through the field and now they got swagger and confidence and momentum. Wood Brothers, sign the check.”

Berry has made a big jump in just his second full-time season in and first driving the historic No. 21 car for Wood Brothers Racing. While some of the finishes haven’t been there, Berry is 16th in the points standings. He took the checkered flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for his first Cup victory, earning him automatic qualification into the playoffs.