Carl Edwards to start first in Sprint All-Star Race

Carl Edwards will start first in Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

All-Star qualifying is always different than a standard best of two laps run for a points race with each driver's run including three laps and a four tire pit stop. This year, NASCAR added a new wrinkle (that was previously an old one) and eliminated the pit road speed limit. That meant that many drivers were flying off the turns 3 and 4 banking onto pit road at over 150 MPH. That included Edwards, who had the second best lap one time and the best time entering the pits on his second lap.

Edwards won the race in 2011.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts second and Kurt Busch will start third. 19 drivers are already qualified for the All-Star Race and three will move on from the Sprint Showdown on Saturday night.

In the Showdown, Martin Truex Jr. is on the pole and Jamie McMurray will start second.