NASCAR All-Star Open 2022 Results: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., More Advance to Final Race
May 22, 2022
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez and Erik Jones are headed to the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race.
The four drivers advanced to the event at Texas Motor Speedway thanks to their performances during Sunday's 2022 NASCAR All-Star Open. Stenhouse, Buescher and Suarez each won one of the three stages, and Jones was pushed through by the fan vote.
They will now have the opportunity to win the $1 million that goes to the victor of the All-Star Race.
Stenhouse wasted no time clinching a spot by seizing the lead on the first lap and maintaining it throughout the entire 20-lap first stage. It was more of the same for the No. 47 car, as Stenhouse has finished in the top 10 three straight times.
FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOXThe No. 47 team advances to the All-Star Race!<a href="https://twitter.com/StenhouseJr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StenhouseJr</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/JTGRacing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JTGRacing</a> <a href="https://t.co/5RzGX6S0So">https://t.co/5RzGX6S0So</a> <a href="https://t.co/D2x3E2QIWs">pic.twitter.com/D2x3E2QIWs</a>
The performance earned him his fourth career All-Star Race berth and signaled the end of his Open, as stage winners do not compete in the remainder of the event after clinching their spot.
There was more drama in the second stage.
It started with Corey LaJoie in the lead, but the caution flag came out when Landon Cassill lost control and hit the wall. Since caution laps counted in the second stage but not the third, LaJoie had fewer laps to worry about when things returned to green.
It didn't help him, though, as Buescher went past both LaJoie and Suarez and parlayed that into a stage-two win.
NASCAR @NASCARHe saw a gap and took it all the way to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllStarRace?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllStarRace</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Buescher?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chris_Buescher</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/RFKracing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RFKracing</a> <a href="https://t.co/BbzOGrltXk">pic.twitter.com/BbzOGrltXk</a>
That left only the 10-lap sprint of the third stage to secure a spot in the All-Star Race, and Tyler Reddick spun in the early going. Harrison Burton couldn't avoid him, and both of their Opens came to a close.
Reddick's car also suffered some damage, which brought into question whether he could even compete in the All-Star Race if he won the fan vote.
There was no question about Suarez's spot in the All-Star Race after he pulled away from the rest of the field in the final stage.
Jones also eliminated any drama about Reddick's status by winning the fan vote.