NASCAR Shakes Up All-Star Race with Groundbreaking New Rule!

NASCAR is introducing a unique element of surprise to its upcoming All-Star Race on May 18th at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. For the 250-lap event, the league is considering adding a competition caution somewhere between Laps 101 and 220, but they are keeping everyone in the dark about whether it will happen and, if so, at what specific lap. This deliberate uncertainty is intended to keep drivers and their teams guessing throughout the $1 million-to-win race.

The All-Star Race format will also include a scheduled break at Lap 100, allowing teams to make adjustments to their cars. Following this break, the potential “promoter’s caution,” as NASCAR is calling it, could be implemented at the discretion of NASCAR or track owner Speedway Motorsports. If called, this caution would bunch the field back together and give teams the option to pit for fresh tires.

Here are the other key format details for the All-Star weekend:

Qualifying (May 16): The qualifying session will consist of a three-lap run with a mandatory four-tire pit stop after the second lap. The total elapsed time will set the starting lineup for both the Open and All-Star heat races. The time taken for the pit stop will determine the order in which teams get to select their pit stall.
All-Star Heat Races (May 17): Drivers already locked into the All-Star Race will compete in two 60-lap heat races. The finishing order of the first heat race will determine the inside lane starting lineup for the main event, while the second heat race will determine the outside lane.
Open Race (May 18): Drivers who haven’t automatically qualified for the All-Star Race will compete in a 100-lap Open race, which will feature a competition caution at Lap 40. The top two finishers of the Open race will advance to the All-Star Race, and one additional driver will advance based on a fan vote.
Manufacturer’s Award: A special award will be presented to the manufacturer with the best average finishing position in the All-Star Race. To ensure fairness, each manufacturer’s score will be based on the same number of cars, which will be equal to the number of cars fielded by the manufacturer with the fewest entries in the race.