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The NASCAR All-Star Race, formerly known as The Winston from 1985 to 2003, the Nextel All-Star Challenge from 2004 to 2007, the Sprint All-Star Race from 2008 to 2016, and the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race from 2017 to 2019, is an annual
NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...
stock car exhibition race between race winners from the previous season and the beginning of the current season, as well as all past event winners, and previous NASCAR Cup Series champions who attempted to run the entire previous season. Two other ways to become eligible to race in the event are winning one of the three stages in the NASCAR Open (a race for drivers not eligible for the main event), or by winning the fan vote.


History

The first running of the race was held in 1985 at NASCAR's longest and fastest non-restrictor-plate superspeedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway (previously known as Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999 to 2009) is a motorsport complex located in Concord, North Carolina, outside Charlotte. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including th ...
(briefly renamed Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999, before reverting to the original in 2009) and has been run there every year until 2019, except in 1986 when it was run at
Atlanta Motor Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly known Atlanta International Raceway from 1960 to 1990) is a 1.54-mile entertainment facility in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Cup Series ...
.
Michael Waltrip Michael Curtis Waltrip (born April 30, 1963) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, racing commentator, and published author. He competes full time in the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience. He is the younger brother o ...
became the first driver to win the All-Star race after transferring in from a qualifying race in 1996. Until 2001, the rule restricted only champions of the past five All Star Challenge events, but in 2005, the rule became the winners in the past ten years of either the NASCAR Cup Series or the All-Star Race. For 2015, the full-time drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series or All-Star Race are now exempt, regardless of when they won the race. The Showdown was restricted to the top 50 drivers in either the final standings of the previous year or current standings in the current year. From 2000 to 2002, and again starting in 2015, two qualifying races (the "Showdown" currently) are implemented. In 2004, Nextel, predecessor to Sprint, added a vote of race spectators, internet users and Sprint cellphone users to add one additional driver not in the field, but in the Showdown, and finishing on the lead lap, to the final starting field. Starting in 2008, the event's name featured the use of the edition of the race in
Roman numerals Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, eac ...
, with the 2008 race's official name the "Sprint All-Star Race XXIV". Also, the fan entry driver was changed, with the new formula coming from those attending races up to that point, Sprint retail locations and double votes from Sprint subscribers. In 2014, the Showdown race was moved to the night preceding the All-Star Race. To replace the event, Charlotte Motor Speedway president, Marcus Smith announced that qualifying for the All-Star Race will take place shortly before the main event. In 2020, the race was moved to
Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Bristol is among the m ...
on July 15 as
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
prevented Charlotte from accommodating fans. The venue changed again in 2021 to
Texas Motor Speedway Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The reconfigured track measures with banked 20° in turns 1 and 2 and banked 24° ...
, which replaced its spring date with the All-Star Race. The venue will change once more in 2023 as, thanks to NASCAR's 75th anniversary, the All-Star Race will be held at
North Wilkesboro Speedway North Wilkesboro Speedway is a short oval racetrack located on U.S. Route 421, about east of the town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, or 80 miles north of Charlotte. It measures and features a unique uphill backstretch and downhill fr ...
.


Format history

;One segment (1985–1986) The twelve race winners from the 1984 season participated in the inaugural running of ''The Winston'' at
Charlotte Motor Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway (previously known as Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999 to 2009) is a motorsport complex located in Concord, North Carolina, outside Charlotte. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including th ...
. The race was 70 laps with one pit stop required. It was held the day before the Coca-Cola World 600. A $10,000 bonus was paid to the leader of Lap 20 for leading that lap.
Terry Labonte Terrance Lee Labonte (born November 16, 1956), nicknamed Texas Terry or The Iceman, is an American former stock car driver who raced from 1978 to 2014 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup and Sprint Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series). A two ...
won that bonus. From its first year, the unique moniker "The Winston" was adopted by sponsor
R. J. Reynolds Richard Joshua Reynolds (July 20, 1850 – July 29, 1918) was an American businessman and founder of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The son of a tobacco farmer, he worked for his father and attended Emory & Henry College from 1868 to 1870 ...
. Rather than referring to the event as a traditional "All star" race, no generic reference was included in the title. Due to limitations on television tobacco advertising, other races which involved tobacco title sponsorship utilized generic names on
network television Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematics ...
. For example, on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
, the Winston 500 was called the "Talladega 500" and the Marlboro 500 was called the "Michigan 500." Without a generic alternative, television and other media were forced to acknowledge Winston as the title sponsor, effectively skirting, and pushing the limits of
tobacco advertising Nicotine marketing is the marketing of nicotine-containing products or use. Traditionally, the tobacco industry markets cigarette smoking, but it is increasingly marketing other products, such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products ...
regulation. The event is however referred as "The All-Star" in EA Sports' NASCAR video games until ''
NASCAR Thunder 2004 ''NASCAR Thunder 2004'' is a racing simulator by EA Sports, released on September 16, 2003 and available in separate versions for PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows. It features the 2002 champion Tony Stewart on the cover with a scowlin ...
'', a game based on the last season of Winston title sponsorship. The race moved to
Atlanta International Raceway Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly known Atlanta International Raceway from 1960 to 1990) is a 1.54-mile entertainment facility in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Cup Series s ...
in
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...
, with a 200 kilometer format of 83 laps (126.326 miles) on
Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the ...
, a day typically avoided on the NASCAR calendar. Like its previous counterpart, green flag pit stops were mandatory, and only winners from the 1985 season were eligible. Only nine different drivers won a race in 1985, so the highest placed non-winner in final 1985 points,
Geoffrey Bodine Geoffrey Edwin Bodine (born April 18, 1949) is a retired American motorsport driver and bobsled builder. He is the oldest of the three Bodine brothers (with Brett Bodine and Todd Bodine), and sister Denise. Bodine lives in West Melbourne, Florida ...
, was added to the field for an even 10 cars. A 100-lap (152.2 miles) consolation race for the rest of the drivers, the ''Atlanta Invitational'' was held the same day. It featured only thirteen participants, and was won by
Benny Parsons Benjamin Stewart Parsons (July 12, 1941 – January 16, 2007) was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst/pit reporter on SETN, TBS, ABC, ESPN, NBC, and TNT. He became famous as the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, and ...
. A lackluster crowd of only 18,500 attended the second edition of ''The Winston'', with only twenty-three cars racing in the two races combined. ;Three Segments — 75 Laps, 50 Laps, 10 Green Laps (1987–1989) The race returned to Charlotte with a new 135-lap (202.5 mile), three-segment format which reflected on NASCAR's short-track roots. A new date was introduced, the weekend before the
Coca-Cola 600 The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. The first race, held in 1960, was also the first on ...
, which gave teams a popular two weeks of festivities, known locally and by both die-hard fans and teams as "The Two Weeks of Speed" at what is generally considered most teams' home track. Live national television coverage on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
would also be featured for the first of four years. This format consisted of a 75-lap first segment, with a mandatory green flag pit stop, a 50-lap second segment, and a 10-green flag lap final sprint. Each segment would be separated by a ten-minute break. In addition to the race format, the method for choosing participants changed. The 20-driver field consisted of the past nineteen race winners, regardless of season. The remaining drivers would participate in a 100-lap, last-chance race, the ''Winston Open'', with the winner advancing to the final starting position. In 1989, qualifying for the starting lineup for ''The Winston'' changed to a three-lap time trial with the fastest lap key and a quick-pit two-tire pit stop. *Segment 1: 75 Laps / Mandatory green-flag pit stop *Segment 2: 50 Laps *Segment 3: 10 Green Flag Laps (No caution laps count) ;Two Segments — 50 Laps, 20 Laps (1990–1991) After a pair of controversial dashes in the past three years which infuriated fans, the race was cut to two segments of 50 and 20 laps to prevent some of the reckless driving, giving the race its 70-lap total distance which would be used until 2001. The ten-minute break was installed between segments. Two changes were made in qualification in 1991. First, automatic berths were given only to race-winning drivers and owners in 1990 and 1991 up until The Winston. Second, The Winston Open was reduced to 50 laps, with the winner automatically advancing to the Winston. To guarantee 20 cars in the Winston field, it would be filled out by the top finishers (e.g., 2nd, 3rd, etc.) in the Winston Open advancing to the main event until the field reached 20 cars. ABC carried the race in 1990, with the Winston Open finish, and CBS carried both the Open and The Winston in 1991. In 1991, to add to the day of events, the NASCAR Legends Race was held on a quarter-mile oval paved between the Charlotte Motor Speedway Dog-Leg front stretch, or quad-oval, and between the first and second pit row sections.
Elmo Langley Elmo Harold Langley (August 21, 1928 – November 21, 1996) was a NASCAR driver and owner. Langley primarily used the number 64 on his race cars during his NASCAR career. Racing career Langley began his racing career racing modified cars in Vir ...
won the exhibition event featuring retired NASCAR champions and stars. *Segment 1: 50 Laps *Segment 2: 20 Laps ;70 Laps — 30 Laps, 30 Laps, 10 Green Laps (1992–1997) The race was moved up one day to Saturday night, and it moved to live coverage on The Nashville Network (now
Paramount Network Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles. The channel was or ...
). The Winston revived the controversial 10-lap shootout, and The Winston Open went to a short 30-lap format. The 1992 race marked the first superspeedway race held under-the-lights, and resulted in a spectacular finish.
Davey Allison David Carl Allison (February 25, 1961 – July 13, 1993) was an American NASCAR driver. He was best known for driving the No. 28 Texaco-Havoline Ford for Robert Yates Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Born in Hollywood, Florida, he was th ...
and
Kyle Petty Kyle Eugene Petty (born June 2, 1960) is an American former stock car racing driver, and current racing commentator. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of racer Adam Petty, who was killed in a crash dur ...
battled on the last lap, and crashing crossing the finish line. Allison won the race, but spent the evening in the hospital rather than victory lane. The 1994 was the only running won by a tire brand (
Hoosier Hoosier is the official demonym for the people of the U.S. state of Indiana. The origin of the term remains a matter of debate, but "Hoosier" was in general use by the 1840s, having been popularized by Richmond resident John Finley's 1833 poem "T ...
) other than Goodyear, as Geoff Bodine held off
Sterling Marlin Sterling Burton Marlin (born June 30, 1957) is an American semi-retired, professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, driving the No. 114 for Sterling Marlin Racing. He formerly competed in the N ...
and
Ken Schrader Kenneth Schrader (born May 29, 1955) is an American professional racing driver. He currently races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country while also competing part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 11 Ford for Fast Trac ...
. The event's second segment saw numerous crashes, notably when
Ernie Irvan Virgil Earnest "Ernie" Irvan (born January 13, 1959), occasionally referred to as Swervin' Irvan, is an American former professional stock car racing driver. A retired NASCAR competitor, he is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head ...
wrecked coming to the yellow to end the second segment. The 1995 race featured
Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr. (; April 29, 1951February 18, 2001) was an American professional stock car driver and team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series), most notably dri ...
's trend-setting
Special paint scheme Special paint schemes are one-time or limited time variations on a race car's typical appearance. Their use has historically been largely confined to NASCAR stock car racing, partially due to the much larger surface area of a stock car, and longe ...
car. A tradition made famous by
Jeff Gordon Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
and sponsor
DuPont DuPont de Nemours, Inc., commonly shortened to DuPont, is an American multinational chemical company first formed in 1802 by French-American chemist and industrialist Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours. The company played a major role in ...
starting in 1996 with the Jurassic Park themed scheme and first of many traditional "Special Themes" used by Gordon and Hendrick teammates, before widespread adoption by additional teams. The field would be inverted after the first segment, and like the previous years, a 10-minute break would be featured between segments. Former NASCAR Champions were automatically invited to the race, as were the past five years' winners of this race. After
Michael Waltrip Michael Curtis Waltrip (born April 30, 1963) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, racing commentator, and published author. He competes full time in the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience. He is the younger brother o ...
's win by being the last car to transfer from The Winston Open, NASCAR changed the procedure by reverting to a format featuring the 1996 and 1997 race winning drivers and owners, and then adding the preceding year's race winning drivers not yet in the field until the field reached 19, and then the winner of The Winston Open. If the number added to the previous year reached over 19, then all drivers who won races that year would be in the field. *Segment 1: 30 Laps / Full Inversion *Segment 2: 30 Laps *Segment 3: 10 Green Flag laps (No caution laps count) ;70 Green Laps — 30 Laps, 30 Laps, 10 Laps (1998–2001) The race remained at its 70 lap format, but for 1998, only green flag laps would count in any segment, not just the third segment. The second ten-minute break was eliminated and replaced with caution laps, and cars would have the option of pitting for tires and fuel, at the expense of losing track position. The inversion is changed to a random draw between 3 and 12 cars for the inversion after the first segment. In 1998, qualifying for The Winston Open was changed. Previously it was accomplished with one-lap qualifying runs. From 1998 to 2000, the No Bull 25 Shootout twin races determined the lineups. Practice speeds (odd/even) from earlier in the day set the field for two 25-lap sprint races. The finish order for the first 25 set the odd positions for the Winston Open, and the finish order for the second 25 set the even positions for the Winston Open. In 2001, The Winston Open reverted to single-car qualifying, best of two laps. In 2000–2002, immediately following The Winston Open, a 16-lap "No Bull 5 Sprint" last-chance race was added. The winner of the sprint race would also advance to The Winston. In 2001, television coverage moved to FX as part of the new NASCAR television contract, and qualifying was changed so the pit stop took place at the start of the qualifying, and the stop was a four-tire change instead of two. Starting in 2001, crew members were introduced together with drivers during the driver introduction ceremonies, with Fox broadcasters
Chris Myers Chris Myers (born ) is an American sportscaster. He has covered the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA Finals, the NCAA Final Four, The Masters, the U.S. Open, the Triple Crown, the Olympics, and the Daytona 500. Early life and career ...
and Jeff Hammond interviewing selected persons during the ceremony. *Segment 1: 30 Green Flag laps (no caution laps count) *Segment 2: 30 Green Flag laps (no caution laps count) / Pit stops optional (cars lose track position if they pit) *Segment 3: 10 Green Flag laps (no caution laps count) ;90 Laps — 40 Laps, 30 Laps, 20 Green Laps — With Elimination (2002–2003) The popularity of the reality show '' Survivor'' influenced Winston to make changes to the format in 2002, adding a new elimination format ("Survival of the Fastest"), and the final segment returned to 20 laps to make tire wear an issue. Only race winning drivers and owners from 2001 would be in the field, and all former Cup titleholders and the past five winners of The Winston would be added to the field, plus the winner of the qualifying races. The No Bull Sprint was eliminated after 2002, and for 2003, The Winston Open would become a 20-lap race with pit stops, and then a 10 green flag lap sprint after pit stops. If the caution flag waved on Lap 40 of the first segment, two green flag laps or the next yellow flag would be run to finish the segment. In The Winston, only the top 20 cars advanced to the second segment, and 10 cars (in 2002) or 14 cars (in 2003 planned, but was 12 after crashes) advanced to the third segment. A green flag pit stop for four tires was mandatory in the first segment, but after
Frank Stoddard Francis Allen Stoddard (born April 20, 1968) is a NASCAR crew chief and owner from Haverhill, New Hampshire. He is the founder of Go Fas Racing, a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. He began his career with Dana Patten in the Busch Series. Later, ...
beat the system in 2002 by changing four tires on the car driven by
Jeff Burton Jeffrey Tyler Burton (born June 29, 1967), nicknamed The Mayor, is an American former professional stock car racing driver and current racing commentator. He scored 21 career victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, including two Coca-Cola 600s in ...
just feet from the finish line on the last lap, the rule was changed to mandating tire stops at a specific point in the race. Also, the inversion is moved to the final 20 lap sprint, and the ten-minute break is restored between the second and final segment. *Segment 1: 40 Laps / Must take a four-tire pit stop during race (In 2003, must be between Laps 10–30) / only top 20 cars advance. *Segment 2: 30 Laps / Only 14 cars (2003) / 10 cars (2002) advance / full field inversion at end of segment *Segment 3: 20 Green Flag Laps (no caution laps count) ;90 Laps — 40 Laps, 30 Laps, 20 Green Laps (2004–2006) When Nextel took over title series title sponsorship from RJ Reynolds in 2004, the race name was changed using the previous de facto "All-Star Race" moniker which newer fans had been using since FX began broadcasting ran the event live and as an RJR brand, conflicted with new the sponsorship, officially becoming The Nextel All-Star Challenge. The format was changed slightly while the race stayed at 90 laps. The elimination was eliminated, 1998–2001 inversion and second segment to third segment break rules were restored, meaning a random inversion and an open pit road for the final break instead of a ten-minute break. The four tire stop is now between Laps 13 and 16. *Segment 1: 40 Laps / with random inversion (6–12) at end of segment / 10 Minute Break *Segment 2: 30 Laps / Pit stops optional (cars lose track position if they pit) *Segment 3: 20 Green Flag Laps (no caution laps count) ;80 Laps — Four 20-Lap Quarters (2007) Starting with the 2007 race, held May 19, 2007, there were major changes. Announced during the Media Tour in Charlotte on January 23, 2007, the annual Pit Crew Challenge, held May 16, 2007, at
Charlotte Bobcats Arena Spectrum Center is an indoor arena located in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. It is owned by the city of Charlotte and operated by its main tenant, the NBA's Charlotte Hornets. The arena seats 19,077 for NBA games but can be expanded to 20, ...
, won by Ryan Newman's crew in 2007, not only gave each member of the crew $10,000 each, but gave the driver the first choice of pit box, instead of the usual post-qualifying selection. The unique three-lap qualifying (with a pit stop to change four tires) remained in place to determine the starting lineup, with $50,000 for the winner, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third, with the pit crew receiving half of the winner's share. Three drivers from the Nextel Open event, a 40-lap race with two 20-lap segments, gained entry to the Challenge. The top two finishers of the Open plus the leading fan vote winner still on the lead lap joined the automatic entries from past decade's All-Star race winners and active Cup Champions, along with the winners of the previous year's and first eleven Nextel Cup races of the current season. Winners of those first eleven races in that season were also eligible for the following season's All-Star event. In addition, as part of NASCAR's new television agreements, coverage was moved from FX to
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
sibling network
Speed In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quanti ...
. The race format also changed as well. The main race was shortened to eighty laps with four twenty-lap segments (or "quarters" like in football or basketball; only green flag laps will count in the final quarter). After the first segment, a five-lap caution period starts and there is an opportunity for drivers to take an optional pit stop. After the second segment, there is a ten-minute "halftime" break so pit crews can make adjustments. Unlike past events though, there is no inversion of the field. Finally, after the third segment, there is a five lap caution period so team can make a required pit stop (for work on their cars or a "stop and go" akin to a speeding penalty on pit row) for all teams which will determine the running order before the Dash for Cash, namely the $1 million ( US) grand prize. *First quarter: 20 laps / optional pit stop during five-lap caution period. $75,000 for the winner, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third. *Second quarter: 20 laps / ten-minute "halftime" break to make adjustments; no inversion of the field. $75,000 for the winner, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third. *Third quarter: 20 laps / mandatory pit stop (or "stop and go" in 2007) during five-lap caution period. *Fourth quarter: 20 green flag laps. ;100 Laps — Four 25-Lap Quarters (2008) The changes to Sprint All-Star Race XXIV from XXIII was not only the name change with Roman numerals akin to the
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
, and the first All-Star Race utilizing the
Car of Tomorrow The Car of Tomorrow (abbreviated as CoT) was the common name used for the chassis of the NASCAR Cup Series (2007 –2012) and Xfinity Series (since 2011 full-time) race cars. The car was part of a five-year project to create a safer vehicle ...
template, but also an expansion of the race by 25%. Each quarter now had five more laps to race, which changes the complexion of each segment, as tire wear will become a greater factor as well as fuel mileage would become more of an issue throughout the race. The 2007 race with its 20-lap segments was treated more of a sprint race; the 2008 race with 25-lap segments means a car will use nearly one-half tank of fuel and cycle the tires through one half of a tire run. It also changed the final pit stop as all cars must pit for fuel and tires since a stop and go during the mandatory pit stop will virtually be impossible because it would be very close to the limit (about 55–60 laps) for fuel, and tire wear became an issue as cars are set up for a fairly long run. The qualifying race also featured a name change, to the Sprint Showdown. All prize monies remained unchanged for that year's race. ;100 Laps — 50 Laps, 20 Laps, 20 Laps, 10 Green Flag Laps (2009–2011) For the 25th anniversary of the race, two of the more popular elements of the classic format returned for this special edition. The first segment became a 50-lap quarter, with a mandatory pit stop taking place in Lap 25 of the segment, the pit stop must be a four-tire Stop and take place during a green flag condition. Following the first two segments, cars will have the option of pitting, but they will lose track position should they do so. The second and third segments were twenty laps each, returning to the 2007 format. Following the end of the third segment, a ten-minute break took place, allowing for adjustment of cars preceding the final segment, a ten-green flag lap shootout. The popularity of the double-file restarts throughout the race led NASCAR to adopt the rule for the second half of the 2009 season. First Segment: 50 Laps with a 4 tire pit stop on lap 25 Second Segment: 20 Laps/optional pit stops during the Caution Third Segment: 20 Laps followed by a ten-minute Break for adjustments/Mandatory 4 tire stop during Caution Fourth Segment: 10 Laps in a Dash for the cash (No Caution Laps Count) ;90 Laps — Four Segments of 20 Laps, then 10 Green Flag Laps (2012–2014) The 28th running (XXVIII), run in 2012, came with a slight twist to the format. For the first time in the race's history, there were five segments run in the race, four of them for 20 laps and concluding with a 10-lap sprint. The format was changed to provide additional incentive to win one of the first four segments, as the four segment winners will line up 1–4 to start the mandatory pit stop with the rest of the field lined up according to how they finished segment 4. Otherwise, the format, including eligibility criteria, remained unchanged. After winning the First Segment in 2012
Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975) is an American professional auto racing driver. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, he competes part-time in the series driving for Petty GMS Motorsports. Johnson's seven Cup championships, ...
intentionally rode in the back for the next three segments.
Matt Kenseth Matthew Roy Kenseth (born March 10, 1972) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He drives the No. 8 car in the Superstar Racing Experience. (SRX) Kenseth started racing on several short tracks in Wisconsin and won track cha ...
and Brad Keselowski did the same after winning Segments 2 and 3 respectively. Criticism to this practice resulted in the final segment pit stop changed from Segment winners to the drivers with the best average finish in Segments 1–4. The same year the pit stop was made for a mandatory 4-tire change. Track owner
Bruton Smith Ollen Bruton Smith (March 3, 1927 – June 22, 2022) was a promoter and owner/CEO of NASCAR track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc. He was inducted into NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2016 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007. He was bill ...
promised a bonus million dollars if a driver could win all five segments. This has not been achieved yet. In 2014, NASCAR changed qualifying from a single car two-lap run to a group qualifying effort with two (on short tracks and road courses) or three (On bigger tracks) rounds. All-Star Race qualifying remained the same. The Showdown was moved to Friday as well as the Fan Vote announcement so they can compete for practice and qualifying. ;110 Laps — Four Segments of 25 Laps, then 10 Green Flag Laps (2015) In 2015, NASCAR made a slight modification to the All-Star Race. The ten-year rule for former Series and All-Star Race champions was replaced with a rule allowing a full-time driver who has won either to have a "lifetime" exemption provided they race full-time. Also, for the Showdown, the "No Bull Sprint" format returned. The first segment was 20 laps, then the winner advanced to the All-Star Race. The second segment was 20 laps in which only Green Flag laps counted, that winner advanced. The winners joined the Fan Vote winner,
Danica Patrick Danica Sue Patrick (; born March 25, 1982) is an American former professional racing driver. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel car racing—her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300 is the only win by a woman ...
. The 5 segment format from 2012 to 2014 was kept with 5 Laps added to each segment for the All-Star Race, making each segment 25 laps. After the first four segments, drivers were lined up to enter pit road based on their average finish over the course of the first four segments. All drivers entered pit road for a mandatory 4-tire change before the final 10 lap segment in which only Green Flag laps counted. ;113 Laps — Two segments of 50 Laps, then 13 Green Flag Laps (2016) Known as the "
Brad Keselowski Bradley Aaron Keselowski (; born February 12, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and entrepreneur. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang for RFK Racing, a team he also ...
Rule" for the driver whose idea it was designed, the race would return, in its 30th year as a multi-segment race, to a three-segment format. The first two segments were to be 50 laps, which would effectively require a pit stop in each segment (cars can make 50-55 laps per green flag run). The pit stop had to be performed under green flag conditions and a two (or more) tire change is required. During the second segment, the stop had to be before lap 35. At the end of the first segment, a minimum of two tires were required to be changed during the pit stop. Following the end of the second segment, a random draw determined whether nine, ten, or eleven cars would be forced conduct a four-tire pit stop. Those cars were required to line up behind the cars that did not pit. Cars below that mark could pit but had to line up after the cars that made a mandatory pit stop. Keselowski said the thirteen green flag lap segment was set because the NASCAR Drivers Council considered factors regarding pit stops and how many laps it would take to come back to the front, which would be around 10-15 laps, so 13 was chosen. The Showdown and fan vote also changed for 2016. In addition to the old "No Bull Sprint" format, a third segment of ten laps was added. A two tire stop was required between segments. The winner of each Showdown segment advanced to the All-Star Race, and skips the remaining two segments. The fan vote allowed two drivers to transfer the main event. Originally scheduled for one driver voted by the fan vote, the rules called for a second in 2016 because of a quirk in the eligibility. There were 16 drivers eligible for the All-Star Race, so the rules were designed so the three Showdown winners and the fan vote winner would make it 20. With
Jeff Gordon Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
, eligible by the November 2015 Martinsville win, retired, the runner-up in the fan vote was chosen to advance. If special circumstances warranted the withdrawal of another eligible driver, the third (and subsequent) placed driver in the fan vote would have also advanced.


Past winners


NASCAR All-Star Race

The practice of using
Roman numerals Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, eac ...
to identify each race began in 2008, but ended one year later.


All-Star Race Notes

*2001: Race started on May 19 but ended early morning May 20 due to rain delay. *2018, 2019, & 2022: Race ran extra laps due to
overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), ...
on a segment. *2020: Race postponed from May 16 to July 15 and moved to
Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Bristol is among the m ...
due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.


Multiple winners (drivers)


Multiple winners (teams)


Manufacturer wins


NASCAR Open


NASCAR Open Notes

*2016: Race postponed from Friday, May 20 to Saturday, May 21 because of inclement weather. *2019: Race ran extra laps due to
overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), ...
on two segments. *2020: Race postponed from May 16 to July 15 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.


No Bull Sprint

All races were held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.


No Bull 25 Shootout

Twin 25-lap races to determine the starting grid for the Winston Open. The starting lineups of the shootouts were based on practice speeds earlier in the day. In 2001, the starting grid for the Winston Open reverted to two-lap qualifying. All races were held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.


Fan vote


Past pole winners


NASCAR All-Star Race

Starting in 1989, pole qualifying for race changed. During the three-lap run, teams are required to perform a four-tire pit stop on either the first or the second lap. *1985 Terry Labonte *1986 Darrell Waltrip *1987 Bill Elliott 170.827 *1988 Darrell Waltrip *1989 Terry Labonte *1990 Dale Earnhardt *1991 Davey Allison *1992 Davey Allison *1993 Ernie Irvan *1994 Rusty Wallace *1995 Bobby Labonte 139.817 *1996 Jeff Gordon *1997 Bill Elliott 143.273 *1998 Bill Elliott 142.084 *1999 Bobby Labonte 146.830 *2000 Bill Elliott *2001 Rusty Wallace 140.458 *2002 Matt Kenseth 143.441 *2003 Bill Elliott 131.502 *2004 Rusty Wallace 130.647 *2005 Ryan Newman 132.306 *2006 Kasey Kahne 132.465 *2007 Matt Kenseth 133.442 *2008
Kyle Busch Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing and part-t ...
132.835 *2009
Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Kenneth Johnson (born September 17, 1975) is an American professional auto racing driver. A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, he competes part-time in the series driving for Petty GMS Motorsports. Johnson's seven Cup championships, ...
121.416 *2010 Kurt Busch (qualifying rained out and set by the qualifying draw) *2011 Kyle Busch 135.916 *2012 Kyle Busch 119.112 *2013 Carl Edwards 145.556 *2014 Carl Edwards 146.915 *2015
Denny Hamlin James Dennis Alan Hamlin (born November 18, 1980) is an American professional stock car racing driver and NASCAR team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. He co-owns and oper ...
145.648 *2016
Kevin Harvick Kevin Michael Harvick (born December 8, 1975) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick is the 2014 Cup Series champio ...
(qualifying rained out and set by owner points) *2017
Kyle Larson Kyle Miyata Larson (born July 31, 1992) is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson is the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champ ...
143.849 *2018 Matt Kenseth 127.644 *2019
Clint Bowyer Clinton Edward Bowyer (born May 30, 1979) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and commentator for ''NASCAR on Fox''. He competed in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2005 to 2020, driving for Richard Childress Racing for eight yea ...
118.794 *2020
Martin Truex Jr. Martin Lee Truex Jr. (born June 29, 1980) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. He is the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Serie ...
(awarded by random draw) *2021 Kyle Larson (awarded by random draw) *2022 Kyle Busch


NASCAR Showdown

Through 1997, one-lap qualifying was utilized. From 1998 to 2000, a pair of qualifying races, the No Bull 25's, set the starting lineup. The use of one lap qualifying (best single lap of two) resumed in 2001. *1986 Kyle Petty *1987 Brett Bodine *1988 Ken Schrader 171.958 *1989 Mark Martin *1990 Ernie Irvan *1991 Michael Waltrip *1992 Brett Bodine *1993 Jeff Gordon *1994 Joe Nemechek 181.519 (overall track record at time) *1995 Michael Waltrip *1996 Lake Speed 180.977 *1997 Chad Little 181.220 *1998 Jeremy Mayfield (won first No Bull 25 qualifying sprint race) *1999 Mike Skinner (won first No Bull 25 qualifying sprint race) *2000 Jerry Nadeau (won first No Bull 25 qualifying sprint race) *2001 Johnny Benson 181.257 *2002 Jeremy Mayfield 183.336 *2003 Steve Park 184.244 *2004 Dave Blaney 185.058 *2005 Mike Bliss 189.208 *2006 Scott Riggs 186.509 *2007 Carl Edwards 187.487 *2008 Elliott Sadler 185.014 *2009 Kirk Shelmerdine (qualifying rained out and set by the qualifying draw) *2010 David Ragan (qualifying rained out and set by the qualifying draw) *2011 David Ragan 191.680 *2012 A. J. Allmendinger 192.465 *2013
Martin Truex Jr. Martin Lee Truex Jr. (born June 29, 1980) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. He is the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Serie ...
193.424 *2014 Austin Dillon 194.616 *2015 Paul Menard 189.673 *2016 Chase Elliott (qualifying rained out and set by the 2016 Owner Point standings before the Showdown) *2017 Clint Bowyer 189.474 *2018
Aric Almirola Aric Michael Almirola (born March 14, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 10 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. A graduate of Hillsborough High School in T ...
(qualifying rained out and set by the 2018 Owner Point standings before the Open) *2019
Daniel Hemric Daniel Hemric (born January 27, 1991) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing and part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving t ...
182.168 *2020 Michael McDowell (random draw) *2021
Tyler Reddick Tyler George Reddick (born January 11, 1996) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving ...
(Owner’s Points) *2022 Tyler Reddick 186.981


Race notes

*
Keith Jackson Keith Max Jackson (October 18, 1928 – January 12, 2018) was an American sports commentator, journalist, author, and radio personality, known for his career with ABC Sports (1966–2006). While he covered a variety of sports over his career ...
, much better known for his work on
college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...
and ''
ABC's Wide World of Sports ''ABC's Wide World of Sports'' is an American sports anthology television program that aired on ABC from April 29, 1961 to January 3, 1998, primarily on Saturday afternoons. Hosted by Jim McKay, with a succession of co-hosts beginning in 198 ...
'', called the 1987 event, known for the "Pass in the Grass". He was the network's NASCAR play-by-play announcer until the 1987 season. *From 1987 to 1990,
ABC Sports ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
covered reports on time trials on the
Indianapolis 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
which
ABC Sports ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
covered. *The 1992 race was the first held on a
superspeedway Oval track racing is a form of closed-circuit motorsport that is contested on an oval-shaped race track. An oval track differs from a Road racing, road course in that the layout resembles an oval with turns in only one direction, and the directi ...
at night. *After the 2000 race, a pedestrian bridge collapsed outside one of the entrances to Lowe's Motor Speedway. Over 100 spectators were injured, some of them critically. Lawsuits related to the incident were heard in courts as late as 2007.
Bret Baier William Bret Baier ( ; born August 4, 1970) is the host of ''Special Report with Bret Baier'' on the Fox News Channel and the chief political correspondent for Fox. He previously worked as the network's Chief White House Correspondent and Pent ...
of
Fox News Channel The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
was the first reporter from a national (U.S.) television network to file reports from the scene; today, he is the host of FNC's ''
Special Report with Bret Baier '' Special Report with Bret Baier'' (formerly ''Special Report with Brit Hume'') is an American television news and political commentary program, hosted by Bret Baier since 2009, that airs on Fox News Channel. It is broadcast live each Monday thr ...
''. * Trent Cherry, a member of the No. 12
Penske Racing Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing) is an American professional auto racing organization, competing in the NTT IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Debuting at the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona, the organiza ...
Dodge crew, did a
mosh pit Moshing (also known as slam dancing or simply slamming) is an extreme style of dancing in which participants push or slam into each other, typically performed to "aggressive" live music such as heavy metal and punk rock. Moshing usually happen ...
dance into an infield crowd prior to the 2005 race. The all-star race introductions since 2001 have included pit crew members, which has led to antics increasing between crew members as they are introduced in front of the crowd. *In 2006, the
Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...
performed a concert between segments 2 and 3. Among the celebrities that have given the command have included
Pamela Anderson Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997). Anders ...
(2005) and
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
(2007). *Since 2005, NASCAR Day has been held the day before this race. NASCAR Day is a
charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...
event that benefits the NASCAR Foundation. The foundation in turn funnels money to charities supported by drivers and team owners. *The
NASCAR Hall of Fame The NASCAR Hall of Fame, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, honors drivers who have shown expert skill at NASCAR driving, all-time great crew chiefs and owners, broadcasters and other major contributors to competition within the sanctioning ...
induction ceremonies were held as part of Sprint All-Star Race XXVI week, which took shortly after the opening of the Hall.


American Challenge Cup

The NASCAR All-Star Race's roots are from the non-championship 1961–1963 Race of Champions at
Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NA ...
. A 10-lap, 25-mile All-Star event was held in conjunction with the Speedweeks activities. Like the first two runnings of the NASCAR All-Star Race, only winners of the previous season participated in this event.


References


External links


NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway's website
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