NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports unveiled the format for its annual non-points All-Star Race, currently contested at North Wilkesboro Speedway, and it includes a “promoter’s caution” for the first time.
What this means is that race control can call for an entertainment caution at any point during the main event but not after 30 laps to go or if a naturally occurring caution takes place within the final 50 laps.
Additionally, NASCAR has extended the length of the All-Star Race from 200 laps to 250. There is also a competition caution planned for “near the Lap 100” mark. This is all designed to prevent the sort of non-challenge one-sided beatdown put on by Joey Logano in the North Carolina foothills in the race last May.
The pit stop challenge once again returns as part of the qualifying session this year but is now open to every participating team.
“A three-lap qualifying effort will include a mandatory four-tire pit stop on the second lap, and the total time will set both the All-Star Open starting lineup and the starting grid for Saturday’s pair of 60-lap All-Star heats,” NASCAR wrote.
As has been the format for the better part of a decade, the participants for the main event have been decided based on who has won races dating back to the start of last season, full-time drivers to have previously won an All-Star Race or full-time drivers who have a Cup Series championship.
Those drivers are (in alphabetical order) Christopher Bell, Josh Berry, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Daniel Suárez.
Those already locked into the main will participate in a pair of 60-lap heat races on Saturday night after qualifying and the pit crew challenge. The results of Heat 1 will set the inside row starting lineup and the results of Heat 2 will set the outside row.
Everyone else who enters the All-Star Race must race their way into the main event via a 100-lap qualifying race on Sunday afternoon. That race has a competition caution scheduled for Lap 40. The top two finishers will make the main with a fan vote winner also tagging the rear of the field.
All Star Weekend is set for May 17-18 and all track activity will air on FS1. Coverage for the main event starts at 5 ET on May 18.
