A radical format shift for the All‑Star Race
NASCAR has stripped the All‑Star Open from this year’s festivities, ending a 40‑year streak, and replaced it with a single‑lap qualifying attempt that also features a pit‑crew challenge. The centerpiece will be a 200‑lap race whose starting order is determined by each driver’s average finish across the first two 75‑lap segments, a reversal of the previous method.
The event will be held at Dover Motor Speedway, a venue that lacks permanent lighting, meaning the race will take place under daylight conditions. This change comes as the track is removed from the 2026 points schedule, a decision that reflects a broader reshuffling of the tour’s calendar.
North Wilkesboro Speedway, which was resurrected and re‑entered the Cup Series lineup in 2023 after decades of absence, is cited as one of the tracks benefiting from the new arrangement, though its exact role in the upcoming season remains to be defined.
While the series has not announced a permanent replacement venue, officials hint that the All‑Star Race could return to a different host in 2027, keeping the door open for future location changes.