A Night of Chaos and Triumph at Dover
The 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway opened with a fiery Lap 2 crash that collected three former All-Star winners, setting a tumultuous tone for the evening.
Denny Hamlin, driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, surged to the front and never looked back, leading the final 30 laps to claim his second All-Star victory and his third consecutive win on the 1-mile oval.
Toyota’s dominance was on full display as Erik Jones and Austin Dillon completed a sweep of the top three, while rookie Connor Zilisch also featured in the podium battle, underscoring the manufacturer’s strong showing.
The race was marred by a series of wrecks, including a three-car incident on lap 6 that eliminated Ross Chastain, and a power-steering failure that forced Kyle Larson out with 60 laps remaining.
Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain were knocked out after their cars sustained damage in separate collisions, while Daniel Suarez advanced to the final segment with a battered machine and finished three laps down.
Ryan Preece’s No. 60 Ford erupted in flames after a heavy impact with the outside wall, but the driver emerged unscathed and was cleared from infield care.
With the drama still fresh, NASCAR now turns its attention to the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24, the longest race of the season, where the stakes and the spectacle will only intensify.