A chaotic start to the All-Star Race
The second lap of the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover turned into a frenzy of metal and smoke as a multi-car wreck erupted just as the field settled into its rhythm.
Ryan Preece, Todd Gilliland and Kyle Larson found themselves in a three-wide battle for position when contact sent Preece’s No. 41 car careening into the Turn 1 wall at high speed.
The impact ripped a hole in the right-hand side of Preece’s machine, igniting a fire that billowed orange flames across the frontstretch.
Moments later, the driver emerged from the cockpit unscathed, his helmet still on, and was quickly escorted to safety by track officials.
The wreck also involved a string of other contenders, including Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suarez, Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek and Michael McDowell, each of whom faced varying degrees of damage.
While some drivers, such as Larson and Blaney, managed to nurse their cars back to the garage for repairs and potentially re-enter the competition, Preece’s damage was deemed too extensive to allow a continuation.
NASCAR responded by waving the red flag, ordering a full-course cleanup and pausing the event while the track was cleared of debris and the damaged vehicles were removed.
Series officials later confirmed that five cars would be sent to the garage for extensive repairs, a scenario that could reshape the race’s outcome and affect championship standings.
Preece, still processing the incident, admitted he was unsure of the exact cause of the crash, a sentiment echoed by several competitors who described the opening laps as unusually turbulent.
Despite the drama, the atmosphere remained electric as fans waited to see whether the race could resume under green-flag conditions or if further interruptions would follow.