The NASCAR All-Star Race is a non-championship, all-star race held annually since 1985. For a majority of the history of the all-star race, the race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but has been changing venues since 2020 with all races being held at tracks owned by Speedway Motorsports.
History The first running of the race was held in 1985 at NASCAR's longest and fastest non-restrictor-plate superspeedway Charlotte Motor Speedway (briefly renamed Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999, before reverting to the original in 2009) and was run there every year until 2019, except in 1986 when it was run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Michael Waltrip 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 All-Star Open (formerly the "Showdown" from 2008 to 2016; the Open name was also used under Winston and Nextel sponsorships) 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 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. For 2008, the event's name featured the use of the edition of the race in Roman numerals, with the 2008 race's official name being 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 in July, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Charlotte from accommodating fans. The venue changed again in 2021 to Texas Motor Speedway, which replaced its spring date with the All-Star Race. In 2023, during NASCAR's 75th anniversary season, the race moved once more to North Wilkesboro Speedway. In 2026, the race was moved to Dover Motor Speedway. The following year, the race was moved back to North Wilkesboro.
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. 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 won that bonus.
From its first year, the unique moniker "The Winston" was adopted by sponsor R. J. Reynolds. 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. For example, on ABC, 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 regulation. The event is, however, referred to as "The All-Star" in NASCAR Thunder 2003 and NASCAR Thunder 2004, EA Sports' games based on the last seasons of Winston title sponsorship. By 2004, Nextel used the "All-Star" name in the event, which NASCAR has since adopted.
The race moved to Atlanta International Raceway in 1986, with a 200 kilometer format of 83 laps (126.326 miles) on Mother's Day, 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, Geoff Bodine, 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. 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 flag 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, 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 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 previous 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. During the break, a fan vote would determine whether or not the field should be inverted for the second segment.
Two changes were made in qualification in 1991. Automatic berths were given only to race-winning drivers and owners in 1990 and 1991 up until The Winston. Also, 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 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 flag laps (1992–1997) The race was moved up one day to Saturday night, and it moved to live coverage on The Nashville Network. 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 and Kyle Petty 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.
Starting in 1992, former NASCAR Champions were automatically invited to the race.
The 1994 race was the only running won by a tire brand (Hoosier) other than Goodyear, as Geoff Bodine held off Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader. The event's second segment saw numerous crashes, notably when Ernie Irvan wrecked coming to the yellow to end the second segment.
The 1995 race featured Dale Earnhardt's trend-setting special paint scheme car. In 1997, Jeff Gordon won with the "T-Rex" car, nicknamed after its Jurassic Park: The Ride paint scheme. Due to its dominance in the race, NASCAR banned the car from further competition.
After Michael Waltrip'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 was 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 flag 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 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 flag laps — with elimination (2002–2003) The popularity of the reality show Survivor influenced the 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.