The 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race (XLII) was a non-championship NASCAR Cup Series stock car exhibition race held on May 17, 2026, at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Contested over 350 laps, it was the second exhibition race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Denny Hamlin won the race. This was the final NASCAR event for Kyle Busch, as he died of severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis four days later on May 21.
Report Background
Dover Motor Speedway is an oval race track in Dover, Delaware, United States that has held at least two NASCAR races since it opened in 1969. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the NTT IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports.
The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats. The track began to host the NASCAR All-Star Race in 2026.
On February 25, 2026, NASCAR and Dover announced the new format for the race, with the full 36-car field being eligible, becoming 350 laps in length, with the field being inverted after stage one, and the shortening of the field from 36 to 26 after stage 2.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Daniel Suárez Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list Practice
Practice results Kyle Larson was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 22.792 seconds and a speed of . A freak accident during the session resulted in the injury of Donovan Williams, a tire carrier for Daniel Suarez, who took the hit for FOX pit reporter Amanda Busick.
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.792 157.950 2 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 22.810 157.826 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 22.839 157.625Official practice results
Qualifying (Pit Crew Challenge) The 2026 Pit Crew Challenge set the pit selection for the race. Denny Hamlin won the pole for the race. Zane Smith's pit crew won the Pit Crew Challenge.
NASCAR All-Star Race Starting Lineup Driver Team Manufacturer Notes1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2015 All-Star Race Winner2 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 2012 Cup Series Champion 3 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota Open Car4 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2025 Coca-Cola 600 Winner5 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2025 Daytona 500 Winner6 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2025 All-Star Race Winner7 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 2025 Brickyard 400 Winner8 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 2016 & 2024 All-Star Race Winner9 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2026 Food City 500 Winner10 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 2025 Jack Link's 500 Winner11 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 2017 All-Star Race Winner12 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Open Car13 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford Open Car14 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 2026 Daytona 500 Winner15 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Open Car16 19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2025 The Great American Getaway 400 Winner17 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 2025 Cook Out 400 Winner18 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2025 Viva México 250 Winner19 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 2025 Pennzoil 400 Winner20 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford Open Car21 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota Open Car22 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet Open Car23 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet Open Car24 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 2026 Jack Link's 500 Winner25 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford Open Car26 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford Open Car27 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Open Car28 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 2022 All-Star Race Winner29 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2019, 2021, & 2023 All-Star Race Winner30 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Open Car31 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2020 All-Star Race Winner32 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford Open Car33 7 Daniel Suárez Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Open Car34 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Open Car35 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet Open Car36 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota Open CarOfficial starting lineup
Race
Segment results
Segment One Laps: 75
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer1 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 2 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota3 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet4 19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 5 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 6 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 7 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 9 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 10 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota Official segment one results
Segment Two Laps: 75
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer1 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota2 19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota4 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet5 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet6 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 7 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 8 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 10 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford Official segment two results
Final Segment Results Laps: 200
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps1 1 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2002 2 19 Chase Briscoe Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2003 7 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Toyota 200 4 11 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 200 5 5 88 Connor Zilisch (R) Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 200 6 6 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 2007 4 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 8 9 71 Michael McDowell Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 200 9 10 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20010 15 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 20011 14 4 Noah Gragson Front Row Motorsports Ford 20012 20 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 200 13 24 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 20014 17 77 Carson Hocevar Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 19915 13 10 Ty Dillon Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 198 16 16 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet 198 17 23 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 198 18 19 21 Josh Berry Wood Brothers Racing Ford 197 19 21 97 Shane van Gisbergen Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 197 20 12 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 196 21 26 7 Daniel Suárez Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 196 22 3 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 168 23 22 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 164 24 18 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 138 25 8 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 137 26 25 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 134 Did not make Final Stage27 23 51 Cody Ware Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 150 28 25 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 144 29 21 35 Riley Herbst 23XI Racing Toyota 139 30 4 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 80 31 36 42 John Hunter Nemechek Legacy Motor Club Toyota 72 32 31 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 72 33 32 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 72 34 20 34 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 2 35 26 60 Ryan Preece RFK Racing Ford 1 36 22 41 Cole Custer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 1 Official NASCAR All-Star Race results
Media
Television Fox Sports was the television broadcaster of the race in the United States. Lap-by-lap announcer, Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and two-time All-Star race winner Kevin Harvick called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled pit road for the television side. Larry McReynolds provided insight on-site during the race.
FS1Booth announcersPit reportersIn-race analystLap-by-lap: Mike JoyColor-commentator: Clint BowyerColor-commentator: Kevin Harvick Jamie LittleRegan Smith Larry McReynolds
Radio Motor Racing Network (MRN) continued their longstanding relationship with Speedway Motorsports to broadcast the race on radio. The lead announcers for the race's broadcast were Alex Hayden and Todd Gordon. The network also had one announcer stationed in turn 4: Brad Gille. Steve Post and Chris Wilner were the network's pit lane reporters. The network's broadcast was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
MRN RadioBooth announcersTurn announcerPit reporters Lead announcer: Alex HaydenAnnouncer: Mike Bagley Backstretch: Brad Gillie Steve PostChris Wilner
References