The highly anticipated NASCAR All-Star Race week is here, and this event has a long history of great performances and unforgettable moments.
Once called The Winston, this event has altered its name a few times because of changes in the sport. But whether it’s been known as the Nextel All-Star Challenge or the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, it’s always been a big deal, showing off great performances without affecting the championship.
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NASCAR All-Star Weekend format
Qualifying for the All-Star Race
Drivers have lots of ways to get into the main event. If you won a race in 2023–24 or you’re a past Cup champ or All-Star winner still racing, you’re in. Otherwise, winning a stage in the All-Star Open or getting the fan vote can also get you in.
Seventeen drivers have earned a spot in the All-Star Race through automatic qualification. This includes winners from the 2023–24 races, regardless of whether they are full-time Cup drivers or not, as well as past Cup champions and All-Star winners who are currently full-time Cup drivers.
The drivers are: Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, AJ Allmendinger, Chris Buescher, Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell, Joey Logano, William Byron, Michael McDowell, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Daniel Suarez.
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The All-Star Weekend schedule
The All-Star weekend will start with the Open qualifying. Teams race in two laps, and the fastest lap determines their starting position, all with standard tires. After that, it is the Cup qualifying and the pit crew challenge. Drivers do three laps, the second of which is reserved for a pit crew change. The pit crew’s timing decides the winner of the pit stop challenge and also determines the pit stop order.
On Sunday, the excitement goes on with the All-Star Open which is a 100-lap race, with one overtime attempt. Teams are free to select their starting tire, but at Lap 50 they have to make a four-tire stop during the caution. The top two racers get a chance to participate in the All-Star Race, while the one chosen by fans completes the lineup.
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The main event: NASCAR All-Star Race
The 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET), the climax of the weekend, is a 200-lap event that uses overtime rules. Every team has two sets of regular tires and two sets of softer tires. They usually begin with the soft tire for a better performance. At Lap 100, there is a compulsory pit stop where teams have to change all four tires. Then, at Lap 150, another pit stop is available to the teams if they want.
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Top racing teams rankings of all-time
Here are all the NASCAR All-Star Race team winners, ranked from fewest to most wins:
Melling Racing — 1 Win
- 1985: Bill Elliott (Ford)
Blue Max Racing — 1 Win
- 1989: Rusty Wallace (Pontiac)
Geoff Bodine Racing — 1 Win
- 1994: Geoff Bodine (Ford)
Wood Brothers Racing — 1 Win
- 1996: Michael Waltrip (Ford)
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. — 1 Win
- 2000: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Chevrolet)
Gillett Evernham Motorsports — 1 Win
- 2008: Kasey Kahne (Dodge)
Junior Johnson & Associates — 2 Wins
- 1985: Darrell Waltrip (Chevrolet)
- 1988: Terry Labonte (Chevrolet)
Robert Yates Racing — 2 Wins
- 1991: Davey Allison (Ford)
- 1992: Davey Allison (Ford)
Stewart-Haas Racing — 2 Wins
- 2009: Tony Stewart (Chevrolet)
- 2018: Kevin Harvick (Ford)
Chip Ganassi Racing — 2 Wins
- 2014: Jamie McMurray (Chevrolet)
- 2019: Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)
Joey Gibs Racing — 2 Wins
- 2015: Denny Hamlin (Toyota)
- 2019: Kyle Busch (Toyota)
Richard Childress Racing — 4 Wins
- 1987: Dale Earnhardt (Chevrolet)
- 1990: Dale Earnhardt (Chevrolet)
- 1993: Dale Earnhardt (Chevrolet)
- 2007: Kevin Harvick (Chevrolet)
Roush Fenway Racing — 4 Wins
- 1998: Mark Martin (Ford)
- 2004: Matt Kenseth (Ford)
- 2005: Mark Martin (Ford)
- 2011: Carl Edwards (Ford)
Team Penske — 4 Wins
- 2002: Ryan Newman (Ford)
- 2010: Kurt Busch (Ford)
- 2016: Joey Logano (Ford)
- 2022: Ryan Blaney (Ford)
Hendrick Motorsports — 11 Wins
- 1995: Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet)
- 1997: Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet)
- 1999: Terry Labonte (Chevrolet)
- 2001: Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet)
- 2003: Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet)
- 2006: Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet)
- 2012: Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet)
- 2013: Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet)
- 2020: Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)
- 2021: Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)
- 2023: Kyle Larson (Chevrolet)
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