This coming weekend the NASCAR Cup Series takes a break from points racing for the annual All Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway where they will race for $1 million.

In the final week of voting for the driver fans want to see in the race, four names have risen to the top – Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie, Tyler Reddick, and Daniel Suarez.

Fans have until Friday to cast their vote for their favourite driver.  Fans can vote once each day at http://www.nascar.com/fanvote.

Other drivers eligible for the fan vote are:
Austin Dillon
Chris Buescher
Harrison Burton
Justin Haley
Todd Gilliland
Cole Custer
Ty Dillon
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Cody Ware
Landon Cassill
and BJ McLeod

Like the format to begin the season with the Daytona 500, the annual All Star race has a format all its own that includes heat races, open races, and a main race.

For drivers who have already secured a spot in the race, there will be two qualifying rounds.  The drivers will make a single car qualifying run in reverse order of current point standings.  For the second round, the top eight drivers will compete in a head to head elimination round.

Instead of another trip around the track, the drivers will begin on pit road with a four tire change.  Once the jack drops after the pit stop the drivers will race down pit road with no speed limit.  The first driver to reach the start/finish line wins the round.  The drivers who lose in the head to head round will start the main event from fifth to eighth; while the winners will occupy the pole and positions two, three, and four.  The drivers will get a practice round of 15 to 20 minutes prior to qualifying.

Once the lineup of drivers for the Open race has been determined, they will make a single car qualifying run in reverse order of current point standings.

The 50 lap Open Race will consist of two 20 laps stages and one 10 lap stage with only the green flag laps counting for the 10 lap stage.  The winner of each stage will advance to the feature event; as will the winner of the fan vote.  The fan vote winner must have a drivable car for the main race in order to get the position.

The main event is a 125 lap race with four stages – three 25 lap stages and one 50 lap stage.  But then things get a little complicated…the winner of stage one will sit on the pole for stage four as long as he finishes no further back than 15th in stage two and three.  The winner of stage two will start stage four on the front row as long as he finishes no worst than 15th in stage three.  The stage three winner will start stage four in third place.

At the end of stage two there will be a break where all of the teams must make a four tire pit stop.  The crew with the shortest pit time – form pit in to pit out – will be awarded the Pit Crew Award.  The driver will start stage four in the fourth position…as long as he finishes stage three no worst than 15th.

In no caution for an on track incident occurs between laps 15 and 25, NASCAR will throw a competition caution.