In just two days, NASCAR begins a three day event known as the All Star Race that will include a pit crew competition and racing around the iconic track at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
And this time around, it isn’t about points when 20 drivers will race for $1 million!
Each year, the All Star race features a new element. And this time, it’s the tires. The drivers will have three different tire compounds.
Goodyear has brought three different tires for the event – a baseline “prime” tire, a softer “option” tire and wet-weather tires. Drivers must use the “prime” tires for all qualifying and mixing prime and option tires is not allowed. The “Goodyear” logo on the tires is coloured coated – yellow for the prime tires and red for the softer option tires. Teams will get a total of nine sets of tires for the weekend – five primes and four options. Teams must start the All Star race on the softer option tires.
On Friday the drivers will qualify for starting positions in the two heat races on Saturday night; which will set the field for the Main event on Sunday night. Qualifying will include the Pit Crew Challenge.
The main event is 200 laps around the .625 mile track with a stage break at lap 100 and 150.
But before that 20 drivers will race in the 100 lap All Star Open where two drivers will race their way into the main event.
So far 17 drivers have secured spots in the lineup with two moving into the main event after the Open and one drivers getting in via the fan vote. NASCAR has revealed the top five drivers in the fan vote:
Alex Bowman
Noah Gragson
Carson Hocevar
Corey LaJoie
and Bubba Wallace
Fan voting remains open until 5:30pm on Sunday May 19. Fans may vote up to five times each day.