This weekend the Cup Series takes a break from points racing for the annual All-Star race and a $1 million prize. This year the All-Star weekend events travel to Dover, Delaware to take on Miles the Monster.
Along with a new venue for the All-Star events, the format has been revamped and will initially involve all 36 regular Cup Series teams.
A Friday afternoon practice session, Saturday qualifying and pit crew challenge, and the All-Star race will surround races from the Craftsman Truck Series on Friday afternoon and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on Saturday afternoon.
There are no heat races this year or last chance qualifiers; instead there will be a qualifying session to set the field which will include the pit crew challenge – a four tire pit stop as a part of the qualifying run – and a 350 lap main event that will be divided into three sections.
Qualifying will include two laps – a full green flag lap and a lap that includes a four tire pit stop with no fuel load. The team with the fastest times after any penalties will win the Challenge. Pit stall assignments will be determined by the order in the Pit Crew Challenge.
Section one of the 350 mile main event will include all 36 drivers and last for 75 laps. In section two there will be a second 75 laps run with the top 26 driver order inverted. The final 200 laps will include 26 drivers and have a stage break at lap 75. Race winners from 2025 and 2026, former Cup Series champions who still compete full time, the fan vote winner – which will be revealed just before the start of the race -, and the drivers with the best finishes from sections one and two will all be a part of the race.
Drivers who currently have locked in a spot in the final 200 lap race:
Christopher Bell
Josh Berry
Ryan Blaney
Chase Briscoe
Kyle Busch
William Byron
Ross Chastain
Austin Cindric
Austin Dillon
Chase Elliott
Ty Gibbs
Shane van Gisbergen
Denny Hamlin
Carson Hocevar
Brad Keselowski
Kyle Larson
Joey Logano
Tyler Reddick
Bubba Wallace
Each week the focus of every race is the drivers out on the track; but those drivers would not be the stars they become if it were not for the pit crews that keep the cars fueled and loaded with fresh Goodyear tires each week and in perfect working order.
Each year during the All Star Race events, those pit crews get their chance to shine when they compete for who can service the car the cleanest and fastest.
Racing Insights has ranked the top 10 pit crews based on their performance during the first 12 races of the season:
The Joe Gibbs Racing number 20 car driven by Christopher Bell
The Hendrick Motorsports number nine car driven by Chase Elliott
The RFK Racing number 17 car driven by Chris Buescher
The Team Penske number 22 car driven by Joey Logano
The Joe Gibbs Racing number eleven car driven by Denny Hamlin
the Hendrick Motorsports number five car driven by Kyle Larson
The Joe Gibbs Racing number 54 driven by Ty Gibbs
The 23XI Racing number 23 car driven by Bubba Wallace
The Team Penske number two car driven by Austin Cindric
The Spire Motorsports number seven car driven by Daniel Suarez