DOVER, Del. — The full format for the May 17 NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway has been set, featuring a three-segment, 350-lap event that places every driver on track while rewarding race winners, past champions, and performance across the first two segments.
“We’ve listened to our fans and worked closely with NASCAR to create a format that blends the tradition of a typical race weekend at The Monster Mile with the excitement and unpredictability that make the All-Star Race so special,” said Mike Tatoian, president of Dover Motor Speedway. “This format rewards performance, puts every driver on track on Sunday, and shines the spotlight on what Dover does best with high speeds and high levels of excitement. It’s going to make for an unforgettable All-Star Weekend.”
All-Star Weekend will feature a NASCAR tripleheader, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ECOSAVE 200 on Friday, May 15, marking the series’ first race at The Monster Mile since 2020, and the BetRivers 200 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event on Saturday, May 16.
It will mark the first time in NASCAR history that all three national series compete during All-Star Weekend.
For the first time in the 42-year history of the event, the battle for the $1 million prize will take place in the Northeast, bringing the race to a new region of race fans. Returning elements include driver eligibility requirements, the NASCAR All-Star Fan Vote, and the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge.
Qualifying, Pit Crew Challenge
All-Star qualifying will once again combine single-car qualifying with the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge on Saturday, May 16, and will set the starting lineup for the opening segment. Cars will take the green flag at the start-finish line, run one full lap at speed, then enter pit road on the second lap to complete a four-tire pit stop with no fuel before racing back to the checkered flag. Qualifying time will be measured as total elapsed time from green flag to checkered flag, with results setting the lineup for Segment 1.
The Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge will be contested during qualifying, with all entered teams eligible. The pit crew recording the fastest stop with no penalties will earn Pit Crew Challenge honors and select pit stalls for the All-Star Race.
Segment 1 and Segment 2
All drivers entered in the NASCAR All-Star Race will compete in both Segment 1 and Segment 2, starting at 1 p.m. Segment 1 will be lined up based on qualifying results and contested over 75 laps.
Segment 2 will also be 75 laps and will feature an inversion of the top 26 finishers from Segment 1, with the remainder of the field lining up based on their Segment 1 finishing positions. Lowest combined finishing positions from both Segments set the starting lineup for the Final Segment.
Final Segment
The final segment of the NASCAR All-Star Race will be 200 laps and will feature a 26-car field. Drivers eligible for the final NASCAR All-Star Race segment include those who have won a points event in either 2025 or 2026, drivers who have won a NASCAR All-Star Race and compete full-time, and drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series championship and compete full-time. The remaining positions will be filled based on combined results from Segment 1 and Segment 2 until the field reaches 25 drivers. The 26th and final position will be awarded to the NASCAR All-Star Fan Vote winner. All laps will count in all three segments, with standard NASCAR race procedures in effect. During the final segment, a competition break will take place at or around Lap 225.
The drivers already locked in the All-Star Race include: William Byron, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Josh Berry, Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Shane Van Gisbergen, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch.
On-track activity for All-Star weekend will begin Friday with practice for all entrants and pit road practice. Saturday will feature All-Star qualifying and the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge, with Sunday’s schedule dedicated to the NASCAR All-Star Race.
