Every May NASCAR takes a little turn to the right and offers up a weekend of racing called the All Star race. Currently it is held in Texas in Mid May each year and takes place across the Whole weekend previously it had spent a long time in Charlotte before moving to Bristol a couple of years ago, and then onto Texas where is has been run for the last 2 years.
The NASCAR All Star race is an invitational Expedition style race held in May during the full NASCAR Cup Series Season. Drivers can qualify by winning races in the current or preceding season, being a champion or a public vote, The prize is not points towards the championship but a cash prize of a million dollars.
This Following article will answer the questions “
- When was the NASCAR All Star race first held?
- Who has won the most All Star races?
- What is the prize for winning the All Star race?.
- We will also look at which tracks hold the NASCAR All Star race.
Here are some fun facts about the NASCAR All Star race!
When was the NASCAR All Star race first Race
The NASCAR All Star Race was first held in 1985. It was previously known as the Winston from 1985 to 2003. From 2004 to 2007, it was known as the Nextel All-Star Challenge, while in 2008 and after it was renamed to the Sprint All-Star Race and was part of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series until 2019.
it has been held at 4 tracks previously.
How do Drivers Get Invited to a NASCAR All Star Race.
The NASCAR All-Star Race is an annual exhibition event that brings together drivers from different races across the nation. Drivers can compete in the All-Star Race if they have won races during previous seasons or are a current Series champion.
Other drivers are not usually eligible, but compete in the NASCAR Open, which is a series of races held at various tracks around the country. Getting into the All-Star Race requires winning at least one stage of the NASCAR Open. In the past, drivers were chosen based on fan vote.
In 1985, Darrell Waltrip won the NASCAR All-Star Race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Who has won the Most NASCAR All Star races
The All Star race is a special event held every year in the United States. The winner of the race receives a prize of $1 million and other bonuses. It is also a must-see Saturday night prime time television show. The most successful drivers of the All Star race are Hendrick Motorsports.
Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott will represent the Hendrick team at the 2022 All-Star Race with Kyle winning in 2021 and 2019, and hoping to do the same, Chase actually won the race in 2020 so the two teammates will be battling it out.
Why do we focus on Hendricks motorsports, well they have won 10 of the previous All Star races so the odds are good for a repeat!
However both of these Hendricks drivers have some work to do to catch up with the drivers with the most NASCAR All Star Races. See the table below.
| Driver Name | Years Victorious | Number of wins |
| Jimmie Johnson | 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013 | 4 |
| Dale Earnhardt | 1987, 1990, 1993 | 3 |
| Jeff Gordon | 1995, 1997, 2001 | 3 |
| Davey Allision | 1991, 1992 | 2 |
| Terry Labonte | 1988, 1999 | 2 |
| Mark Martin | 1998, 2005 | 2 |
| Kevin Harvick | 2007, 2018 | 2 |
| Kyle Larson | 2019, 2021 | 2 |
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Which Tracks Have the NASCAR All Star race
There are many ways to qualify for the NASCAR All Star race. For the most part, this means winning at least one race in the previous season. Past champions of the NASCAR Cup Series can also compete if they were active for all of the previous season. Other ways to qualify for the All-Star race include winning a NASCAR Open stage or having your fan base vote for you.
The tracks that have been used to host the All Star Weekend include the following.
- Charlotte Motor Speedway *
- Atlanta International Speedway
- Bristol Motor Speedway
- Texas Motor Speedway
For most of the history of the event it has been held at Charlotte Motor Speedway In fact from 1986 to 2019 it was solely held here. and then was moved to Bristol and in 2021 and 2022 in Texas.
What is the prize for winning the NASCAR All Star
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the track this Sunday for the annual All Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway. This event has a unique format and does not award points to the winner, but instead awards $1 million to the winner. Whether the prize is worth more than the points remains to be seen.
Kyle Larson won the race last year and Chase Elliott won The race the year before, pointing to another good showing from the Hendricks team in 2022.
Why Do they have the NASCAR Allstar race
The NASCAR All Star race is an annual event that takes place in the summer, and every year, the series selects winning driver from the field to take part. The drivers must be active and current full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Drivers who have won the NASCAR Cup Series championship are also eligible to participate. There are a number of ways to qualify for the race and although it is not worth points, it is a great way to get fans watching during the mid season.
The All-Star Race is a made-for-TV event, and the winner receives $1 million. It’s still an excellent Saturday night prime-time spectacle. NASCAR is constantly looking for ways to attract more fans and add some diversity to the season and the All Star race brings in fans both New and old, and gets prime time TV slots just before the next weeks Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600 races.
Why is the NASCAR All Star race at Texas
The new format for the $1 million All-Star race has been unveiled by NASCAR. A pit crew will play a key role in qualifying, and drivers will earn prime starting positions for the final stage, which pays $1 million.
it is looking like the years of it being held in charlotte may be gone to a more flexible approach. After Charlotte in 2019 it moved to Bristol in 2020, and then Texas for both 2021 and 2022, it is unknown at the moment if it will return there or start moving round the country after the 2022 race.
Conclusion:
A welcome break from the stresses of the season, or a waste of a weekend whatever your view of the All Star race it is here to stay.
It is a way to get a whole weekend of NASCAR racing onto the networks and attract hopefully thousands more fans to the series.
So while it may not be the classic experience of the Coca Cola 600 that follows it the Weekend after, it is something new, and NASCAR has shown itself to keep trying new things to keep both the new fans and old entertained. .
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