NASCAR All-Star Race 2020: Everything you need to know
The 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race is Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, and this race hardly comparable to the others on the schedule.
It’s fun and flashy and filled with theatrics and gimmicks that often actually add to the entertainment value of the race. Plus, it’s significantly shorter than most NASCAR Cup Series races, and there’s $1 million on the line for the winner, making it the only race with a known purse for the checkered flag.
However, the All-Star Race is an exhibition event, so a win doesn’t automatically qualify drivers for the playoffs or advance their position in the drivers standings. And that means they may be more aggressive and inclined to take some extra risks out there. Also, not every NASCAR driver is invited to participate, so the field is smaller than a typical 40-car Cup Series race.
It’s a lot to keep track of, so we’re here to help. Here’s what you need to know about the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race.
When is the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race?
Date: Wednesday, July 15
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV Channel: FS1
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway, a .533-mile Tennessee short track
Race length: 140 laps
Stage lengths: 55 laps, 35 laps, 35 laps and 15 laps
All stages must end under green, and caution laps between stages don’t count toward the lap total. In the final stage, only green-flag laps will count toward the 15 total.
Who is eligible to compete in the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race?
There are several different ways drivers are eligible to compete in the exhibition event.
Those who are already locked into the race had to be a NASCAR Cup Series champion or a past All-Star Race winner, or needed to win a points race in 2019 or 2020. Rookie Cole Custer became the 16th driver to lock himself into the All-Star Race after taking the first checkered flag of his career Sunday at Kentucky Speedway.
Drivers can also race their way into Wednesday’s main event through the NASCAR All-Star Open (but more on that later). And then there’s also the fan vote, and the winner of that will get a spot in the race as well, if they haven’t already qualified.
In addition to Custer, drivers who qualified for the 2020 All-Star Race before Wednesday are Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Erik Jones and Justin Haley.
What is the NASCAR All-Star Open, and when does it start?
The NASCAR All-Star Open is how drivers can race their way into the actual All-Star event. This 85-lap race is broken into three stages: 35 laps, 35 laps and 15 laps. The winner of each stage and the race will advance to the All-Star Race (if their car is drivable) to round out the 20-car field. Per FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, because the winners of the first two stages qualify for the All-Star Race, they won’t finish the Open to protect their cars.
The NASCAR All-Star Open is right before the main event and begins at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.
Is NASCAR experimenting with any new changes at the All-Star Race?
Yes, there are several changes to this year’s exhibition event, including moving the numbers on the cars and implementing the choose rule. You can read about the new elements of this year’s race here.
What rules package is the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race using?
As NASCAR recently explained:
“The 2020 NASCAR rules package for short tracks will be in effect with a tapered spacer used to set a target of 750 horsepower. The cars will use a reduced downforce package with a shorter spoiler, a shorter splitter overhang and other aerodynamic changes.”
Which active NASCAR drivers have won the All-Star Race before?
(Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has the most All-Star wins among active drivers with four, followed by Kevin Harvick with two.
Kyle Larson — who was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing in April after saying the N-word during an iRacing event — won the 2019 NASCAR All-Star Race. Harvick won in 2018, Kyle Busch won in 2017, Joey Logano won in 2016 and Denny Hamlin won in 2015.
Which active NASCAR drivers have won at Bristol before?
The Busch brothers have dominated this track and are at the top of the list in all-time wins among active drivers. Kyle Busch leads the way with eight career wins at Bristol — most recently in 2019 — and Kurt Busch is second with six wins.
Matt Kenseth has four career Bristol wins and Brad Keselowski has three, while Johnson, Harvick, Hamlin and Logano each have two.
How was the starting lineup determined?
The All-Star Race staring lineup was determined based on a random draw for the top-16 positions, and the winners of the All-Star Open stages and the fan vote will start at the back of the field.
Martin Truex Jr. will start on the pole with Alex Bowman next to him on the front row.
Here’s the starting lineup so far: