On Wednesday, NASCAR and Dover Motor Speedway revealed the format for the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race, scheduled to take place at the one-mile concrete oval on Sunday, May 17.
The format is a departure from recent years, as this season, NASCAR has decided to do away with the “All-Star Open” — a shorter qualifying race that allowed two drivers who wouldn’t otherwise qualify for the exhibition event to race their way into the show.
NEWS: #NASCAR and Dover Motor Speedway (@MonsterMile) have officially announced the format for the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race…
??350 total laps; 75-75-200-lap segments.
??There is no "All-Star Open"; All cars will start.
??The top-26 in Segment #1 will be inverted.
??A driver's…— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) February 25, 2026
Instead, the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race will be 350 laps total, broken up into a pair of 75-lap segments, which will then determine the field and starting order for the race’s final 200-lap segment.
In between the first and second 75-lap segments, though, the top-26 drivers in the running order will be inverted, making passing a critical aspect of the second 75-lap segment of the event, to get a good starting position for the NASCAR All-Star Race — or if you’re not already qualified, a spot in the show.
Everybody featured on the entry list for the NASCAR All-Star Race this season will take the green flag to start the 350-lap event, but after 150 laps have been run, the field will be dwindled down to 26 drivers.
Those 26 drivers will be made up of points-paying winners from 2025 or 2026, former NASCAR Cup Series champions and NASCAR All-Star Race winners (who are still running full-time), the winner of the Fan Vote, and drivers not otherwise eligible who have the lowest combined finish between the first two Segments.
As of February 25 (following the NASCAR Cup Series event at EchoPark Speedway), 17 drivers already meet those criteria, and are locked into the final 200-lap segment of the event: Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, Josh Berry, Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, and Shane Van Gisbergen.
Therefore, the eight drivers with the lowest combined finish between the first two segments, and the winner of the Fan Vote, would make up the 26-driver field. The starting lineup for the final segment will be determined by the lowest combined finish among drivers.
Qualifying on Saturday (May 16) will set the lineup for Segment 1. That session will be competitors exit pit road, taking the green flag, and then running one full lap at speed before coming down pit road to perform the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge on the second lap.
The fastest four-tire pit stop with no penalty will be crowned the winner of the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge and will get the opportunity to pick their pit first for the NASCAR All-Star Race.
The NASCAR All-Star Race will air live on FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90, with coverage beginning at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, May 17.
In addition to the All-Star Race festivities, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will have points-paying events at Dover Motor Speedway during All-Star Weekend.
