Stage set for Dover's first NASCAR All-Star Race

Dover Motor Speedway hosts the NASCAR All-Star Race for the first time this weekend. 

It will be the sixth different host in the event’s history. North Wilkesboro, which has shifted to a Cup Series points-paying race this season, had been the host of the last three seasons.

NASCAR has spread the festivities over three days, with a slightly different look. There is no All-Star Open this year due to a revamped main event format. Things will kick off Friday afternoon with a 90-minute practice session for all drivers (those locked into the main segment and those hoping to advance).

Saturday will be qualifying. It will feature the traditional pit crew challenge as a part of the procedures. A reminder of the format:

• The drivers will leave pit road and take the green flag for their first lap at speed. On the second lap, they will enter pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop with the fueler simulating fueling the car.
• The driver will complete their qualifying attempt after leaving pit road. 
• Pit road speed must be maintained upon entrance and exit of pit road.
• A driver’s qualifying time will be the total elapsed time from green to checkered flag.
• Michael McDowell’s No. 71 team from Spire Motorsports won the 2025 pit crew challenge.
• In the event of a tie for the pit crew challenge win, it will be broken by the overall qualifying time.

The qualifying order will set the lineup for the first segment of the All-Star Race. The non-points event will be held on Sunday.

The format is as follows:

• The full field of 36 drivers will run the first two segments, which are 75 laps each. 
• The second segment will start with an invert of the top 26 finishers. The remainder of the field will start where they finished in the first segment.
• The final segment, which is 200 laps, will feature 26 drivers. They will be those already locked into the segment, the fan-vote winner, and drivers who advance from the first two segments.
• The drivers who advance will be taken from the combined results of the first two segments.
• If a tiebreaker is needed, it will be the first finish in either segment. A second tiebreaker, if needed, would be the best finish from the first segment.
• There will be a competition break on or around lap 75 of the final segment.
• Caution laps count during all three segments. 
• If a driver who is locked into the final segment of the All-Star Race has an incident in the first two segments, the team may repair the car. However, no backup cars are permitted.
• If the team is unable to repair the car to compete, then it will open a spot for someone else to race into the final segment.

The drivers already locked into the final segment are winners from 2025 and 2026, past All-Star race winners, and past NASCAR Cup Series champions. There are 18 drivers locked in, which means seven will advance from the first two segments, plus the fan vote winner, for a field of 26 drivers racing in the final segment.

Those locked in: Christopher Bell, Josh Berry, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs, Shane van Gisbergen, Denny Hamlin, Carson Hocevar, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, and Brad Keselowski.

Noah Gragson has won the fan vote the last three years.