For the first time in NASCAR history, the All-Star Race will be held at Bristol Motor Speedway and the action begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET with the All-Star Open. Sixteen drivers are locked into the event with the Open providing an opportunity for three more drivers to race their way into the main event.
The All-Star Open will take place before the All-Star Race and will include three segments. The first two segments are 35 laps each with a final segment of 15 laps. The winner of each segment will transfer to the All-Star Race along with the driver who wins the fan vote, for a total of 20 drivers.
After the Open, the fan vote winner will be announced with the All-Star Race set to begin at 8:30 p.m. ET. The All-Star Race will include four segments and 140 laps. Segment one will consist of 55 laps, segments two and three will be 35 laps each with a final segment of 15 laps. Both events will be televised on FS1 with radio coverage by MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
In addition to a different venue for this year’s event, we will see some changes to the cars. The car numbers will be shifted backward and closer to the rear wheels to add more room to showcase the sponsors. All of the drivers who are locked into the All-Star Race will also feature underglow lights beneath their vehicles.
We will also see a new “Choose Rule” for restarts implemented during the Open and the All-Star Race. The rule allows the drivers to choose which lane they want to restart in before the green flag. There will be a designated spot on the track and the driver will have to commit to a lane before that spot. Changing lanes after they pass the designated spot will result in a penalty, sending them to the back of the field.
Starting Lineup:
1 Martin Truex Jr.
2 Alex Bowman
3 Ryan Blaney
4 Justin Haley
5 Kevin Harvick
6 Matt Kenseth
7 Kurt Busch
8 Cole Custer
9 Brad Keselowski
10 Kyle Busch
11 Ryan Newman
12 Joey Logano
13 Chase Elliott
14 Jimmie Johnson
15 Denny Hamlin
16 Erik Jones
17 Winner of Open Stage 1
18 Winner of Open Stage 2
19 Winner of Open Stage 3
20 Fan Vote Winner
