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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 02: Noah Gragson, driver of the #4 Long John Silver’s Ford, and Chris Buescher, driver of the #17 Body Guard Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 02, 2025 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
NASCAR will hold the 2026 All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on May 17, marking the exhibition’s first appearance at the concrete oval known as the Monster Mile. The non-points race will pay $1 million to the winner and use a structured format built around stage results, inversions, and qualifying performance.
NASCAR set the race distance at 350 laps, a nod to Dover’s traditional 400-lap Cup races while keeping the event slightly shorter. Every driver who enters will start the race, but only 26 will advance to the final stage.
Motorsport.com reporter Matt Weaver explained that the system uses results from the early segments to determine the lineup for the deciding run, placing strong emphasis on consistency and team execution across the event.
NASCAR 2026 All-Star Race Qualifying Combines Lap Speed and Pit Stop Time
Saturday qualifying will determine the starting order for the first stage. Each driver will take the green flag and run one full lap at speed. On the second lap, the car must enter its assigned pit stall and complete a four-tire stop with no fuel added. After the stop, the driver exits the stall and races to the checkered flag. Officials record the total elapsed time from green to checkered, and the fastest overall time earns the pole position.
The pit crew contest remains part of the format. NASCAR measures the pit stop using timing lines placed one box ahead and one box behind the designated stall. The team with the fastest stop wins the contest and receives first choice of pit selection for the race. Weaver reported on Motorsport.com that this process keeps pit crews directly involved in determining race-day positioning.
Opening Stages Shape the Final Field
The race begins with a 75-lap first stage that includes the entire field. When that segment ends, NASCAR inverts the top 26 finishers for the second 75-lap stage. The driver who finished 26th starts on the pole for stage two, while the stage-one winner starts 26th.
After stage two, NASCAR combines finishing positions from both stages. The drivers with the best average finishes form the starting lineup for the final 200-lap segment. Drivers who are already locked into the final stage cannot be eliminated during this process.
Results from the first two stages fill up to 25 spots in the final, and the 26th position goes to the fan vote winner. Matt Weaver of Motorsport.com detailed that this math-based system determines the decisive stage lineup.
Locked Drivers and Strategy in the Final Stage
There will be no separate All-Star Open race. Instead, 17 drivers already hold locked-in spots in the final stage. Eligibility includes winners of points races in 2025 or 2026, previous All-Star Race winners who still compete full-time, and former Cup Series champions who remain active.
The locked-in list includes William Byron, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Josh Berry, Austin Dillon, Ross Chastain, Chase Briscoe, Shane Van Gisbergen, Kyle Busch, and Bubba Wallace.
A competition caution will take place 75 laps into the final segment, which equals lap 225 overall. Teams can use that yellow flag to adjust tires or strategy on Dover’s concrete surface, where wear often affects handling and pace. NASCAR designed the 350-lap format to connect with Dover’s history while introducing a structured All-Star format that rewards strong results across every stage.
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
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