started on Could 15 with an fascinating quote from Chase Elliott after apply.
“It seems like a standard weekend,” Elliott stated. “I might say it feels the least like an All-Star weekend than it ever has in my profession. I do not know if it is simply because I am not used to having an All-Star Race right here (at Dover).”
That feeling continued by means of the , a four-hour occasion that includes a number of multi-car crashes and a uneven format.
Commercial
There may be some form of wretched poeticism in Elliott being concerned in after these feedback.
The NASCAR All-Star Race was lengthy and eventful, however not essentially excessive on leisure worth.
Among the many bizarre traits of an odd All-Star weekend at Dover:
A 90-minute apply, one of many longest of the 12 months, for a non-points paying race.
Pit-road rushing penalties in the course of the three-lap qualifying format, which included a pit cease.
A 1 p.m. Japanese time Sunday begin for a 350-lap NASCAR All-Star Race, after years of social-media prodding by followers for extra points-paying races to start out round that point.
22 vehicles out there for a 26-car invert after Phase 1.
Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott’s all-star race probabilities ended earlier than the tip of Phase 1 after crashes brought on by drivers not locked into the 26-car closing section.
The principles allowed for vehicles who wrecked in Phase 1 to get repaired in the course of the first two segments and return within the closing section with out penalty apart from their beginning spots. Blaney, Larson and others took benefit of this, although none factored into the race for the win.
RACE RECAP:
NASCAR ought to get a whole lot of credit score for its scheduling modifications within the 2020s. Largely, the modifications have been optimistic with new tracks and new observe kinds. The Chicago and San Diego road programs are good concepts, and re-integrating North Wilkesboro and Bowman Grey Speedway into the schedule is an applicable historic nod.
Commercial
However the sanctioning physique has not but discovered a solution to elevate its all-star race to face out on the schedule in 2026.
1 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: A performer is seen in entrance of the Monster Monument previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Sean Gardner/Getty Pictures)
1 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: A performer is seen in entrance of the Monster Monument previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Sean Gardner/Getty Pictures)
2 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, appears to be like on in the course of the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
3 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Xfinity Toyota, (R) and Riley Herbst, driver of the #35 TREETOP Toyota, appears to be like on in the course of the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
4 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Dragons Chevrolet, indicators autographs for NASCAR followers previous to he NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
5 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Dragons Chevrolet, indicators autographs for NASCAR followers previous to he NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
6 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, indicators autographs for NASCAR followers previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
7 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 Lucas Oil Chevrolet, indicators autographs for NASCAR followers previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
8 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
Could 17, 2026; Dover, Delaware, USA; A common view of the Miles the Monster statue within the halfway previous to the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway. Obligatory Credit score: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Pictures
9 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
Could 17, 2026; Dover, Delaware, USA; A common view of a sand sculpture on the halfway previous to the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway. Obligatory Credit score: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Pictures
10 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
Could 17, 2026; Dover, Delaware, USA; NASCAR followers stroll on the observe previous to the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway. Obligatory Credit score: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Pictures
11 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
Could 17, 2026; Dover, Delaware, USA; A common view of the NASCAR All-start race brand on the tempo automotive previous to the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway. Obligatory Credit score: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Pictures
12 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: NASCAR Corridor of Famer Donnie Allison speaks to a younger fan in the course of the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
13 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Wrangler Ford, indicators autographs for NASCAR followers previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
14 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Photo voltaic Enhance Chevrolet, indicators autographs for NASCAR followers previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
15 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Michael McDowell, driver of the #71 RCA Chevrolet, indicators autographs for NASCAR followers previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
16 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Mobil 1 Toyota, indicators autographs for a younger NASCAR fan on the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
17 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: NASCAR Corridor of Famer Donnie Allison speaks to Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, in the course of the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
18 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Mobil 1 Toyota, indicators autographs for a younger NASCAR fan on the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
19 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, indicators autographs for a younger NASCAR fan on the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
20 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: NASCAR FOX Sports activities broadcaster Mike Pleasure is acknowledged in the course of the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
21 / 21
NASCAR All-Star Race finest images from the Monster Mile
DOVER, DELAWARE – MAY 17: NASCAR FOX Sports activities broadcaster Mike Pleasure laughs in the course of the drivers assembly previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Could 17, 2026 in Dover, Delaware. (Picture by Meg Oliphant/Getty Pictures)
Stage racing has robbed NASCAR All-Star Race of some uniqueness
Segments and subject inverts will not be unusual within the all-star race relationship again to the beginning of the occasion.
However till a decade in the past, the NASCAR All-Star Race was the lone occasion with segments/levels. That helped the race stand out by itself from the opposite 30+ races on the schedule.
Now, every week has levels and stage breaks that dictate technique and context behind every race.
Might this format work? With changes, certain. However there are extra obstacles now than when the NASCAR All-Star Race was created in 1985. And the utilization of the $1 million prize to win the race has aged out after first being launched 23 years in the past.
Commercial
A 200-lap closing section following two 75-lap segments created a really prolonged afternoon at Dover, particularly with the quantity of early cautions. (It wasn’t the worst model of the all-star race, with a hat tip to the 2022 version at Texas. That was a lowpoint for NASCAR in complete.)
NASCAR has proven that it’s keen to strive totally different concepts to brighten up the schedule, from including tracks to creating the in-season match.
Its largest problem now could be to search out the right combination for its all-star race. The search continues after an extended day in Dover.
