The 2026 version of the NASCAR All-Star Race featured massive wrecks, fireballs, subject inverts, and a calculator close by.
The 350-lapper was the primary time the occasion has gone to Dover, with the Monster Mile not internet hosting a factors race for the primary time since 1968. And whereas the format was fully completely different than your customary race, the identical driver who received at Dover final yr returned to Victory Lane once more.
Here is a have a look at the most important winners and losers from the Dover All-Star Race:
WINNER: Denny Hamlin for securing the $1 million prize
Watch: Hamlin celebrates All-Star win: ‘We try to be No. 1’
Whereas he is not thrilled that it will not rely in direction of his official win tally, Hamlin is using an enormous wave of momentum after a dominant displaying at Dover. He began from pole, led essentially the most laps, and earned a $1 million payday as NASCAR turns the web page to the second half of the common season. Hamlin final received the All-Star Race in 2015, and solely Kevin Harvick has that a few years between their first and final (or most up-to-date) All-Star win. It simply speaks to the longevity of Hamlin, and regardless of his age, driver No. 11 is not slowing down.
LOSER: Chase Briscoe, as a result of second is not price a lot in an All-Star Race
Watch: Briscoe battles abdomen bug for P2 All-Star end
Briscoe is true on the sting of the cut-line, so he’s in want of an incredible factors day. The irritating factor about Dover is that there have been no precise factors, so shedding the lead late and ending second solely means you simply misplaced a million {dollars}. He had Hamlin beat on the ultimate restart, however he simply could not maintain the highest spot. Briscoe himself stated he “can’t get up tomorrow saying, ‘I really feel like one million bucks.’ One spot brief immediately, P2.”
WINNER: Connor Zilisch for finest oval drive of the yr, even with late-race penalty
What a day for the Trackhouse rookie. He nonetheless would not have an official prime ten in his Cup profession, however Sunday was an enormous step for him gaining confidence in these vehicles on the ovals. Zilisch wasn’t even locked into the ultimate section, however he discovered his solution to the entrance, reaching as excessive as second. Sadly, a penalty on pit highway despatched him to the rear of the sector, however he did not simply throw within the towel. Zilisch reduce by the again, ending fifth in his first All-Star Race look. With a a number of extra laps, he was on track to achieve third, even after the end-of-line penalty.
LOSER: Ryan Preece for going up in flames two laps into the race
Ryan Preece after hearth harm, RFK Racing Ford
Picture by: David Hahn / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos
The worst factor you are able to do in an All-Star Race is totally destroy your automobile on the very begin, and sadly, that is what occurred with Preece. He began the race close to the again, and was battling three-wide with Todd Gilliland and Kyle Larson once they all received tangled collectively. It appeared as if Preece might have come down the monitor barely, and the end result was a large pileup on the second lap of the race. Preece backed into the Flip 1 wall at a excessive fee of pace, and the automobile — which was stuffed with gasoline — ignited. He scrambled out because the rear of the No. 60 Ford burned. Preece later apologized for the incident.
WINNER: Dover as adjustments made for finest Subsequent Gen race but on the monitor
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Photos
Elevated horsepower and traction compound throughout the complete monitor was an enormous plus for Dover. Sunday’s race confirmed us that there will be an attention-grabbing race with Subsequent Gen vehicles on the Monster Mile, and drivers had been all around the monitor making strikes. Because the tires wore, the motion all through the sector was solely amplified, and it was a promising step in the precise course.
LOSER: NASCAR for an All-Star Race format that simply wasn’t ‘it’
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos
Dover would have been a strong race if it weren’t for one obtrusive problem — the truth that this 350-lap marathon that includes a full subject in the beginning was speculated to be an All-Star Race. It did not really feel like one, and the drivers stated as a lot. The thrilling Open race that precedes the principle occasion was gone, and everybody was grouped collectively. A calculator was wanted to even know who would advance into the third section, and nobody was certain who these drivers even had been. It was made extra complicated by locked-in drivers with harm returning to the race, additional limiting what number of open drivers may advance. The one constructive was the sector invert, which actually combined issues up in a enjoyable approach, total, it simply wasn’t format and appeared to be the improper course for an occasion that was already having an identification disaster.
WINNER: Erik Jones for giving Legacy Motor Membership an incredible run
How concerning the No. 43 staff? Jones began inside the highest 5, and completed third in Sunday’s All-Star Race. It was by far his finest displaying within the occasion, and he was the highest-finishing open driver. His earlier finest end within the All-Star Race was eighth, and he was on the tail of a Toyota 1-2-3 end on Sunday. That positively has to present Legacy Motor Membership some confidence, as Jones would not have a end increased than tenth in a points-paying race but this yr. Jones famous after the race how good it felt to be again racing with the highest drivers within the subject once more.
LOSER: The All-Stars that did not even make it to the principle occasion
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports
Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos
One other awkward a part of having a full subject of vehicles is that these early wrecks eradicated a number of true All-Stars. Former collection champions Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson had been destroyed within the Lap 2 melee and whereas they did return for the ultimate section, they had been too sluggish to be an element. Two All-Stars wrecked and did not even get again out on monitor for the ultimate section — reigning Coca-Cola 600 winner Ross Chastain and 2020 NASCAR Cup champion Chase Elliott. It is a unusual situation when you may have drivers locked into the All-Star Race, however they do not truly participate within the a part of the race meant to be for All-Stars.
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