The New 2026 All Star Format

DOVER, Del. — The 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway will feature a completely new format, bringing several major changes to NASCAR’s annual exhibition event.

One of the biggest differences this year is the removal of the traditional All-Star Open race. Instead, the full focus shifts directly to qualifying and the main event itself.

Qualifying on Saturday will consist of a unique three-lap format. During Lap 2, teams must complete a mandatory four-tire pit stop with no fuel allowed. The total combined time from the run and pit stop will determine the starting lineup for Sunday’s race.

Sunday’s All-Star Race will then be divided into three separate segments.

Segment 1

The opening segment will feature the full field competing for 75 laps.

Segment 2

Following Segment 1, the top 26 finishers will be inverted for another 75-lap segment, creating major opportunities for strategy and aggressive racing throughout the field.

Segment 3

The final segment is where the format becomes even more unique.

Seventeen drivers are automatically locked into the final stage, provided they avoid major crash damage during the opening two segments. Eligibility includes race winners from the 2025 and 2026 seasons, former Cup Series champions, and previous All-Star Race winners.

Those locked-in drivers include:

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

Additional spots will be decided through the fan vote, while the remaining drivers must race their way into the 26-car field based on the best combined finishing positions from Segments 1 and 2.

The new format introduces multiple layers of strategy, inversion drama, and elimination pressure, creating what could become one of the most unpredictable All-Star Races in recent years.

At a track as challenging as Dover, the format has the potential to create chaos — and possibly one of the more memorable exhibition races NASCAR has seen in some time.