NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — The NASCAR All-Star Race has had several different formats over the years.
The one for 2023 is a little more simple, thanks to going to the revived North Wilkesboro Speedway, a 0.625-mile oval that has not had a Cup race since 1996.
Here are the basics for the weekend.
Thanks to winning a race in 2022-2023 or having won the all-star race or a Cup title and being a full-time driver, there are 21 drivers who have earned spots in the main event: Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Suarez, Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace.
Those who don’t have an automatic spot in the main event can race their way in through the Open. There are 16 drivers entered in the Open: AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Josh Berry, Josh Bilicki, Harrison Burton, Ty Dillon, Ty Gibbs, Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie, Michael McDowell, Ryan Newman, Ryan Preece, Chandler Smith, J.J. Yeley.
Here is how the weekend will work, with all the events on FS1:
On Friday, there will be a 50-minute practice for all cars from 4:05-4:55 p.m. ET. It will be followed by a pit-stop competition that will determine the starting order for the All-Star heat races Saturday as well as the Open lineup for Sunday.
For the pit stop competition (5:45 p.m. ET), the order drivers will make their pit stop will be determined by car owner points, and each car will start about six-to-eight pit boxes away from a designated pit box for a four-tire stop (the fueler can be in play but the fuel cans will be dry).
There won’t be a pit road speed limit but the timing of the pit stop won’t start until the car crosses the timing line about a box before the designated pit box and then it will end after the car crosses the timing line shortly past the designated pit box.
The Saturday heat races (7:35 p.m. ET) will be 60-lap races and will set the starting order for the main event. All laps (green and yellow will count). Each car will start on sticker tires with one additional set in the pits.
The results of Heat 1 will establish the inside row for the main event. The results of Heat 2 will establish the outside row.
A historic venue
Bob Pockress, Mike Joy and others discuss the excitement for NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time in over 20 years.
Then on Sunday:
For the Open (5:30 p.m. ET), it will be a 100-lap race with all laps counting. Teams will start on sticker tires and have one additional set for the race. There will be a competition caution around Lap 40.
The top-two finishers of the Open qualify for the all-star race. Then the winner of the fan vote among the remaining drivers also will make the all-star race. All of those who advance must have a raceable car to earn a spot in the main event.
Because a driver had to have attempted the Daytona 500 to be eligible for the fan vote, four of the Open drivers — Berry, Bilicki, Newman and Yeley — are not eligible for the fan vote spot.
In the main event (8 p.m. ET), it will be a 200-lap race with all laps counting. Teams will get four sets of sticker tires for the race, but they can only put on one set of sticker tires after the restart that follows the competition caution around Lap 100.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass, and sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass.
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