All-Star Challenge Preview

Image details: Dale Earnhardt Jr celebrates the win served by picapp.com

It’s another week off from points racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but this week brings us something a little different … NASCAR’s annual All-Star weekend from Lowe’s Motor Speedway. For those of you unfamiliar with the format of this great race, it’s very different from what you’ll find in Major League Baseball, or the National Football League, or the National Baskeball Association. Instead of the fans voting in the best of the best, here in NASCAR, the fans will vote in only one entry. The rest of the field will be made up of race winners of any Cup Series points race from either last year or this year, Cup Series champions and All-Star race winners from the past decade, and the top two finishers in the Sprint Cup Showdown (formerly known as “the Open”). If anything, I think the best comparison for the race would be to the Bass Elite Series of fishing. Go to nascar.com now to Vote For Your Favorite Driver that’s not already eligible for the All-Star Challenge itself.

The All-Star Race format itself (click on the link to see NASCAR’s own description of the entire race format) is rather unique as well. The race is divided up into four portions, or segments. The first segment consists of a 20-lap run, after which teams have the option to forefeit their track position in favor of a four-tire pit stop under caution. Segment 2 is another 20-lap run, but after this segment, NASCAR mandates a ten-minute stop for the teams, and the cars will return to the track in the same order that they ran at the end of the segment. Cars running at the back of the pack will be eliminated prior to the ensuing 20 laps that make up segment three, and then again prior to the fourth and final segment. Another mandatory pit stop will occur prior to the final segment, with the order of the field for the restart being determined by the order in which they exit pit road.

What’s At Stake?
So, if they’re not racing for points, why even bother, right? Wrong. Along with bragging rights, the winner of the All-Star Challenge will pocket $1 million. Second place … goes home with nothing but a used up car.

The Field
The following 21 drivers are already locked into the event: Martin Truex Jr, Kurt Busch, Casey Mears, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Juan Pablo Montoya, Bobby LaBonte, Dale Jarrett, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Carl Edwards.

Another 29 drivers will be vying for either a ticket in via the fan vote, or by finishing in the top two spots in the All-Star Showdown. Follow the link for the complete Entry List for the All-Star Showdown.

What Else?
Pit selection for the teams will be determined by their finishing order in the annual Pit Crew Challenge. The Pit Crew Challenge will test teams’ speed, strength, agility, endurance, and accuracy to the limits. Last year’s competition was won by the Ryan Newman’s no. 12 crew for Penske Racing.

NASCAR will also putting on their first Burnout Contest. Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, and Greg Biffle will all hop into identically prepared Petty Enterprises cars to perform a full drag-style burnout throughout the course that NASCAR has setup. The contest will air prior to the Showdown race.

Broadcast
Coverage for the race itself begins at 7 pm eastern time on Saturday, May 17th live on Speed with Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond, and Krista Voda bringing you the coverage. Please visit nascar.com for a complete schedule of All-Star coverage.

All-Star Race Stats & Fun Facts
- Most All-Star Wins:  Tie - Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt (3 apiece)
- First All-Star Race Winner:  Darrell Waltrip (1984)
- Most All-Star Showdown / Open Wins:  Sterling Marlin (4)
- Best Average All-Star Finish (Drivers Locked into the Race):  Jimmie Johnson (5.2), Jeff Gordon (6.3), Matt Kenseth (7.6), Ryan Newman (7.8), Bobby LaBonte (8.4)
- Number of Drivers to Qualify Via the Showdown / Open & Go Onto Win the All-Star Race:  2 - Michael Waltrip (1996), Ryan Newman (2002)
- Most All-Star Appearances: 19 - Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin (counting this year)
- Former All-Star Winners in the Field:  7 - Kevin Harvick (2007), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2003), Mark Martin (2005, 1998), Matt Kenseth (2004), Ryan Newman (2002), Jeff Gordon (2001, 1997, 1995), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000)
- Former Cup Series Champions in the Field:  7 - Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Bobby LaBonte, Dale Jarrett
- First time entrants: Clint Bowyer, Juan Pablo Montoya
- Number of Rookies to Win the All-Star Race:  2 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000), Ryan Newman (2002)
- Humpy Wheeler, President of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, has predicted a win from Carl Edwards. Humpy has been successful with his picks 8 times out of his 20 tries, and only twice in the last 8 years.

TZ’s Six-Pack Challenge (Bonus Round):
Fan Vote (worth 5 bonus points) - David Ragan
Showdown Winners (worth 10 bonus points each) - Kasey Kahne, Travis Kvapil
All-Star Race Winer (worth 25 bonus points) - Tony Stewart

For related articles, please visit RevJim’s NASCAR Ranting ‘n’ Raving as he runs through the NASCAR All-Stars and also go to Racing for the Win for Cesar’s predictions on Who Will Dominate the 2008 Sprint Showdown.