The annual All-Star Cup Series exhibition is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 18, at the North Wilkesboro Speedway this year. The upcoming event will mark the third consecutive year the racing spectacle will be taking place, as all three series will remain in action on the weekend.
Just like in the last two years, North Wilkesboro has remained the host of the $1 million prize pot event that Joey Logano won last year. With NASCAR committed to making the event more enjoyable for the fans, huge changes are coming to the race this year.
NASCAR Unveils a New Format for the 2025 All-Star Race
Amongst several changes, the biggest addition to the race comes in the form of a “Manufacturer Showdown.” The addition means that all manufacturers will be equally represented on the track for the All-Star race, doing away with the chances of manufacturer allegiance politics while on the track.
The total number of drivers from each manufacturer will be decided by the team that has the least representation. An equal number of drivers will be selected from the remaining two OEM teams, based on their final starting positions.
Secondly, teams will be scored against each other, rather than being scored on the basis of their overall finish. The least combined total will lead to a team’s victory, followed by the next lowest number.
For example, if Ford cars finish 1st, 4th, and 7th, their combined total would be 12. Meanwhile, should Chevrolet finish 2nd, 3rd, and 5th, their combined total would be 10, and Chevrolet would be adjudged the winner of the event despite a Ford car winning the race.
But in the case of a tie, the single-best overall finishing position would determine the event winner.
Different Qualifying Sessions
Furthermore, even the qualifying session will play out differently, as drivers will play out a three-lap run, which includes a pit stop. The driver with the fastest overall time will qualify in pole position for Heat Race 1 and the All-Star race.
Notably, this year’s event will last for 250 laps, as opposed to last year’s race that lasted 200 laps. There will be a competition break at or around lap 100.
Additionally, there will also be the chance of a “Promoters’ Caution” coming into play, which can be thrown anywhere between laps 101 and 220. The caution means that any manufacturer can call in a caution voluntarily to bring the field back together and go racing again.
However, if a natural caution occurs after lap 200, the promoters’ caution will no longer be available to use.
The NASCAR All-Star race will air live on Fox Sports 1, MRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio as live coverage begins on Sunday, May 18, 5:00 pm ET onwards.