NASCAR revamps format for first All-Star Race at Dover

Field Level Media|published: 02/25/2026, 9:27pm EST

Feb 15, 2026; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; Driver Chase Elliott (9), Driver Josh Berry (21), and Driver Christopher Bell (20) during the 68th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

A change in venue isn't the only difference on deck for NASCAR's All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway this season, the league announced on Wednesday.

The 350-lap marathon is set to take place at the "Monster Mile" in Delaware on May 17, with a $1 million purse at stake, a move from North Wilkesboro, N.C., where the event took place the past two seasons.

North Wilkesboro instead will host a race on July 19.

The race at Dover will be broken into three segments, consisting of two sections of 75 laps apiece and a 200-lap final leg.

The top 26 finishers of the first leg invert position for the next segment. The results from each of the first two segments will be averaged together to help determine the field for the 200-lap finish, which also will feature Cup Series winners from the past two years, ex-Cup Series winners still with a full-time ride plus a fan vote winner.

Seventeen drivers are already locked into All-Star Race berths: Christopher Bell, Josh Berry, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Shane van Gisbergen and Bubba Wallace.

Bell took the checkered flag at the 2025 All-Star Race.

--Field Level Media