Statistical Advance: Analyzing the NASCAR All-Star Race

Dover Motor Speedway will host the NASCAR All-Star Race for the first time, and this season’s revamped All-Star Race format features a three-segment, 350-lap event that places every driver on track to start the race while rewarding race winners, past champions and performance across the first two segments. There will be no All-Star Open, creating a streamlined, high-intensity showcase of NASCAR’s top competitors. Returning elements include driver eligibility requirements, the NASCAR All-Star Fan Vote, and the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge.

Qualifying & Pit Crew Challenge: This format will once again pair traditional qualifying with electrifying pit stops on Saturday, May 16. Drivers take the green flag, run one full lap at speed, and on the second lap proceed to one of two NASCAR-designated pit stalls for a four-tire stop (no fuel). When the pit stop is complete, the cars will exit pit road and race back to the checkered flag. Qualifying time will be the total elapsed time from green flag to checkered flag, with the fastest team earning the pole position for the race. The pit crew with the fastest stop during the All-Star qualifying attempt (no penalties) is the winner of the Pit Crew Challenge. Timing lines are established one box behind and one box ahead of the NASCAR-designated pit stop boxes. Pit Crew Challenge results will determine pit selection order.

All-Star Race Format: The full field will compete in Segment 1 and Segment 2 for 75 laps each, followed by the final 200-lap segment of the NASCAR All-Star race featuring 26 drivers.

• Qualifying on Saturday sets the lineup for Segment 1. Segment 2 will feature the top 26 finishers inverted at the start, while the remainder of the field will line up based on their Segment 1 finishing positions.
• All laps will count in all three segments, with standard NASCAR race procedures in effect. During the final segment, a competition break will take place at or around Lap 225.

Drivers eligible for the final segment include those who have won a points event in either 2025 or 2026, former NASCAR All-Star Race winners who compete full-time, and former NASCAR Cup Series champions who compete full-time. The remaining positions will be filled based on combined results from Segment 1 and Segment 2 until the field reaches 25 drivers. The 26th and final position will be awarded to the NASCAR All-Star Fan Vote winner.

Drivers already locked in the All-Star Race include: William Byron, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Josh Berry, Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Shane Van Gisbergen, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch.

The NASCAR All-Star Race will air live on FS1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with coverage beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 17.

NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE SPECIFIC STATISTICS

The stats below consider the 41 All-Star races among five tracks (Atlanta, Charlotte, Bristol, Texas and North Wilkesboro).

Dover Motor Speedway Data
Track Size: 1-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,076 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,076 feet

Dover Motor Speedway Track Qualifying Record:
Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 166.984 mph, 21.559 secs. Oct. 5, 2019

Dover Motor Speedway Track Race Record (250 miles):
Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 135.734 mph, (02:56:49), Oct. 6, 2019

NASCAR All-Star Race & Open Stats & Tidbits:

HISTORY

• Dover Motor Speedway is the sixth different track to host the NASCAR All-Star Race (2023-2026).
• There have been a total of 41 NASCAR All-Star Races – 34 have been held at Charlotte Motor Speedway (1985, 1987-2019), one was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway (1986), one at Bristol Motor Speedway (2020), two at Texas Motor Speedway (2021, 2022) and three at North Wilkesboro Speedway (2023, 2024, 2025).
• The first NASCAR All-Star Race was held on May 25, 1985, at Charlotte Motor Speedway; the non-points special event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip with crew chief Jeff Hammond. Waltrip was driving a Junior Johnson & Associates’ Buick and beat runner-up finisher Harry Gant by a scant 0.310-second.
• In 1986, the All-Star Race was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott with crew chief and older brother Ernie Elliott on the pit box. Elliott was driving a Melling Racing Ford.
• The first All-Star Open was held on May 11, 1986, at Atlanta Motor Speedway; the non-points special event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Benny Parsons with crew chief Cliff Champion, but it did not grant him entry to the All-Star race; that started the following season. Parsons was driving a Jackson Brothers Racing’s Oldsmobile.
• There have been 43 NASCAR Open events, one per year since 1986; except in 2000, 2001 and 2002 it was held as two events with both of the winners moving on to the All-Star Race.
• Starting in 2015, the NASCAR Open was broken-up into segments and then in 2017 stages and each winner of the segments or the stages earned a spot in the All-Star race.
• Starting in 2023, the winner of the Open and the runner-up finisher advanced to the All-Star Race.
• From 2023-2025, Heat Races decided the starting lineup for the NASCAR All-Star Race.
• Last year’s format included a Manufacturer Showdown, a Promoter’s Caution, modifications to Open qualifying, and Pit Crew Challenge eligibility.

STARTS

• A total of 119 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR All-Star Race;
• A total of 102 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have competed in more than one All-Star Race.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in All-Star Race appearances with 24 starts.
• Top five all-time in All-Star starts: Mark Martin (24), Kevin Harvick (23), Jeff Gordon (22), Kurt Busch (21), Ryan Newman (20), Terry Labonte (20) and Kyle Busch (20).
• Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in All-Star Race appearances with 20 starts.
• Top five in All-Star starts (active): Kyle Busch (20), Denny Hamlin (19), Brad Keselowski (17), Joey Logano (15) and Chase Elliott (10).
• The NASCAR All-Star Race has featured a field that has ranged from 10 drivers in 1986 to 27 in 2002.
• Last season’s All-Star race had 23 participants.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Davey Allison leads the Cup Series in average starting position in the NASCAR All-Star Race with a 3.857 in seven starts
• Christopher Bell leads all active Cup drivers in average starting position in the NASCAR All-Star Race with a 5.8 in five starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position in the NASCAR All-Star Race (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte won the inaugural pole for the NASCAR All-Star Race in 1985 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Labonte was piloting the No. 44 Hagan Racing Chevrolet for car owner Bill Hagan. He finished fourth in the event.
• Five drivers started from the first starting position due to Qualifying being cancelled; the lineups were set per the rule book: Bill Elliott (2003), Kurt Busch (2010), Kevin Harvick (2016), Martin Truex Jr. (2020, random draw), and Kyle Larson (2021, random draw)
• Bill Elliott (1987, 1997, 1998 and 2000) and Kyle Busch (2008, 2011, 2012, 2022) lead the series in NASCAR All-Star Race poles with four each.
• Four drivers have won consecutive poles for the NASCAR All-Star Race: Davey Allison (1991, 1992) Bill Elliott (1997, 1998), Kyle Busch (2011, 2012) and Carl Edwards (2013, 2014).
• A total of 21 different drivers have won the pole for the NASCAR All-Star Race.

• Six of the 21 NASCAR All-Star Race Pole winners are active this weekend at North Wilkesboro: Kyle Busch (2008, 2011, 2012, 2022), Denny Hamlin (2015), Kyle Larson (2017), Daniel Suarez (2023), Joey Logano (2024), .

WINS

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip won the inaugural NASCAR All-Star Race in 1985 at an average speed of 161.184 mph in a Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in All-Star victories with four wins (2003, 2006, 2012 and 2013).
• Kyle Larson leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in All-Star victories with three wins (2019, 2021, 2023).
• Davey Allison (1991, 1992) and Jimmie Johnson (2012, 2013) are the only drivers to ever win consecutive NASCAR All-Star Races.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) and Ryan Newman (2002) are the only two drivers to win the NASCAR All-Star Race in their rookie season.
• Jeff Gordon is the youngest winner of the NASCAR All-Star Race at 23 years, 9 months and 18 days (1995).
• Mark Martin is the oldest NASCAR All-Star Race winner at 46 years, 4 months and 12 days (2005).
• A total of 27 different drivers have won the NASCAR All-Star Race all-time (1985-2025).

• A total of seven of the 27 NASCAR All-Star Race winners are active this weekend:

• Nine of 27 NASCAR All-Star Race winners have multiple victories.

• Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990 and 1993), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997 and 2001) and Kyle Larson (2019, 2021, 2023) are three-time winners of the NASCAR All-Star Race.
• Davey Allison (1991 and 1992), Terry Labonte (1988 and 1999), Mark Martin (1998 and 2005), Kevin Harvick (2007, 2018) and Joey Logano (2016, 2024) are the only other drivers to post multiple victories in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
• Eight drivers have won the NASCAR All-Star Race and the NASCAR Cup Series championship in the same year:

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the only driver to win the NASCAR All-Star Race (2000), the NASCAR Open (2012) and the Fan Vote (2011).
• Kasey Kahne is the only driver to win the Fan Vote and go on to win the All-Star race in the same season (2008).
• Ryan Newman (2002) and Kyle Larson (2019) are the only two drivers to win an All-Star Open race and go on to win the NASCAR All-Star Race in the same season.
• A total of 18 different starting positions have led to victories in the NASCAR All-Star Race (1985-2025).
• The NASCAR All-Star Race has been won from the first starting position seven times among six different drivers: Dale Earnhardt (1990), Davey Allison (1991 and 1992), Kurt Busch (2010), Denny Hamlin (2015), Kyle Larson (2021) and Joey Logano (2024).
• Five of the seven wins from the first starting position were from the pole, Kurt Busch (2010; weather) and Kyle Larson (2021, pandemic) won from the first starting position because qualifying was cancelled.
• The first and second starting positions are the most proficient starting positions in the field, producing more winners (seven each) than any other starting position in the NASCAR All-Star Race (17.07%).

NASCAR All-Star Race Wins by Starting Positions

• The deepest in the field a NASCAR All-Star race winner has started is 27th, by Ryan Newman in 2002.
• The deepest in the field an active NASCAR All-Star race winner has started is 18th, by Kyle Larson in 2019.
• Of the active drivers looking for their first NASCAR All-Start Race win this weekend, Brad Keselowski has made the most starts without a victory in the special event with 17 appearances.
• A total of 15 different organizations have won the NASCAR All-Star Race all-time; six of the 15 are active this weekend.

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in All-Star Race wins with 11 victories among five drivers: Jimmie Johnson (four: 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013), Jeff Gordon (three: 1995, 1997, 2001), Terry Labonte (1999), Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021).
• A total of five different manufacturers have won an All-Star Race in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Chevrolet leads the NASCAR Cup Series in All-Star Race wins with 21 victories, followed by Ford with 14, Toyota (three), Dodge (two), Pontiac (one).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 27 different drivers have finished runner-up in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
• Kevin Harvick (2006, 2014, 2015, 2019) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in All-Star Race runner-up finishes with four.
• Brad Keselowski (2012, 2016, 2021) leads all active drivers in runner-up finishes in the All-Star Race.

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 59 different drivers have finished in the top-five in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano lead the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes in the All-Star Race with nine each.
• Joey Logano leads all active drivers in top-five finishes in the All-Star Race with nine.

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 92 different drivers have finished in the top-10 in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.  and Joey Logano lead the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes in the All-Star Race with 14 each.

LAP LEADERS

• In total, 56 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
• Joey Logano leads the NASCAR Cup Series in All-Star Race laps led with 369 laps led in 15 starts.
• The most laps led in a NASCAR All-Star Race by a driver that won the race is 199 of the scheduled 200 laps (99.5%) by Joey Logano in 2024 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. He started the event from the first starting position.
• The most laps led in a NASCAR All-Star Race by a driver that did not win is 139 of the scheduled 250 laps (55.6%) by Joey Logano in 2025 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. He started the event from fourth but finished second.
• Two of the 41 NASCAR All-Star Races were led by a single driver from flag-to-flag – in 1990 Dale Earnhardt led all 70 laps and in 1991 Davey Allison also led all 70 laps (100%). Both instances hold the event’s record for highest percentage of laps led.
• The fewest laps led by the All-Star Race winner is two laps and it has happened three times: 1993 (Dale Earnhardt), 2000 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and 2009 (Tony Stewart).

Top 10 Lap Leaders in the NASCAR All-Star Race

EVENT SPECIFIC STATS & INFO

• The closest Margin of Victory in the NASCAR All-Star Race was on May 19, 2007 when Kevin Harvick beat Jimmie Johnson to the finish line by 0.141-second at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Top Five Closest Margins of Victory in the NASCAR All-Star Open

• The most different leaders in a NASCAR All-Star Race was nine in 2002. Last season’s All-Star race had eight leaders.
• The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race produced the most lead changes in the special non-points event with 18.
• The 2018, 2019 and 2022 NASCAR All-Star Races produced the most cautions in the special non-points event with eight cautions each. Last season’s race produced five cautions.
• The 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race produced the most caution laps in the special non-points event with 31 caution laps from eight cautions.
• Seven times the NASCAR All-Star Race has run caution-less (zero cautions) – 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2008.

FAN VOTE

• The NASCAR All-Star Fan Vote was introduced to the format in 2004 and 17 different drivers have won the vote.
• The first Fan Vote winner was Ken Schrader, driving for BAM Racing in 2004; he started 24th and finished 13th in the All-Star Race.
• In 2008, Kasey Kahne became the first driver to get into the NASCAR All-Star Race by the Fan Vote and go on to win the event. Kahne started 24th (last place) in the All-Star race and won. He led the final 17 laps to win.
• Danica Patrick became the first driver to win more than one Fan Vote into the NASCAR All-Star Race (2013, 2015). She also is the only female to win the Fan Vote into the All-Star race.
• Chase Elliott became the first driver to win the Fan Vote in consecutive seasons (2016, 2017, 2018), and also the first driver to win it three times.
• The only other driver to win the Fan Vote in consecutive years is Noah Gragson (2023-2025).
• Chase Elliott and Noah Gragson lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Fan Vote wins with three victories each.
• Chase Elliott, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano and Carl Edwards are the only five drivers who have won the NASCAR All-Star Race and the Fan Vote:
  • Kahne is the only driver to win them both in the same season – 2008.
  • Earnhardt Jr. won the race in 2000 and the Fan Vote in 2011.
  • Logano won the Fan Vote in 2009 and the All-Star race in 2016 and 2024.
  • Edwards won the Fan Vote in 2010 and the All-Star Race in 2011.
  • Elliott won the Fan Vote from 2016-2018 and the All-Star Race in 2020.

Fan Voters Winners All-Star Race Performances

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