Format revealed for All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro

The starting lineup will be determined by two 60-lap heat races. The lineup for the heats will be determined by a pit stop competition where each team must complete a four-tire stop.

The All-Star Open will be 100 laps with the top-two finishers advancing into the main event, along with the Fan Vote recipient. There will be a break around Lap 40.

The main event will be 200 laps around the .625-mile legendary short track, with a break around the halfway point. Both green-flag and yellow-flag laps will count with normal NASCAR Overtime rules in effect.

North Wilkesboro hasn't hosted a Cup race since 1996, and the track hasn't been repaved in over 40 years.

Although teams will have three sets of sticker tires in addition to the set they start on, only one set will be available after the midway break in the main event.

“As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, it’s important for NASCAR to honor our history while moving towards the future,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR chief operating officer. “The combination of the Next Gen cars on one of NASCAR’s first – and most exciting – tracks will deliver a full weekend of racing that fans will not forget. While the All-Star Race has previously been used to test new formats and technologies, we wanted this year’s format to showcase the historic return of NASCAR to North Wilkesboro Speedway.”

There are currently 22 drivers locked into the race (in alphabetical order): Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Daniel Suarez, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace.

"This format has an old-school, short-track feel to it---just like it should be for a return to North Wilkesboro,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “Dale Jr. had some fantastic ideas and it was fun to work with him alongside NASCAR to pull this all together.  I’m thankful for Dale’s passion for this entire project and I think we’ve landed on something that both the fans in the stands and those watching on television will absolutely love.  We want everyone after the race to smile and say ‘Wow, that was fun!’”

Added NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “The star of this year’s All-Star Race is the track. The history, the nostalgia, the surface - just being back at North Wilkesboro. People have wanted traditional racing back at North Wilkesboro for decades, and that’s what’s most important - that’s what this format delivers. The Pit Crew Challenge puts a lot of pressure on the teams, and with a 100-lap Open and a 200-lap All-Star Race, I’m excited to sit back alongside the fans and watch the racing we’ve all wanted for a long time.”

The All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 on Sunday, May 21, at 8 p.m. EST.