Series announces 2010 All-Star Showdown date

2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown Schedule Announced

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 4, 2009) -- NASCAR announced today that its premier short-track racing showcase, the 2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, will be run Jan. 29-30 at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.).

The sixth running of the event, which brings together the top racers from across North America for the"Daytona 500 of short-track racing," will be highlighted by the 225-lap NASCAR Camping World Series all-star race.

The schedule also includes a 100-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model race and a 75-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model race. Both nights of racing will air live on SPEED as part of full weekend of racing on SPEED that includes the Rolex 24 at Daytona sports-car event.

"The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown is, without question, the pinnacle event of our touring and weekly series calendar," said George Silbermann, NASCAR's managing director of racing operations. "The excitement and competition has grown with each running of the event. The all-star weekend is a perfect way to cap a tremendous 2009 season, and also get drivers and fans ready for another great year of racing."

The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown was held in the fall for its first five years. It was moved to January last year to give competitors more time to prepare and also to increase exposure for drivers and teams.

The result was an event that had everybody talking. Current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Joey Logano went for the win on the final turn of the final lap and collected race leader Peyton Sellers. Instead of a second straight showdown victory, Logano was penalized for the move, and the victory went to Matt Kobyluck.

It was just another of a long line of exciting finishes to the all-star race.

Kobyluck, who won the NASCAR Camping World Series East title, became the first reigning series champion to cap the season with a NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown victory.

The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown main event -- contested in NASCAR Camping World Series cars -- is open to any driver approved to drive on a half-mile or longer tracks in the NASCAR Camping World Series. Current Sprint Cup Series drivers such as Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Logano launched their careers in the NASCAR Camping World Series. The series is the top development step for drivers looking to make the jump to one of NASCAR's national series.

"The Toyota All-Star Showdown is NASCAR's most prestigious short track racing event featuring some of the finest talent this segment of motor racing has to offer and Toyota Speedway at Irwindale is honored to again serve as its host," said Bob DeFazio, Toyota Speedway at Irwindale track operator. "It continues to grow in popularity as a 'must attend' event and we can't think of a better way for race fans and NASCAR short track racing's elite to put the finishing touches on 2009 and kick-off the 2010 NASCAR racing season!"

Each race winner during the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series season will become eligible for a protected starting spot. In addition, 2009 series champions of NASCAR's regional touring series -- the NASCAR Camping World Series East, NASCAR Camping World Series West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, and NASCAR Mexico Series -- and the 2009 national champion for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series are also eligible for protected starting spots.

In addition to eligible 2009 race winners and series champions, the starting lineup will be determined through time trials, limited provisionals for NASCAR Camping World Series regulars, and the last-chance "Open" race that provides drivers one final chance to make the grid."

New this year, the top five NASCAR Whelen All-American Series state champions -- as determined by the final national standings -- entered in the Late Model race will be eligible for protected starting spots.

-credit: nascar