There is nothing compelling about the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race format

When NASCAR announced it was moving the All-Star Race to Dover, it mostly just seemed like a diss to Dover by taking away its points-paying race. That is because all the All-Star Race means to fans at this point is that they have to read another epic poem about a new, unnecessarily complicated race format.

This year, there isn’t even any jeopardy; the whole field gets to start. That reveals the transparently profit-based reason this event continues. Nobody wants to have to tell their sponsors that they paid for an optional race they don’t even get to run.

If there has to be an All-Star Race, I like Jeff Gluck’s idea of having the last-place car drop out of the field every five laps until a winner is crowned.