| Venue | Charlotte Motor Speedway (1985, 1987-Present) Atlanta Motor Speedway (1986) |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Sprint |
| First race | 1985 |
| Distance | 150 miles (241.401 km) |
| Laps | 100 (Four Segments: 50 Laps, 20 Laps, 20 Laps, 10 Laps) |
| Previous names | The Winston (1985-1993, 1997-2003) The Winston Select (1994-1996) NEXTEL All-Star Challenge (2004-2007) |
The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, formerly known as The Winston until 2004, then the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge from 2004 until 2007, is a race open to race winners from the previous season as well as the current season, plus the past ten event winners and past decade's Cup Series champions. Drivers are also eligible if they are one of the top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race (a 40-lap race in two 20-lap segments for drivers not qualified for the main event) or get the most votes in a fan vote. There used to be another qualifying race following the Showdown known as the No Bull Sprint. Since 2003, only one qualifying race has been run. The following year, the fan vote was put into place to determine the second transfer driver. Michael Waltrip became the first driver to win the All-Star race after transferring in from a qualifying race in 1996. The first running of the race was held in 1985 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly Lowe's Motor Speedway) and has been run there every year except in 1986 when it was run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Due to the nature of the race (only winning counts, and no points are rewarded regardless of finishing position), drivers often make crazy and reckless moves not seen in other races, and crashes are frequent - it is not uncommon to see less than half the starting grid finishing at the end. The winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race receives $1,000,000 with each segment winner receiving a bonus prize.
The race has a unique format, which changes frequently. The current format consists of a 50-lap segment with a mandatory 4-tire green flag pit stop on lap 25, two 20-lap segments, a 10-minute break, and a 10-lap shootout to determine the winner.
Former Sprint Cup and Sprint All-Star champions are also eligible for the race. Until 2001, the rule restricted only champions of the past five Sprint All Star Challenge events, but in 2005, the rule became the winners in the past ten years of either the Sprint Cup or the Sprint All-Star Race. The Sprint Showdown was restricted to the top 50 drivers in either the final standings of the previous year or current standings in the current year.
In 2004, NEXTEL, predecessor to Sprint, added a vote of race spectators, internet users and Sprint cellphone users to add one additional driver not in the field, but in the Sprint Showdown, and finishing on the lead lap, to the final starting field.
Starting in 2008, the event's name featured the use of the edition of the race in Roman numerals, with the 2008 race's official name the "Sprint All-Star Race XXIV". Also, the fan entry driver was changed, with the new formula coming from those attending races up to that point, Sprint retail locations and double votes from Sprint subscribers.
The twelve race winners from the 1984 season participated in the inaugural running of The Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The race was 70 laps with one pit stop required. It was held the day before the Coca-Cola 600. A $10,000 bonus was paid to the leader of Lap 20 for leading that lap. Terry Labonte won that bonus.
From its first year, the unique monikor "The Winston" was adopted by sponsor R. J. Reynolds. Rather than referring to the event as a traditional "All star" race, no generic reference was included in the title. Due to limitations on television tobacco advertising, other races which involved tobacco title sponsorship utilized generic names on network television. For example, on ABC, the Winston 500 was called the "Talladega 500" and the Marlboro 500 was called the "Michigan 500." Without a generic alternative, television and other media were forced to acknowledge Winston as the title sponsor, effectively skirting, and pushing the limits of tobacco advertising limits.
The race moved to Atlanta International Raceway in 1986, with a 200 kilometer format of 83 laps (126.326 miles) on Mother's Day, a day typically avoided on the NASCAR calendar. Like its previous counterpart, green flag pit stops were mandatory, and only winners from the 1985 season were eligible. Only nine different drivers won a race in 1985, so the highest placed non-winner in final 1985 points, Geoffrey Bodine, was added to the field for an even 10 cars. A 100-lap (152.2 miles) consolation race for the rest of the drivers, the Atlanta Invitational was held the same day. It featured only thirteen participants, and was won by Benny Parsons. A lackluster crowd of only 18,500 attended the second edition of The Winston, with only twenty-three cars racing in the two races combined.
The race returned to Charlotte with a new 135-lap (202.5 mile), three-segment format which reflected on NASCAR's short-track roots. A new date was introduced, the weekend before the Coca-Cola 600, which gave teams a popular two weeks of festivities at what is generally considered most teams' home track. Live national television coverage on ABC would also be featured for the first of four years. This format consisted of a 75-lap first segment, with a mandatory green flag pit stop, a 50-lap second segment, and a 10-green flag lap final sprint. Each segment would be separated by a ten-minute break.
In addition to the race format, the method for choosing participants changed. The 20-driver field consisted of the past nineteen race winners, regardless of season. The remaining drivers would participate in a 100-lap, last-chance race, the Winston Open, with the winner advancing to the final starting position.
In 1989, qualifying for the starting lineup for The Winston changed to a three-lap time trial, with a two-tire pit stop in the middle.
After a pair of controversial dashes in the past three years which infuriated fans, the race was cut to two segments of 50 and 20 laps to prevent some of the reckless driving, giving the race its 70-lap total distance which would be used until 2001.
The ten minute break would be used between segments.
Two changes were made in qualification in 1991. First, automatic berths were given only to race-winning drivers and owners in 1990 and 1991 up until The Winston. Second, The Winston Open was reduced to 50 laps, with the winner automatically advancing to the Winston. To guarantee 20 cars in the The Winston field, the field would be filled out by the top finishers (e.g., 2nd, 3rd, etc.) in the Winston Open advancing to the main event until the field reached 20 cars.
ABC carried the race in 1990, with the Winston Open finish, and CBS carried both the Open and The Winston in 1991. In 1991, to add to the day of events, the NASCAR Legends Race was held on a quarter-mile oval paved between the Charlotte Motor Speedway quad-oval and pit area. Elmo Langley won the exhibition event featuring retired NASCAR champions and stars.
The race was moved up one day to Saturday night, and is moved to live coverage on The Nashville Network (now Spike TV). The Winston revives the controversial 10-lap shootout, and The Winston Open goes to a short 30-lap format. The 1992 race marked the first superspeedway race held under-the-lights, and resulted in a spectacular finish. Davey Allison and Kyle Petty battled on the last lap, and crashing crossing the finish line. Allison won the race, but spent the evening in the hospital rather than victory lane.
The 1994 was the only running won by a tire brand (Hoosier) other than Goodyear, as Geoff Bodine held off Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader. The event's second segment saw numerous crashes, notably when Ernie Irvan wrecked coming to the yellow to end the second segment.
The 1995 race featured Dale Earnhardt's trend-setting Special paint scheme car.
The field would be inverted after the first segment, and like the previous years, a 10-minute break would be featured between segments.
Former NASCAR Champions were automatically invited to the race, as were the past five years' winners of this race.
After Michael Waltrip's win by being the last car to transfer from The Winston Open, NASCAR changed the procedure by reverting to a format featuring the 1996 and 1997 race winning drivers and owners, and then adding the preceding year's race winning drivers not yet in the field until the field reached 19, and then the winner of The Winston Open. If the number added to the previous year reached over 19, then all drivers who won races that year would be in the field.
The race remained at its 70 lap format, but for 1998, only green flag laps would count in any segment, not just the third segment.
The second ten-minute break is eliminated and replaced with caution laps, and cars would have the option of pitting for tires and fuel, at the expense of losing track position.
The inversion is changed to a random draw between 3 and 12 cars for the inversion after the first segment.
In 1998, qualifying for The Winston Open was changed. Previously it was accomplished with one-lap qualifying runs. From 1998-2000, the No Bull 25 Shootout twin races determined the lineups. Practice speeds (odd/even) from earlier in the day set the field for two 25-lap sprint races. The finish order for the first 25 set the odd positions for the Winston Open, and the finish order for the second 25 set the even positions for the Winston Open. In 2001, The Winston Open reverted back to single-car qualifying, best of two laps.
In 2000-2002, immediately following The Winston Open, a 16-lap "No Bull 5 Sprint" last-chance race was added. The winner of the sprint race would also advance to The Winston.
In 2001, television coverage moved to FX as part of the new NASCAR television contract, and qualifying was changed so the pit stop took place at the start of the qualifying, and the stop was a four-tire change instead of two.
Starting in 2001, crew members were introduced together with drivers during the driver introduction ceremonies, with Fox broadcasters Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond interviewing selected persons during the ceremony.
The popularity of the reality show Survivor influenced Winston to make changes to the format in 2002, adding a new elimination format ("Survival of the Fastest"), and the final segment returns to 20 laps to make tire wear an issue.
Only race winning drivers and owners from 2001 would be in the field, and all former Cup titleholders and the past five winners of The Winston would be added to the field, plus the winner of the qualifying races.
The No Bull Sprint was eliminated after 2002, and for 2003, The Winston Open would become a 20-lap race with pit stops, and then a 10 green flag lap sprint after pit stops.
If the caution flag waved on Lap 40 of the first segment, two green flag laps or the next yellow flag would be run to finish the segment.
In The Winston, only the top 20 cars advanced to the second segment, and 10 cars (in 2002) or 14 cars (in 2003 planned, but was 12 after crashes) advanced to the third segment.
A green flag pit stop for four tires was mandatory in the first segment, but after Frank Stoddard beat the system in 2002 by changing four tires on the car driven by Jeff Burton just feet from the finish line on the last lap, the rule was changed to mandating tire stops at a specific point in the race.
Also, the inversion is moved to the final 20 lap sprint, and the ten-minute break is restored between the second and final segment.
When NEXTEL took over title series title sponsorship from RJ Reynolds in 2004, the race name was changed using the established unofficial "All-Star" moniker which fans had been using for years without referring to the Winston cigarette sponsorship, officially becoming The Nextel All-Star Challenge. The format was changed slightly while the race stayed at 90 laps.
The elimination was eliminated, 1998-2001 inversion and second segment to third segment break rules were restored, meaning a random inversion and an open pit road for the final break instead of a ten-minute break.
The four tire stop is now between Laps 13 and 16.
Starting with the 2007 race, held May 19, 2007, there were major changes.
Announced during the Media Tour in Charlotte on January 23, 2007, the annual Pit Crew Challenge, held May 16, 2007 at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, won by Ryan Newman's crew in 2007, not only gave each member of the crew $10,000 each, but gave the driver the first choice of pit box, instead of the usual post-qualifying selection. The unique three-lap qualifying (with a pit stop to change four tires) remained in place to determine the starting lineup, with $50,000 for the winner, $10,000 for second, and $5,000 for third, with the pit crew receiving half of the winner's share.
Three drivers from the Nextel Open event, a 40-lap race with two 20-lap segments, gained entry to the Challenge. The top two finishers of the Open plus the leading fan vote winner still on the lead lap joined the automatic entries from past decade's All-Star race winners and active Cup Champions, along with the winners of the previous year's and first eleven Nextel Cup races of the current season. Winners of those first eleven races in that season were also eligible for the following season's All-Star event. In addition, as part of NASCAR's new television agreements, coverage was moved from FX to Fox sibling network Speed. The race format also changed as well.
The main race was shortened to eighty laps with four twenty-lap segments (or "quarters" like in football or basketball; only green flag laps will count in the final quarter). After the first segment, a five-lap caution period starts and there is an opportunity for drivers to take an optional pit stop. After the second segment, there is a ten minute "halftime" break so pit crews can make adjustments. Unlike past events though, there is no inversion of the field. Finally, after the third segment, there is a five lap caution period so team can make a required pit stop (for work on their cars or a "stop and go" akin to a speeding penalty on pit row) for all teams which will determine the running order before the Dash for Cash, namely the $1 million (US) grand prize.
The changes to Sprint All-Star Race XXIV from XXIII was not only the name change with Roman numerials akin to the Super Bowl, and the first All-Star Race utilizing the Car of Tomorrow template, but also an expansion of the race by 25%. Each quarter now had five more laps to race, which changes the complexion of each segment, as tire wear will become a greater factor as well as fuel milage would become more of an issue throughout the race. The 2007 race with its 20-lap segments was treated more of a sprint race; the 2008 race with 25-lap segments means a car will use nearly one-half tank of fuel and cycle the tires through one half of a tire run.
It also changed the final pit stop as all cars must pit for fuel and tires since a stop and go during the mandatory pit stop will virtually be impossible because it would be very close to the limit (about 55-60 laps) for fuel, and tire wear became an issue as cars are set up for a fairly long run.
The qualifying race also featured a name change, to the Sprint Showdown. All prize monies remained unchanged for this year's race.
For the 25th anniversary of the race, two of the more popular elements of the classic format returned for this special edition.
The first segment became a 50-lap quarter, with a mandatory pit stop taking place in Lap 25 of the segment, the pit stop must be a four-tire Stop and take place during a green flag condition. Following the first two segments, cars will have the option of pitting, but they will lose track position should they do so.
The second and third segments were twenty laps each, returning to the 2007 format. Following the end of the third segment, a ten-minute break took place, allowing for adjustment of cars preceding the final segment, a ten-green flag lap shootout. The popularity of the double-file restarts throughout the race lead NASCAR to adopt the rule for the second half of the 2009 season.[1]
The practice of using Roman numerals to identify each race began in 2008 (XXIV). At that time, the previous 23 editions were retronomically assigned the proper roman numerals.
| Year | Date | Edition | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Winner's Prize (USD) |
Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||||
| 1985 | May 25 | I | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson Racing | Chevrolet | $200,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:40:32 | 161.184 |
| 1986 | May 11 | II | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | $200,000 | 83 | 126.326 (203.301) | 0:47:37 | 159.123 |
| 1987 | May 17 | III | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | $200,000 | 135 | 202.5 (325.892) | 1:19:24 | 153.023 |
| 1988 | May 22 | IV | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson Racing | Chevrolet | $200,000 | 135 | 202.5 (325.892) | 1:27:16 | 139.228 |
| 1989 | May 21 | V | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | $200,000 | 135 | 202.5 (325.892) | 1:31:25 | 133.150 |
| 1990 | May 20 | VI | Dale Earnhardt (2) | Richard Childress Racing (2) | Chevrolet | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:38:39 | 163.001 |
| 1991 | May 19 | VII | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:37:20 | 168.75 |
| 1992 | May 16 | VIII | Davey Allison (2) | Robert Yates Racing (2) | Ford | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:47:29 | 132.678 |
| 1993 | May 22 | IX | Dale Earnhardt (3) | Richard Childress Racing (3) | Chevrolet | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:45:06 | 139.690 |
| 1994 | May 21 | X | Geoffrey Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:54:31 | 115.561 |
| 1995 | May 22 | XI | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:42:27 | 148.410 |
| 1996 | May 20 | XII | Michael Waltrip | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:38:43 | 162.721 |
| 1997 | May 17 | XIII | Jeff Gordon (2) | Hendrick Motorsports (2) | Chevrolet | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:39:54 | 157.895 |
| 1998 | May 16 | XIV | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 142.084 | |
| 1999 | May 22 | XV | Terry Labonte (2) | Hendrick Motorsports (3) | Chevrolet | $300,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | ||
| 2000 | May 20 | XVI | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | $500,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:37:43 | 167.035 |
| 2001 | May 19 | XVII | Jeff Gordon (3) | Hendrick Motorsports (4) | Chevrolet | $500,000 | 70 | 105 (168.981) | 0:34:03 | 185.022 |
| 2002 | May 18 | XVIII | Ryan Newman | Penske Racing | Ford | $750,000 | 90 | 135 (217.261) | 1:13:38 | 110.005 |
| 2003 | May 17 | XIX | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports (5) | Chevrolet | $1,017,604 | 90 | 135 (217.261) | 1:00:46 | 133.297 |
| 2004 | May 22 | XX | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing (2) | Ford | $1,044,000 | 90 | 135 (217.261) | 1:28:09 | 91.889 |
| 2005 | May 21 | XXI | Mark Martin (2) | Roush Racing (3) | Ford | $1,101,325 | 90 | 135 (217.261) | 1:11:05 | 113.951 |
| 2006 | May 20 | XXII | Jimmie Johnson(2) | Hendrick Motorsports (6) | Chevrolet | $1,055,007 | 90 | 135 (217.261) | 1:18:25 | 103.290 |
| 2007 | May 19 | XXIII | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing (4) | Chevrolet | $1,031,539 | 80 | 120 (193.121) | 1:20:49 | 89.091 |
| 2008 | May 17 | XXIV | Kasey Kahne | Gillett Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | $1,037,935 | 100 | 150 (241.401) | 1:08:38 | 120.113 |
| 2009 | May 16 | XXV | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | $1,033,656 | 100 | 150 (241.401) | 1:30:47 | 156.809 |
| 2010 | May 22 | XXVI | Kurt Busch | Penske Racing (2) | Dodge | $1,078,309 | 100 | 150 (241.401) | 1:35:34 | 94.175 |
| 2011 | May 21 | XXVII | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | $1,203,000 | 100 | 150 (241.401) | 1:10:24 | 127.841 |
| Year | Date | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||
| 1986 | May 11 | Benny Parsons | Leo Jackson Racing | Oldsmobile | 100 | 152.2 (244.942) | 0:57:31 | 157.358 |
| 1987 | May 17 | Buddy Baker | Buddy Baker | Oldsmobile | 100 | 150 (241.401) | 1:12:06 | 124.826 |
| 1988 | May 22 | Sterling Marlin | Billy Hagan | Oldsmobile | 100 | 150 (241.401) | 1:06:22 | 135.610 |
| 1989 | May 21 | Sterling Marlin (2) | Billy Hagan | Oldsmobile | 100 | 150 (241.401) | 1:03:42 | 140.919 |
| 1990 | May 20 | Dick Trickle | Cale Yarborough | Pontiac | 134 | 201 (323.478) | 1:24:22 | 142.919 |
| 1991 | May 19 | Michael Waltrip | Chuck Rider | Pontiac | 134 | 201 (323.478) | 1:28:45 | 135.887 |
| 1992 | May 16 | Michael Waltrip (2) | Chuck Rider | Pontiac | 50 | 75 (120.7) | 0:32:35 | 138.12 |
| 1993 | May 22 | Sterling Marlin (3) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 50 | 75 (120.7) | 0:32:15 | 139.535 |
| 1994 | May 21 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 50 | 75 (120.7) | 0:34:31 | 130.372 |
| 1995 | May 22 | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock | Ford | 50 | 75 (120.7) | 0:37:35 | 119.734 |
| 1996 | May 20 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter | Ford | 50 | 75 (120.7) | 0:29:03 | 154.905 |
| 1997 | May 17 | Ricky Craven | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 50 | 75 (120.7) | 0:26:02 | 172.855 |
| 1998 | May 16 | Jeremy Mayfield | Michael Kranefuss | Ford | 50 | 75 (120.7) | 0:32:01 | 140.552 |
| 1999 | May 22 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 50 | 75 (120.7) | 0:33:19 | 135.064 |
| 2000 | May 20 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 30 | 45 (72.42) | 0:31:52 | 172.916 |
| 2001 | May 19 | Johnny Benson | MB2 Motorsports | Pontiac | 30 | 45 (72.42) | 0:23:21 | |
| 2002 | May 18 | Jeremy Mayfield (2) | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 30 | 45 (72.42) | 0:18:13 | 148.216 |
| 2003 | May 17 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 30 | 45 (72.42) | 0:32:23 | 83.381 |
| 2004 | May 22 | Sterling Marlin (4) | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 30 | 45 (72.42) | ||
| 2005 | May 21 | Brian Vickers | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30 | 45 (72.42) | 0:28:13 | 95.688 |
| 2006 | May 20 | Scott Riggs | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 30 | 45 (72.42) | 0:28:11 | 95.801 |
| 2007 | May 19 | Martin Truex, Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 40 | 60 (96.56) | 0:45:32 | 79.063 |
| 2008 | May 17 | A. J. Allmendinger | Team Red Bull | Toyota | 40 | 60 (96.56) | 0:40:33 | 88.779 |
| 2009 | May 16 | Sam Hornish, Jr. | Penske Racing | Dodge | 40 | 60 (96.56) | 0:43:16 | 83.205 |
| 2010 | May 22 | Martin Truex Jr.(2) | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 40 | 60 (96.56) | 0:34:45 | 103.597 |
| 2011 | May 21 | David Ragan | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 40 | 60 (96.56) | 0:42:42 | 100.570 |
| Year | Date | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||
| 2000 | May 20 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 16 | 24 (38.628) | 0:16:37 | 179.856 |
| 2001 | May 19 | Todd Bodine | Travis Carter | Ford | 16 | 24 (38.628) | 0:13:24 | |
| 2002 | May 18 | Ryan Newman | Penske Racing | Ford | 16 | 24 (38.628) | 0:08:04 | 178.512 |
Twin 25-lap races to determine the starting grid for the Winston Open. The starting lineups of the shootouts were based on practice speeds earlier in the day. In 2001, the starting grid for the Winston Open reverted back to two-lap qualifying.
| Year | Date | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Race Distance | Average Speed (mph) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | ||||||
| 1998 | May 16 | Jeremy Mayfield | Michael Kranefuss | Ford | 25 | 37.5 (60.35) | |
| Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter | Ford | 25 | 37.5 (60.35) | |||
| 1999 | May 22 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 25 | 37.5 (60.35) | 171.826 |
| Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 25 | 37.5 (60.35) | 173.410 | ||
| 2000 | May 20 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25 | 37.5 (60.35) | 167.379 |
| Jimmy Spencer (2) | Travis Carter | Ford | 25 | 37.5 (60.35) | 171.886 | ||
Starting in 1989, pole qualifying for race changed. During the three-lap run, teams are required to perform a two-tire pit stop on either the first or the second lap.
Through 1997, one-lap qualifying was utilized. From 1998-2000, a pair of qualifying races, the No Bull 25's, set the starting lineup. The use of one lap qualifying (best single lap of two) resumed in 2001.
See NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race XXVI
| Year | Network | Lap-by-lap | Color commentator(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | TNN | Eli Gold | Buddy Baker and Dick Berggren |
| 1999 | Speedvision | ||
| 1998 | Speedvision |
The Sprint All-Star Race's roots are from the non-championship 1961-1963 Race of Champions at Daytona International Speedway. A 10-lap, 25-mile All-Star event was held in conjunction with the Speedweeks activities. Like Sprint All-Star Race I and II, only winners of the previous season participated in this event.
| Year | Date | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||
| 1961 | February 19 | Joe Weatherly | Bud Moore Engineering | Pontiac | 10 | 25 (40.233) | 0:09:41 | 154.905 |
| 1962 | February 10 | Fireball Roberts | Jim Stephens | Pontiac | 10 | 25 (40.233) | 0:09:33 | 157.081 |
| 1963 | February 10 | Fred Lorenzen | Holman-Moody | Ford | 10 | 25 (40.233) | 0:09:11 | 163.297 |
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