North Wilkesboro Speedway, NASCAR All-Star Weekend

NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports announced details for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race to be held on Sunday, May 19, for the second consecutive year at the newly paved North Wilkesboro Speedway. While the simplified format will return this season, featuring two heat races to set the All-Star Race starting lineup, a 100-lap All-Star Open, and a 200-lap main event, several new features will debut, including a tire strategy element, a new Qualifying / Pit Crew Challenge format, and pitting requirements. The spotlight will be on the stars of the sport as they take on these new challenges at the historic .625-mile track in the annual exhibition event for the grand prize of $1 million.

The signature new element in this season’s format centers around tire type and allotment. Potentially, three different tires will be utilized throughout the event weekend— a “prime tire” (the baseline tire assessed in the Goodyear Tire Test at North Wilkesboro Speedway), an “option tire” (slick tires, but made with the same rubber as the wet weather tire, making it a softer tire with more grip and faster wear) and “wet weather” (the wet weather tire only used if the track is wet). The ‘Goodyear Eagle’ lettering will be yellow on the prime tires, red on the option tires, and white on the wet weather tires.

The particulars on the tires:

• Teams will be allotted nine sets of tires for the event weekend.

• Teams will be allotted three sets of prime tires and two sets of option tires for practice, qualifying, the heat races, and the Open.

• For the All-Star Race, teams will have two sets each of primes and options.

• All four tires on the car must be of the same type at all times.

• Only the prime tire will be used during both qualifying sessions.

• For practice, the heat races, and the NASCAR All-Star Open, teams will have the option to start on any type of tire.

• All teams will start on the option tire for the All-Star Race.

This Sunday, May 19, the NASCAR All-Star Open is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. ET and the main event, the NASCAR All-Star Race, will follow at 8 p.m. ET – both will be broadcast on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – with over $1 million dollars up for grabs.

2024 NASCAR All-Star Open and All-Star Race Formats

This season’s NASCAR All-Star Weekend will be similar to last year with a simplified format – – featuring two heat races to set the All-Star Race starting lineup, a 100-lap All-Star Open, and a 200-lap main event – several new features will debut including a tire strategy element, a new Qualifying / Pit Crew Challenge format and pitting requirements.

Friday, May 17 – NASCAR All-Star Open Qualifying format is as follows:

• Two laps, the fastest lap counts

• Traditional qualifying session

• Qualifying results determine the starting lineup for the NASCAR All-Star Open.

• Must be on prime tire

Friday, May 17 – NASCAR All-Star Race Qualifying format is as follows:

• Three laps, including pit stop

• Competitors will take green flag and run one full lap at speed, and on the second lap will proceed (maintaining pit road speed on pit road) to one of the two designated pit stalls for a four-tire stop, with mock fuel delivery.

• When the pit stop is complete, the cars will exit pit road (maintaining pit road speed), and race back to the checkered flag.

• Qualifying time will be the total elapsed time from green flag to checkered flag.

• Pole sitter will sit on the pole for Heat Race 1 and the All-Star Race.

• Must be on prime tire

Friday, May 17 – NASCAR All-Star Pit Crew Challenge format is as follows:

• Fastest pit stop

• The pit crew with the fastest pit stop during the NASCAR All-Star Race Qualifying attempt is the winner of the Pit Crew Challenge.

• Pit Crew Challenge results determine the order of pit picking.

Saturday, May 18 – NASCAR All-Star Heat Race 1 & 2 formats are as follows:

• Two Heat Races, 60 laps each (37.5 miles each).

• The 17 drivers already locked into the NASCAR All-Star Race field will be split into two 60-lap Heat races on Saturday night (May 18) which will determine the starting lineup for the All-Star Race.

• All laps (caution and green flag) will count. Each Heat race will get one chance at overtime if needed.

• Results of Heat 1 will establish the inside row for the All-Star Race, results of Heat 2 will establish the outside row for the All-Star Race.

• ‘All-Star Caution’ at or around Lap 30 of each Heat Race, with mandatory four-tire pit stop.

• The remaining teams not already locked into the NASCAR All-Star Race will compete in the All-Star Open.

Sunday, May 19 – NASCAR All-Star Open format is as follows:

• The All-Star Open on Sunday (May 19) will feature the 20 drivers not previously eligible for the All-Star Race.

• The All-Star Open will be 100 laps (62.5 miles).

• All laps (caution and green flag) will count. The Open will get one chance at overtime if needed.

• ‘All-Star Caution’ at or around Lap 50, with mandatory four-tire pit stop.

• Three Open drivers will advance to the All-Star Race – the top two race finishers and the Fan Vote Winner.

Sunday, May 19 – The NASCAR All-Star Race format is as follows:

• Technical rules for the cars will remain the same as other NASCAR Cup Series short track races.

• The NASCAR All-Star Race will be 200 laps (125 miles).

• Teams must start All-Star Race on option tire.

• Teams will have two sets each of primes and options. All four tires on the car must be of the same type at all times.

• All laps (caution and green flag) will count.

• NASCAR overtime rules are in effect (unlimited attempts).

• ‘All-Star Caution’ at or around Lap 100, and Lap 150.

• Each team must execute a four-tire stop during the Lap 100 ‘All-Star Caution’.

• All-Star Race winner earns $1 million.