NASCAR’s All-Star Race has always been about as unique of event as someone could find on a NASCAR Cup Series schedule year after year.
Thanks to 2020, Wednesday night – a formerly foreign phrase to the NASCAR Cup Series – will feature the most unique race that we have ever seen.
I’m wrapping up everything you need to know about the 2020 All Star Race below:
Race Rules
The Open (7:00 p.m. ET – Fox Sports 1)
85 laps total
3 Stages – 35 laps, 35 laps, 15 laps
The All-Star Open is meant for drivers who do not qualify for the All-Star Race at the end of the night. The winners of each of the three stages will earn their way to a spot in the main event. It’s sort of like a series of dirt track heat races.
The All Star Race (8:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports 1)
140 laps total
4 Stages – 55 laps, 35 laps, 35 laps, 15 laps
The All-Star Race field is made out of the winners from the previous season (2019) as well as any race winners from the current season.
Along with it, they will be joined by potentially three All-Star Open stage winners as well as the winner of the Fan Vote who gets an automatic ticket in.
During this year’s race, NASCAR will be implementing the Choose Cone Rule, also known as the Matt Weaver Rule, on any restarts. Once there is a caution, they will line the cars up by single file. Each driver will get to choose whether they want to start on the inside or the outside rule and fall into line behind others in front of them.
For example, the drivers in the first four spots all opt to start on the inside line because they think it will be faster. In response the fifth place driver chooses the outside line, he will start in the first row on the outside – basically second place.
The Cars
The 2020 All Star cars will feature two dynamically different car designs.
The first announced, can be seen below, where the primary sponsor is given extra space on the side panels and the numbers are shifted towards the rear of the car.
Hendrick’s All-Star Race Paint Schemes via the Team Hendrick Youtube. pic.twitter.com/XSSHRX25VU
— PlanBSales.com (@PlanBSales) July 13, 2020
The move is supposed to be an experiment on placements of ads on cars and fans are reacting to it about as well as they have with ads on jerseys in traditional American sports.
The cars will also feature an underglow as they did during the tour’s banquet ceremony in Nashville last year.
Kurt Busch’s car looked like this.
What are your thoughts about underglow on racecars? Should NASCAR consider using it for certain races?#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/UeVEvCsd1h
— Racing Round Table (@RacingRT1) July 7, 2020
Each car will have an underglow assigned to its manufacturer. Toyotas will have red, Fords will have blue, and Chevrolets will have a color described as amber – similar to the gold Chevy emblem.
All Star Race Starting Lineup
1. Martin Truex Jr.
2. Alex Bowman
3. Ryan Blaney
4. Justin Haley
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Matt Kenseth
7. Kurt Busch
8. Cole Custer
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Kyle Busch
11. Ryan Newman
12. Joey Logano
13. Chase Elliott
14. Jimmie Johnson
15. Denny Hamlin
16. Erik Jones
17. All Star Open Stage 1 Winner
18. All Star Open Stage 2 Winner
19. All Star Open Stage 3 Winner
20. Fan Vote Winner
NASCAR revealed during Race Hub that Michael McDowell and Aric Almirola will be on the front row to kick off the All Star Open from Charlotte. We will update the lineup below when it becomes available.
All Star Open Starting Lineup
1. Michael McDowell
2. Aric Almirola
