The best of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series best will race for $1 million in the four-segment NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star Race tomorrow at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The opening segment will be 50 laps with the requirement that teams make a Lap 25 green-flag pit stop for tires. Teams have the option to pit following the segment. The second race segment will be 20 laps. Pit stops are not required and teams will again have the option to pit following the segment. Segment three also will be 20 laps and will be followed by a 10-minute intermission where teams will be able adjust their car setups. The finishing order from the third segment will set the starting order for the fourth and final 10-lap segment. The field will be required to take one warm-up lap behind the pace car then pit to take on four tires. The order the field exits pit road will shuffle the field a final time. Only green flag laps will be counted toward the official segment total.
The All-Star Race field will be made up of race winners from either the 2009 or 2010 season through May 16, or any previous All-Star Race winners or Sprint Cup Series champions from the previous 10 years. Three All-Star Race positions will be open. Two will be filled by the top two finishers from the 40-lap Sprint Showdown preliminary race and one driver will be voted into the field by fans. Tony Stewart earned the final-segment win last season. Jeff Gordon won the third segment, Kyle Busch took the second segment and Jimmie Johnson claimed the first segment. Sam Hornish, Jr., and Jamie McMurray finished first and second in the Sprint Showdown race. Joey Logano was voted into the field by fans. Casey Mears will replace Brian Vickers in the No. 83 Red Bull race machine for the event. Vickers is projected to be sidelined three months due to a blod clot condition diagnosed last week. SPEED Channel will present full coverage of the All-Star Race beginning with Showdown practice today at noon followed by All-Star Race practice at 1:30 p.m., Showdown qualifying at 5:00 p.m., and All-Star Race qualifying at 6:00 p.m. Coverage of tomorrow’s Showdown and All-Star cash dash begins at 7:00 p.m.
-Compiled by Mike Schmaltz, Kentucky Speedway
