ollowing last weekend’s trip to Kansas Speedway, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads into its All-Star weekend, but instead of taking a break, the drivers and teams will be preparing for Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race.
This will be the 35th running of the event, and while this year’s race will once again feature a $1 million prize for the winner, it will also feature a few tweaks to the rules. Like last year, there will be four stages, but the final stage will be five laps longer. The breakdown of the stages will be 30 laps, 20 laps, 20 laps and 15 laps, and while both green flag and yellow flag laps will count in the first three, only green flag laps will count in the final stage with unlimited attempts at a green-white-checkered finish.
NASCAR will also use the race as a chance to experiment with some of the technical changes that may be included in the Gen-7 car that is being planned for the 2021 season. A single-piece, carbon fiber splitter will be used in an attempt to improve ride height stability and help handling in traffic. Cars will also be equipped with a radiator duct that exits through the hood instead of into the engine compartment.
Whether these changes have much impact on the racing remains to be seen, but if NASCAR is going to experiment with these changes, I’d much rather than do it during an exhibition race than introduce random changes throughout the year.
To be eligible for the race, a driver must have a win in either 2018 or 2019. They can also be former winners of the All-Star Race or former series champions. By those criteria, we currently have 15 drivers locked into Saturday’s night field. However, that number will expand by four before the race begins.
Prior to the main event, the Monster Energy Open will be held. The 50-lap race will feature three stages of 20 laps, 20 laps and 10 laps. The winner of each stage will earn an automatic spot in the All-Star Race. One final spot will be reserved for the winner of a fan vote, bringing the field to a total of 19 drivers.
Granted, a lot of the season-long Fantasy NASCAR leagues don’t include the All-Star Race in their contests. However, DraftKings has offered contests in the past, and there are usually All-Star Race-specific games available on some sites. If you do find yourself getting in on the action this weekend, make sure you check out my driver rankings.
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1. Kyle Busch, #18 M&M’s, Joe Gibbs Racing
Busch is having an excellent 2019 season, and Charlotte has always been a strong track for Busch. He won the All-Star Race two years ago. He clobbered the competition at Charlotte last May. Busch led 377 of the 400 laps on his way to the win. I think he will be the man to beat Saturday night.
2. Kevin Harvick, #4 Jimmy Johns/Busch Beer, Stewart-Haas Racing
Harvick is the defending winner of the All-Star Race. He has finished in the Top 10 in four of the last six races at Charlotte, finishing in the Top 3 three times. Harvick seems to have a good handle on this package at the 1.5-mile ovals, and I don’t expect much to change this weekend.
3. Martin Truex, Jr., #19 Bass Pro Shops, Joe Gibbs Racing
Although Truex hasn’t had the best luck in the All-Star Race, he does know how to get around Charlotte. He has finished third or better in five of his last six starts here, winning twice and leading 90-plus laps three times. It is only a matter of time before all that speed translates to a great finish in this event.
4. Joey Logano, #22 Shell-Pennzoil, Team Penske
Logano has quickly amassed a strong record in the All-Star Race. He has finished eighth or better in seven of his eight starts in the event. Logano also has four finishes of third or better, including a win in 2016. He’s been a little more inconsistent at Charlotte in the regular season, but he did win the fall race here in 2015. As fast as Team Penske has been this year, I think he will be just fine this weekend.
5. Denny Hamlin, #11 FedEx, Joe Gibbs Racing
He has piled up an impressive resume at Charlotte and the All-Star Race itself. Hamlin has nine Top 10s and a 7.4 average finish in his last 10 All-Star starts, picking up a win in 2015. He has eight Top 10s in the last 10 regular season races here, including five Top 5s in his last six starts. Hamlin should be an excellent fantasy option this weekend.
