Since the mid-80's, Nascar has shown off its biggest and brightest stars in the most-convoluted way possible via an All-Star Race. Confused? Join the club. Here's an explanation:
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| Unfortunately, Waltrips speak louder than actions |
--You can become locked-in for the Sprint All-Star Race one of three ways: Win a Cup race in this season or the previous season, Win an All-Star Race in the past 10 years, or Win a Championship in the past 10 years. So you see virtually all of Nascar's brightest stars in this group--Stewart, Johnson, Kenseth, Gordon, …Ragan?
--The night before the All-Star Race (so, tonight), Nascar is holding the Sprint Showdown, which is open to any team with a driver who has not qualified for the All-Star Race already. Qualifying for this event is just like any other race, except that Penske isn't there to dominate it.
--The Showdown features two 20-lap segments, in which caution flags are NOT counted in the second segment. The top two finishers in the Showdown advance to the All-Star Race.
--Now that the Sprint Showdown is not to be confused with the Showcase Showdown, the final round of The Price is Right.
--The third and final entrant is Danica Patrick, formerly known as the Sprint Fan Vote winner. The fan vote winner, announced immediately after the Showdown, is the driver with the most votes (Danica) who was not already locked into the All-Star Race (Danica), who also did not finish first or second in the Showdown (definitely Danica), whose car is determined to be in raceable condition (hmmm…).
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| This happened |
--Then, on Saturday Night, the actual All-Star Race happens. (Almost) immediately before this, qualifying occurs. In-between, watch Michael Waltrip desperately try to be funny.
--Qualifying is pretty unique: Cars make single-car runs for three laps, with a mandatory four-tire pit-stop occurring on the second lap--the qualifying time is the total of the three-lap run and pit stop. Also note that there is no pit road speed limit, aka Kyle Busch's Dream.
--The race will be broken into five different segments. The first four will each be 20-lap segments, with optional pit-stops between them. Caution laps WILL be counted for when the inevitable TRD engine blow-up happens.
--After Segment 4, drivers will be repositioned by their average finishes in the previous four segments, with any ties based on finishing position in Segment 4. Then, a mandatory, four-tire pit-stop takes place, with cars returning to the track for a 10-lap final segment in which caution laps are NOT counted. Odds on Fox somehow screwing up the math are 2:1.
--Oh, and if a driver manages to win all five segments, they'll get $1,000,000 from Bruton Smith. I don't know what's tougher--winning all five segments, or listening to Bruton Smith.