NASCAR reveals 2025 All-Star Race format with 'promoter's caution' to allow for random yellow
Details for the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway were unveiled Wednesday morning with the interesting wrinkle of a 'promoter's caution.'
The twist allows for a random yellow flag that must be thrown prior to Lap 220 of 250. If the promoter's caution (which is optional) has yet to be used by Lap 200 and a 'natural' yellow flag falls after Lap 200, the promoter's caution no longer will be in play.
North Wilkesboro Speedway is owned by Speedway Motorsports, whose founder, late NASCAR Hall of Famer Bruton Smith, was a bombastic racetrack promoter who advocated throwing intentional cautions to bunch up the field and spice up the racing.
The All-Star Race will be held May 18 and will award $1 million to the winner on the 0.625-mile short track.
Other features of the event:
—A new 'Manufactuer Showdown' will pit Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota in a battle for the best combined overall finish in the All-Star Race. The teams will be established after the main event lineup is set with the manufacturer with the least representation determining the number of cars per team. The finishing positions of each manufacturer will be totaled, and the lowest cumulative score will be the winner.
—The All-Star Race will feature traditional competition elements: two heat races to set the starting lineup, a 100-lap All-Star Open and the 250-lap main event (with a competition caution at Lap 100).
—Three drivers will advance to the All-Star Race main event from the Open: the top two finishers and the winner of a NASCAR.com fan vote.
—Driver who won a points race in 2024-25, full-time drivers with a previous All-Star Race win and full-time former Cup Series champions are qualified for the main event.
Here is the list of drivers who have clinced spots in the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race: William Byron, Daniel Suárez, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Harrison Burton, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Josh Berry, and Kyle Busch.
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