Jan
23
NASCAR Revamps NEXTEL All-Star Challenge
January 23, 2007 | Posted by VroomDude
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As if fiddling with the Chase structure isn’t enough, NASCAR is also tweaking the format of the All-Star race held at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
NASCAR made another slight adjustment Tuesday, revamping the format of its annual All-Star event to add at least one more driver.
The Nextel All-Star Challenge will now be run in four 20-lap segments with an expanded field.
“The changes to the Chase, as well as the All-Star event, were a collaborative effort that we put forth to make it easier for the fans to understand,” said Steve O’Donnell, vice president of NASCAR’s racing operations.
“We know that’s going to take some time, as with any change takes some time. But we believe both decisions are headed in the right direction and will make the sport more exciting.”
The All-Star event, held annually at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, will now be a total of 80 laps with breaks between each segment. There will be an optional pit stop after the first segment, and a 10-minute break after the second segment in which teams will be allowed to work on their cars.
There will be a mandatory pit stop after the third segment, setting up one final 20-lap dash to the $1 million grand prize.
Can’t see too many heads exploding over this one, as it’s kind of a manufactured thing all the way around, so fiddle with it however you want.