NEXTEL All-Star Challenge

The NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, formerly known as The Winston until 2003, is a race open to race winners from the previous season as well as the current season. Drivers are also eligible if they win the NEXTEL Open qualifying race (a 30-lap race between drivers not qualified for the main event) or remain on the lead lap in the NEXTEL Open and get the most votes. There used to be another qualifying race following the Open known as the No Bull Sprint. Since 2003, only one qualifying race has been ran. The following year, a fan vote was put into place to determine the second transfer driver. Michael Waltrip became the first driver to win the All-Star race after transferring in from a qualifying race in 1996. The first running of the race was held in 1985 at Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly the Charlotte Motor Speedway) and has been ran there every year except in 1986 when it was ran at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Due to the nature of the race (only winning counts), drivers often make crazy and reckless moves not seen in other races, and crashes are frequent.

Related Topics:
Michael Waltrip - Lowe's Motor Speedway - Atlanta Motor Speedway

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The race has a unique format. There are three segments, each gradually shortening. The first segment is 40 laps, the second is 30 laps and the third is 20 green-flag laps (caution laps do not count in that segment). There is a mandatory mid-race pit stop in the first segment. After the first segment, part of the field is inverted depending on the draw method used (it changes every year).

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Former Nextel Cup champions are also eligible for the race. Until 2005, former winners of the All-Star race were also eligible, but this was changed so that only former winners within the last ten years would be eligible, thus ruining 1994 winner Geoffrey Bodine's attempt to compete in 2005.

Related Topics:
Nextel Cup - Geoffrey Bodine

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