It’s wild how fast the All-Star Race went from nostalgic revival to full-blown controversy. Just a couple of years ago, fans were hyped to see North Wilkesboro Speedway roar back to life. But then came the 2024 race—flat, predictable, and honestly, a snoozer. Joey Logano led almost every lap from the pole: no drama, no real battles, just a long cruise for a million bucks. So, NASCAR did what NASCAR does, went back to the drawing board, and came back with a fresh batch of band-aid changes for 2025.
Enter Denny Hamlin, who has quickly become NASCAR’s most outspoken critic. Just before the Wurth 400, the JGR driver didn’t hold back when he called out the proposed “Run What Ya Brung” format for the All-Star Race. NASCAR floated the idea of letting teams go wild with parts not legal in regular races, just for this one exhibition. It was supposed to make things more exciting. But Hamlin, now a seasoned team owner, saw nothing but dollar signs. “It would destroy three cars,” he said flat-out. He also laughed off NASCAR’s claim that the plan would be cheap. “I’m now a five-year-experienced team owner. So, I think I know what it costs,” he quipped.
Hamlin’s concern wasn’t just about the cost, it was also about fairness and the risk of opening a “Pandora’s Box.” Other drivers and teams backed him, and soon the idea was scrapped. But just when the dust seemed to be settling, NASCAR stirred the pot again. Yep, even after scrapping one controversial idea, they’ve now added another one. And let’s just say, not everyone’s thrilled.
NASCAR doubles down on its controversial idea!
This year’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro will be the longest in years. The main event jumps from 200 to 250 laps. On top of that, NASCAR has added a series of new, manufactured cautions. There will be a competition caution at Lap 100, just like last year. But now, there’s also a “promoter’s caution” that can be thrown at any point between Laps 110 and 220. The kicker? It’s entirely up to Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith. He can throw that yellow flag whenever he feels like it, as long as there’s no natural caution after Lap 200.
However, initially, NASCAR limited this to the main event, but on Monday, they rolled out additional changes. According to insider Bob Pockrass, they also changed the heat races that set the field. They’re now 75 laps instead of 60, with a mandatory caution at Lap 30. The All-Star Open, the last chance race for those not locked in, will be 100 laps with a caution at Lap 40. “NASCAR has adjusted the all-star heat races from 60 laps to 75 laps with a caution around lap 30,” Pockrass posted.
NASCAR has adjusted the all-star heat races from 60 laps to 75 laps with a caution around lap 30.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 5, 2025
Now, add it all up—every race guarantees at least four cautions, plus the wild card promoter’s caution. If there’s no overtime and no natural yellows, fans will still see five cautions for 500 laps of racing, all artificially placed. Unsurprisingly, drivers and fans are already upset. Before the Texas race, Kyle Busch didn’t hold back. On the Door Bumper Clear podcast, he ripped into the idea.
“What are we doing?” Busch asked. “If we’re Bailey and Barnum, then let’s just call it that.” Freddie Kraft, Bubba Wallace’s spotter, joked they should let a drunk fan decide when to throw the caution. The sarcastic tone echoed a growing sentiment in the garage: This race is becoming a circus. Notably, Denny Hamlin has become the loudest voice in this debate, and not just because he’s a driver. As the co-owner of 23XI Racing, he sees both the business and the sport. He agrees that the All-Star Race should be a playground for testing new ideas, but he also wants accountability. “If you’re going to do something like this, at least make it make sense,” he said on his podcast.
Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has pitched a different idea, and fans love it. He wants NASCAR to ditch the expensive Next Gen cars and run the All-Star Race in Late Model Stocks. It’s a crazy plan, sure, but it would cut costs and maybe even bring back retired stars like himself or Jimmie Johnson. “Just leave the Next Gen at home. Make it a true exhibition. You could field the entire grid for less than what one Next Gen car costs,” Dale Jr. said. However, we all know it’s not going to happen, not with NASCAR so committed to testing new formats, but it speaks to the hunger for something authentic.
NASCAR’s All-Star Race has always been a place to experiment. But this year’s changes feel like overkill. Between Denny Hamlin’s very public objections, the backlash over the promoter’s caution, and a race format stuffed with interruptions, the All-Star Race is shaping up to be one of the most debated events in recent memory. Whether it delivers action or just more confusion remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure, Kyle Larson is going to fight for a million dollars instead of pole position in the Indy 500.
Kyle Larson picks a million dollars over the Indy pole!
As if the All-Star drama wasn’t thick enough, Kyle Larson added another layer of intrigue. Hendrick Motorsports driver will run the Indianapolis 500 and the NASCAR All-Star Race on the same weekend. Time trials for Indy now clash with the All-Star main event at North Wilkesboro. When asked to choose, Larson didn’t hesitate. “I think that I would miss the Fast 6 and go to the All-Star Race. It’s important to race in, it’s a lot of money on the line,” he said.
That “money on the line” is a cool $1 million for the winner. Even though pole position at Indy is prestigious, Larson made it clear his priorities lie with NASCAR. “Sure, it’d be great to have an opportunity to get the pole, but I’d rather race for a million dollars and start sixth [at Indy]. You never really know how it’s going to go. Gotta make sure our car’s fast enough to even worry about all that anyways,” he added.
With Larson’s choice, NASCAR’s All-Star Race gets a major credibility boost. But the weekend will test his stamina, focus, and maybe even his loyalty. Notably, last year, Hendrick Motorsports arranged for Kevin Harvick to serve as Larson’s replacement for the race. This year. Larson wanted Carl Edwards to fill in for him, but the NASCAR Hall of Famer declined the offer. For now, the 2021 Cup series champion is all set for a relentless and historic weekend.
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