NASCAR at Charlotte 2015: Preview and Prediction for the Sprint All-Star Race
This NASCAR season is flying by. It feels like we were just at Charlotte last fall watching Matt Kenseth jump Brad Keselowski between the trailers, and now here we are for the Sprint Showdown and the Sprint All-Star Race.
NASCAR's version of an All-Star break might not include Las Vegas or flashy dunk contests, but it does provide a refreshing fast and segmented format and a chance to see the best drivers in the world compete against each other for money and glory. What could be better than that?
Jamie McMurray will be trying to repeat last year's victory; Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson will try to keep their magical seasons going; Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano will try to get their first All-Star victories; and Martin Truex Jr., Danica Patrick and Kyle Larson will merely try to qualify.
Here's everything you need to know about the Sprint All-Star Race.
By the Numbers: The 31st Annual Sprint All-Star Race
1 of 7
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, May 16
The Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN), SiriusXM Ch. 90
Distance: 165 miles (110 laps)
Sprint Showdown Format
Thirty cars are entered into the Sprint Showdown, which will be shown Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
There will be two 20-lap segments. The winner of each segment will advance to the Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday. The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote will also be included in the Saturday field. Daniel McFadin of NASCAR Talk provided the full list of Sprint Showdown drivers.
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Format
The race itself will consist of four 25-lap segments plus one final 10-lap shootout. Here are the rules for each segment:
Segments 1, 2 and 3/25 laps each: All laps will be counted. ... Optional pit stop during break, teams that pit will not retain their position on track.
Segment 4/25 laps: All laps will be counted. ... Running order at the completion of the fourth segment will be repositioned based on the average finish of the first four segments. ... Running order ties will be broken by the finish of the fourth segment. ... Pit road will be open for a mandatory four-tire pit stop. ... Order of cars returning to the track will determine starting order of the fifth and final segment.
Segment 5/10 laps: Only green-flag laps will be counted.
*Sprint All-Star Race format information courtesy of official NASCAR media release.
Key Storylines
2 of 7
Who Will Qualify in the Sprint Showdown?
The intrigue for the All-Star Race begins in earnest Friday in the Sprint Showdown, as the drivers without either a previous All-Star win or a Sprint Cup win in 2014 or 2015 will vie for a place in the race Saturday and a chance for the big-time payday.
Martin Truex Jr., who is second in the points standings right now but still without a win, will be a part of the Showdown, as will Kyle Larson, Danica Patrick, Clint Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Greg Biffle and the defending Xfinity Series champion, Chase Elliott.
Who Will Win the Sprint Fan Vote?
It's strange but true: In the last 10 years, there have been 10 different winners of the Sprint Fan Vote. Last year, Reddit shocked the racing world when it voted Josh Wise into the All-Star Race over expected winner Danica Patrick. Will this year be a surprise as well?
How Will Kyle Busch's Return Go?
It's going to be great to see Kyle Busch back on the track. The younger Busch brother has been out all season since a wreck in the Daytona Xfinity race saw him break his right leg and left foot. The short segments of the All-Star Race will be a perfect opportunity for Busch to get back into the racing groove, but it will be interesting to see how he looks.
Can Jeff Gordon Win in His All-Star Swan Song?
It's hard to think of an All-Star Race without Jeff Gordon, but that's the world we're facing beginning next year. The Hendrick Motorsports driver hasn't made it to Victory Lane yet this season, and a victory here in Charlotte could certainly open the floodgates and help him return to his winning ways.
Drivers to Watch
3 of 7
Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray held off Carl Edwards to win this race last year, his only victory of the season—and, unfortunately, one that didn't put him in the Chase. Still, McMurray enjoys the short-race format, and considering two of his seven Sprint Cup victories have come at Charlotte, he's certainly a factor.
Kasey Kahne
Kahne is the only NASCAR All-Star winner in history to win the fan vote and then go on to win the All-Star Race, a feat he accomplished back in 2008. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is in the race automatically this year and should be feeling great—he has four Sprint Cup points wins on this track.
Jeff Gordon
Even though it's not a points race, it would be pretty special for Gordon to win the All-Star Race in his final year on the circuit. The No. 24 driver has three All-Star wins, but none since 2001, so he will certainly be hungry.
It's been two years since he's won a Sprint Cup race, but the good news for Tony Stewart—who has been driving better the past few weeks but unable to get out of a race with his car intact—is that the shorter race means less time to find trouble. Stewart has one win and six top-fives at Charlotte in his career, in addition to one All-Star victory.
Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards likes racing at Charlotte. He has finished in the top 10 in seven of his last eight starts in the Queen City and has one victory on the track, coming in the All-Star Race back in 2011. He will definitely be a factor under the lights.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Favorites
4 of 7
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson pretty much owns this track. The No. 48 has four All-Star victories and seven points wins at Charlotte. Coming off of his third win of the season at the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 last week, he is certainly the car to beat.
Brad Keselowski
Keselowski has already accomplished so much in his young career, but he hasn't gotten a win at the All-Star Race, and that's something he would like to change. The last time the Penske driver was at this track, he was in the middle of a fight, so he'll want this exit to be a bit more graceful.
Joey Logano
Like his teammate Keselowski, Logano doesn't have an All-Star Race victory to his name. He also doesn't have a win yet at Charlotte, although he does have four top-fives in points races. Since his Daytona 500 victory, his car has been starting strong but fading a bit down the stretch—often due to silly mistakes—so the shorter length of this race should work to his advantage.
Kevin Harvick
Harvick won the last race at Charlotte during the Chase, and given the phenomenal season he's having, there's no reason to think he can't get back to Victory Lane on Saturday. In just 11 races in 2015, Harvick has two victories and six runner-up finishes. He won this race back in 2007. There has been no letdown this year for the 2014 Sprint Cup champion.
Junior is having a great season, sitting at fourth in the points standings with one win and six top-fives. Despite his home allegiance, the Charlotte track hasn't been very kind to Earnhardt Jr. in his career, but his two victories did come on All-Star weekend—one in the Sprint Showdown in 2012 and one in the All-Star Race way back in 2000. The way he's been driving this year, he's certainly in position for another good Charlotte memory.
Dark Horse
5 of 7
If you're looking for someone outside of the usual suspects to win the All-Star Race, Kahne is certainly a good choice.
Not only has he had success in this event before, as his victory in 2008 proves, but Kahne and his No. 5 team are also having an improved season under his new crew chief—and former longtime engineer—Keith Rodden. The entire team is holding meetings more often, and everyone is much more engaged and invested.
"It seems to have helped not just me, but it seems to have helped the whole team," Kahne told NBC's NASCAR Talk, as reported by Dustin Long. “I just think our guys are way more aware of what’s getting to happen each week. There’s just a lot more communication than we have had.’’
Kahne has four victories at Charlotte and four top-10s this season, he's just yet to put together a complete race in 2015. With only 110 laps in play, Saturday night could be Kahne's night.
Sprint Showdown Predictions
6 of 7
I expect the two Sprint Showdown winners to be Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer.
Needless to say, it would be a huge upset if Truex Jr. didn't get a spot in the All-Star Race. The Furniture Row Racing star is currently second in the points standing this year, leading everyone except Harvick. He led 95 laps in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 last week but faded down the stretch. With only 20 laps in each showdown, his proven speed should get him a win.
Meanwhile, Bowyer has had a much rougher year, with only two top-10s to his name. However, the 35-year-old won the Sprint Showdown in 2014 and has one Sprint Cup victory at Charlotte, so he clearly feels comfortable on this track and in this format.
As for the fan vote? Well, I think the streak of new winners will be broken this year, and Danica Patrick will be voted into the All-Star Race like she was in 2013.
And the All-Star Race Winner Is: Kevin Harvick
7 of 7
Yeah, I know, I'm really going out on a limb here, but I think Kevin Harvick—current points leader, defending Sprint Cup champion and the winner of the last race in Charlotte—will be the victor in the All-Star Race.
It's just hard to bet against Harvick, who, despite having one fewer victory than his friend and rival in Johnson, has had the fastest and most consistent car week in and week out. Even Johnson agrees with that.
"I still think he's the car to beat right now," Johnson said, as reported by Brant James of USA Today. "I mean, he qualifies better than we do. We're finding ways to win races, but I just think that they have a bit more control of their own destiny right now."
In a shorter race like the one Saturday, it's all about controlling your own destiny. That's why I'm going with Harvick.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
