NASCAR All-Star Race underwhelms, major changes needed

Twenty-five years ago, NASCAR’s All-Star Race had the kind of action and drama the sport’s powerbrokers could only dream about: Three superstars slugging it out in exactly the kind of no-holds barred fashion the exhibition race is supposed to epitomize.

Ever since, NASCAR has unveiled various tweaks and unique rule changes pertaining to the All-Star Race’s format in the hope it could replicate what has become a seminal moment of an era that launched stock car racing into the national consciousness.

The latest attempt Saturday night came in the form of alternative tires, where the softer compound had a distinct speed advantage over the harder compound on short runs around Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile surface. Entering the race, conventional wisdom suggested most teams would utilize their lone set of soft tires in the final fourth stage consisting of just 10 laps; therefore negating some of the supposed falloff.

But as has become the norm with the All-Star Race, the gimmick fell largely flat. Realizing the differences between the two tires wasn’t all that significant, every team opted for the harder compound before the final segment. And instead of exciting action and an event that is supposed to be a showcase for the best of what NASCAR offers, the All-Star Race was an absolute dud.

Because of dirty air, drivers struggled to pass even when their cars were superior to the ones they were racing. Pole-sitter Kyle Larson led the opening 40 laps and appeared to be the runaway winner. But once the No. 42 Chevrolet fell back in traffic following pit stops, he had difficulty recouping the lost positions.

Clean air again proved to be king, as it so often is on mile-and-a-half tracks like Charlotte where speed takes a backseat to aerodynamics. Overall, only three lead changes occurred, each taking place shortly after a restart before the field could string out. In lieu of the winner being decided by talent or moxie, the race was about who could gain the most spots on pit road and get the better restart.

“You can’t pass anywhere,” said Ryan Blaney, who finished 11th. “It’s not great track conditions, to be honest with you.”

Only Kyle Busch could leave the track with good vibes, having captured the $1 million prize thanks to a sublimely executed restart with 10 laps remaining where he got the jump over Jimmie Johnson. However, even he admitted his win was more about taking advantage of circumstances than anything else.

“It seemed like that was kind of the theme of the night: Once a guy kind of got out front, that was it,” Busch said. “It’s frustrating and unfortunate that we didn’t see a whole lot of passes for the lead in green flag conditions.”

Not exactly the kind of endorsement NASCAR and track officials will use on future marketing campaigns. Nor a recipe for a compelling race that would entice fans, new or old, to watch again anytime soon, especially during a period when television ratings continue to decline and attendance remains stagnant most weeks.

To expect an exact replay of the 1992 race — which saw Dale Earnhardt spin out on the final lap while battling Dave Allison for the lead, then Allison cross the finish line in a sea of sparks and crash after contact with second-place Kyle Petty — is not a reasonable standard.

But routinely, the All-Star Race resembles more of a parade rather than a star-studded event featuring NASCAR’s 20 best drivers.

Perhaps sensing they had put much of their fan base to sleep with a snoozer of a race, numerous drivers acknowledged what transpired Saturday night didn’t represent NASCAR positively. From shifting the race elsewhere to parsing down the rulebook to Goodyear brining an even softer tire that becomes an actual difference-maker, they shared their thoughts on possible improvements.

“I’m like everybody else that is involved in this sport: I have an opinion, but I don’t have the answer,” Johnson said. “We have to logically look at it and say, ‘Hey, we’re all going the same speed; no wonder we can’t pass.’”

Having multiple tire compounds is worth pursuing going forward, though only after extensive testing to ensure there is notable variances. Or maybe the time has come to break with tradition and have a venue other than Charlotte host? Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway are ideal half-mile tracks that emphasize drivers’ skill over a crew chief’s engineering abilities.

Every idea should be on the table as a potential remedy, because what’s clear is that the All-Star Race in its current form cannot continue. There are only so many gimmicks to fall back on, and they’ve all been exhausted.