NASCAR All-Star format, explained: How rules, stages will work for 2024 North Wilkesboro race & All-Star Open

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NASCAR All-Star Race 2024 logo
(Sporting News Illustration)

The NASCAR All-Star weekend returns to North Wilkesboro, NC for the second straight year, but this season, drivers have already encountered a few problems.

Poor weather has resulted in postponements and cancellations on Friday and Saturday, though the schedule is expected to be uninterrupted on Sunday. Friday's All-Star Pit Crew Challenge was moved to Saturday, and Saturday's Heat 1 and 2 All-Star Races were canceled entirely.

Of course, the circumstances aren't ideal, but the NASCAR rule book allows for the main events on Sunday to still play out based on previous qualifiers.

The Sporting News breaks down those qualifiers and the schedule for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star weekend.

MORE: How much will the winning driver make at NASCAR's All-Star race?

NASCAR All-Star Race format 2024

Qualifying

Typically, there's a qualifier for both the All-Star Race and the All-Star Open, but NASCAR made changes due to severe weather.

The two All-Star Heats are the qualifiers for the All-Star Race, but since that was canceled, the starting lineup was based on the qualifying results from the Pit Crew Challenge.

The All-Star Open's lineup was set based on the owner's points since that qualifying race was canceled on Friday.

Both main events are still on for Sunday, May 19.

Pit Crew Challenge

The Pit Crew Challenge had more importance this year due to the rainouts. It served as the qualifier for the All-Star Race.

The challenge times the fastest four-tire pit stop, and the pit crew for Christopher Bell’s Toyota won the competition. This is the same crew that won last year's challenge but was serving on Ty Gibbs' team in 2023.

They posted a 13.223 stop time.

All-Star Open

The All-Star Open is the first of the two main events at NASCAR's All-Star weekend.

It's a 100-lap race lasting 62.5 miles. Ty Gibbs owns the first spot in this year's race.

All-Star Race

The All-Star Race caps off the night in North Wilkesboro with another 100-lap, 62.5-mile race. Joey Logano has the first spot in this race that begins at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.

All-Star Race starting lineup

Pos.DriverCar No.Team
1Joey Logano22Team Penske
2Brad Keselowski6RFK Racing
3Christopher Bell20Joe Gibbs Racing
4Daniel Suarez99Trackhouse Racing
5Chris Buescher17RFK Racing
6Tyler Reddick4523XI Racing
7Ross Chastain1Trackhouse Racing
8Martin Truex Jr.19Joe Gibbs Racing
9Michael McDowell34Front Row Motorsports
10AJ Allmendinger16Kaulig Racing
11Denny Hamlin11Joe Gibbs Racing
12Kyle Larson5Hendrick Motorsports
13William Byron24Hendrick Motorsports
14Kyle Busch8Richard Childress Racing
15Chase Elliot9Hendrick Motorsports
16Ricky Stenhouse Jr.47JTG Daugherty Racing
17Ryan Blaney12Team Penske

All-Star Open starting lineup

Pos.DriverCar No.
1Ty Gibbs54
2Alex Bowman48
3Chase Briscoe14
4Bubba Wallace23
5Noah Gragson10
6Austin Cindric2
7Josh Berry4
8Todd Gilliland38
9John Hunter Nemechek42
10Carson Hocevar77
11Erik Jones43
12Ryan Preece41
13Corey LaJoie7
14Daniel Hemric31
15Austin Dillon3
16Justin Haley51
17Harrison Burton21
18Kaz Grala15
19Zane Smith71
20Timmy Hill66
Author(s)
Brendan OSullivan Photo

Brendan O'Sullivan is an editorial intern for Sporting News.