Parks Pit Report: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

In the middle of May for the last 30 years, NASCAR celebrates the best of the best in the sport, a competition that is strictly for winners.

No points on the line, qualifying involves the entire crew, and the rules are a bit more relaxed.

What is on the line:  a huge paycheck of $1 million.

Over the years, this event has seen many changes in format of how the race is set up, who makes it in via the transfer spots, and even how the drivers are introduced to the crowd.  Yet at this state in the sport, this race is taking on a different life of its own.

This year’s race was 110 laps in total, with the final 10 laps being strictly green flag, and the green-white-checkered rule will be used, but in unlimited amounts to determine a winner.  Here’s the problem:  with the current car, and the current aerodynamic package, once the leader hits clean air, the race is pretty much done unless the second-place car is undeniably a rocket to get to the front and make the pass.

These cars now are not made for a short sprint of laps.  At most, the segments were 25 laps in this year’s All-Star race, each segment five laps longer than what they were a year ago.

But in reality these cars don’t really become stronger until the tires are worn in and the driver has a feel for what the car will do over a longer period of time.  We saw it this year, and it’s a common occurrence since this new car has come to the sport that on intermediate tracks, once the leader hits clean air, it’s almost like a rocket got placed on the car, because they check out and leave the competition in the dust.

That’s why this race is not exactly a great tune-up for next week.  Sure the short sprints are good for the notebook, but only if the conditions are at night, and there’s between 10 and 25 laps remaining.  The 110 laps run on Saturday night are just barely above 25 percent of the laps that will be run next Sunday.

Next Sunday, it’s NASCAR’s marathon, a true test of driver, team, equipment, and endurance.  Because when the green flag waves at Charlotte on May 24, it will be a 600-mile gauntlet.

The way it’s going, that is becoming the true all-star race, because if a driver wins that, they not just beat the best in the sport, they won the longest event NASCAR has.

Showdown Segment 1 Winner:  Greg Biffle

Showdown Segment 2 Winner:  Clint Bowyer

NASCAR Fan Vote Winner:  Danica Patrick

Segment 1:  Kasey Kahne

Segment 2:  Brad Keselowski

Segment 3:  Brad Keselowski

Segment 4:  Kurt Busch

RESULTS:  1-Hamlin  2-Harvick  3-Kurt Busch  4-Gordon  5-Kenseth  6-Kyle Busch  7-Kahne  8-Logano  9-Keselowski  10-Earnhardt Jr.

CAUTIONS:  Lap 25-25 (Competition), 50-50 (Competition), 75-75 (Competition), 100-100 (Competition)

LEAD CHANGES:  7 among 4 drivers.

TIME OF RACE:  59 Mins, 53 Secs.

AVERAGE SPEED:  192.287 MPH

MARGIN OF VICTORY:  0.923 Seconds