NASCAR Cup Series champion calls for All-Star Race to be cancelled

Future NASCAR Hall of Famer Kevin Harvick has called on the sport to call time on its mid-season All-Star Race.

This year's exhibition race for $1 million is being held this weekend at North Wilkesboro, the third straight time it's been held there after a brief stint at Texas in 2021 and 2022, following a one-off move to Bristol due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The race has been subject to a number of rule tweaks over the years, with this year's gimmick being a 'promotor's caution' which must be thrown before lap 220, adding a shot of organized chaos to the race.

Former Cup Series champion Harvick suggested on his Happy Hour podcast that the race should be dropped – or at least mixed in with the Clash at the start of the season – with North Wilkesboro's spot on the calendar being turned into a points-paying race.

Harvick: NASCAR All-Star race has run its course

Speaking this week, he explained: “I think we should nix the All-Star Race. I just think, with all the effort that goes into it, we can’t find a format that everyone likes. I think we should honor our guys. I think we have to figure out how to make the Clash be the Clash and the All-Star Race and make it all work together.”

Harvick continued: “I think North Wilkesboro deserves to be a points race. I think it would be a fantastic points event. 400 laps, all the cars on the racetrack, full weekend. I don’t think North Wilkesboro should go anywhere, but I think the All-Star Race has run its course, personally.”

The idea of giving drivers and crews an off-week in place of the All-Star race was shot down though, with the retired driver saying: “I think you need the same number of races because you probably already signed your TV contracts and all the things that go with it. I think you just make it the 37th race.”

As contentious as the All-Star Race has been, drivers are still clearly keen on running it – with Kyle Larson planning to miss the Fast Six in Indy 500 qualifying if he makes it that far, in order to get back to North Wilkesboro and compete for the $1 million prize.

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