The 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday night will be an All-Star Race of a different sort, and Martin Truex Jr. has drawn the pole starting spot for this year’s edition of the exhibition race.
“It should be exciting. Doing it a little different,” Truex said. “Bristol is obviously a great short track and always exciting racing there. I think it’s the perfect spot to have the All-Star Race. Hopefully, it will put on a big show.”
In addition to the change in venue from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Bristol Motor Speedway because of a spike in COVID-19 cases in North Carolina, other new features of this year’s All-Star Race include the implementation of the “choose cone” rule and cosmetic changes including the move of car numbers from the center of the door area back to near the rear wheel well and the addition of underglow lighting to cars already in the All-Star Race.
Sixteen drivers/cars head into Wednesday night’s race, already in the All-Star Race by virtue of winning NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races last season or so far in 2020 or being a full-time driver who is a former Cup Series champion and/or former All-Star Race winner.
Starting positions of those 16 drivers have been set by a blind drawing. All three manufacturers will be represented in the top-three of the starting grid, as Chevrolet driver Alex Bowman drew the second position to start on the front row next to Truex, and Ford driver Ryan Blaney drew the third position.
NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Justin Haley, who notched a surprise NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway last July, will start in the second row, next to Blaney.
NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE STARING LINEUP
Cup Series drivers not already in the All-Star Race will contest the NASCAR Open, also at Bristol on Wednesday night, with chances to advance to the All-Star Race. Three stage winners from the Open will advance to the main event, as will the top vote-getter among the remaining Open drivers in an online fan vote.
A drawing also was held among the 21 drivers on the entry list for the Open to determine the starting grid for that race. Michael McDowell drew the pole for the Open and will have Aric Almirola alongside in the second position for an all-Ford front row.
“I’m excited to head back to Bristol Motor Speedway tomorrow night for the All-Star Open and try to race our way into the main event,” McDowell said Tuesday. “It has been a goal of mine for a really long time, now, and I feel really confident that this is the year that we can get it done. Our short track program at Front Row Motorsports has improved tremendously this season, and both of our cars have secured good finishing positions at both the first Bristol and Martinsville races, and I’m hoping to add to that tomorrow. The good news for our #34 team is that we got a lucky draw and will be starting on the pole for the All-Star Open, so hopefully, we can hold on to that spot and lock ourselves into the main event in stage one. The Love’s marketing team put together a new design for my #34 Ford Mustang for the All-Star Open that I think is going to look great leading the field to the green flag.”
Cup Series rookie Christopher Bell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drew second-row starting positions for the Open.
