While not officially announced yet, the NASCAR All-Star Race is most likely going back to North Wilkesboro in 2027. North Wilkesboro previously hosted the premier exhibition race from 2023-2025 before the track got its own points-paying race in 2026.
Meanwhile, Dover was the site of this year’s All-Star Race. However, it is expected for “The Monster Mile” to get their points-paying race date back in 2027.
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With the All-Star Race being one of the more unstable events on the NASCAR schedule, Dale Earnhardt Jr. pondered the future of the exhibition race during a compelling roundtable discussion.
Dale Jr., others discuss NASCAR All-Star Race’s future
Earnhardt Jr. had fellow retired NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, Speedway Motorsports President Marcus Smith, and Motorsport writer Matt Weaver on “The Dale Jr. Download” to discuss a litany of topics.
During the show, Earnhardt Jr. gave his honest opinion about the proposed ideas for the NASCAR All-Star Race.
“The best idea I’ve heard is for the All-Star Race to go away entirely. I don’t really love any of these ideas fully, but I don’t like any of the tracks being an afterthought, right? Or just something that’s on the back burner,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
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Smith believes the All-Star Race has been a novelty event for NASCAR that gives the sport a chance to do different things. Unfortunately, the recent changes to the $1 million race have not been received as greatly.
“I think the All-Star Race has done so many great things for the sport. Creating these opportunities to showcase bold ideas and, now, it’s every weekend. Somewhere, it became kind of a punching bag,” Smith said.
With The Clash moving back to the Daytona International Speedway in 2027, Weaver asked Smith if that could open the door for Bowman-Gray Stadium, the previous site for The Clash, to get the All-Star Race date.
“I’m open to ideas, for sure,” Smith replied.
Jeff Burton suggests NASCAR goes back to the past for All-Star Race
Jeff Burton suggest NASCAR goes back to the past for All-Star Race
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With all the ideas bounced around for the future of the All-Star Race, Jeff Burton believes NASCAR should go back to its roots.
The 21-time Cup Series winner recalls making a suggestion of going to some of the old school short tracks that the sport was built on. When Burton pondered this idea, he was shut down.
“I publicly said I think that Marcus should promote the All-Star Race at South Boston Speedway, at Orange County Speedway, at Hickory — and I got laughed out of the industry. I had some of the biggest people in the industry say, ‘There’s no way we’re going back to those racetracks. We don’t belong there.’ What do you mean we don’t belong there? That’s where we came from,” Burton said.
There are a plethora of racetracks NASCAR could end up at for the All-Star Race in the years to come, but could the sport get rid of it completely?
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When Earnhardt Jr. asked Smith if the All-Star Race had a future, Smith responded saying:
“It could always change. I got like four ideas that could be interesting,” Smith said.
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