NASCAR’s $1 Million All-Star Race Moving To Dover As North Wilkesboro Makes The Schedule: Report

Two NASCAR tracks may be trading places next year.

The Athletic reports that NASCAR is considering holding the All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway in 2026 and giving its points race to North Wilkesboro Speedway. Both tracks are owned by Speedway Motorsports, which would facilitate the change.

NASCAR has held the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro since 2023 following a refurbishment of the historic track and it has been a fan favorite, with many past and present drivers advocating for its return to the regular season schedule.

Dover used to host two points races each season, but in 2021 gave one of them to Nashville Superspeedway, which is also owned by Speedway Motorsports. Dover attendance has been down in recent years and many have criticized the quality of racing there with the seventh generation Cup Series car.

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According to the Athletic, the All-Star Race would still be held the weekend before Memorial Day weekend and the North Wilkesboro race sometime in the summer. This year’s Dover race was on July 20.

NASCAR is putting the finishing touches on the schedule, which may be released next week ahead of the regular season finale at Daytona. The only confirmed dates so far are for the pre-season exhibition Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 1, the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15, the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24, the San Diego Street Course race on June 21, the Southern 500 on Sep. 6 and the NASCAR Championship Race at Homestead-Miami on Nov. 8.

What’s also up in the air is the fate of the NASCAR Playoffs. NASCAR is determined to retain a post-season section of the schedule, but may update the format from today’s three elimination rounds and four-driver shootout for the title.