Mash The Gas: All Star Preview

The field takes the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. [Credit: Drew Hallowell/NASCAR via Getty Images]

 

By Dan Margetta and John Wiedemann

It’s All Star week for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as the Sprint All Star Race headlines the action this Saturday night at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The event is broken into four 25-lap segments and a final 10-lap, winner take all dash for all the money. The Sprint All Star Race will feature a field of 20 cars consisting of 2014-2015 race winners, past champions, and past All Star race winners along with each winner of two 20-lap segments in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race, and a driver voted in by the fans. The Sprint All Star race is in its 30th year and has traditionally produced some wild moments as drivers throw caution to the wind as all that matters is the $1 million prize awarded to the winner.

Who can forget Darrell Waltrip’s mysteriously exploding engine as he crossed the finish line to win the first event back in 1985 or Dale Earnhardt’s “pass in the grass” (which really wasn’t a pass but it still sounded cool) with Bill Elliott in 1987, or Davey Allison, Kyle Petty and Earnhardt mixing it up in 1992 under the lights before Allison took the win in a shower of sparks in the first night time edition. This is where Hall of Famer Waltrip hoped fellow Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace “chokes on that $200,000” after they got together racing for the win in 1989.

It should be another wild event All Star event Saturday night under the lights in Charlotte full of storylines and here are a few to watch…

Jimmie Johnson (Dan Margetta)
Of the four races held at 1.5 mile ovals this season, Jimmie Johnson has won three of them and he also has a strong record in the All Star race, having won four times. Johnson has the second best driver rating in the event and is coming off a victory last weekend at Kansas which earns him 6-1 odds to win on Saturday night. The team is bringing the chassis Johnson last raced at Las Vegas which is ironically the one race on the 1.5 mile ovals that he didn’t win. In fact, it was a dismal day where he finished 41st after blowing two tires. Still, Johnson has been one of the two drivers to beat on those 1.5 mile circuits and his record at Charlotte is very strong. That should make him very tough to beat Saturday night so look for Jimmie Johnson to definitely be in the mix.

Kevin Harvick (John Wiedemann)
Kevin Harvick has spent more time at the front of the pack this season than any other driver with an average running position of 5.7. There is no reason to believe Harvick will be anywhere else but the front during the All-Star race. Harvick has been quick in practice, qualifying and race day. It just doesn’t matter, Harvick is just quick. With nothing to lose and $1 million to gain, Harvick will be going all out at Charlotte. That’s something the rest of the field should be worried about.

Jeff Gordon (DM)
This is likely to be Jeff Gordon’s last All Star race and he has definitely made his mark on the event through the years with three victories including his 1997 win in the infamous “T-Rex” car that never saw competition again. Gordon is listed at 12-1 odds this week and brings the same chassis he drove to an 18th place finish in Las Vegas. However, that same chassis finished second here in Charlotte last October and also was second at Chicago in September, the only other times it was raced. Gordon has raced strong on the 1.5 mile tracks this season but so far hasn’t been able to close the deal on a victory. An All-Star race victory on Saturday night would cap off a stellar career in the special event and Jeff Gordon is plenty capable of getting the job done.

Kurt Busch (JW)
Like his teammate Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch has shown himself to be one of the quickest cars on the track and he has a chip on his shoulder after his early season suspension. While much of the focus will be on little brother Kyle’s return to the series, don’t take your eyes off the #41. If history repeats itself, you just might see the Busch brothers battling at the front of the pack and possibly wrecking at the front of the pack. One thing that Kurt has no problem with is going all out, something that fits right in with the All-Star race. Kurt has won this event before and would love to find his way back to victory lane. That million dollars wouldn’t hurt either.

Kyle Busch (DM)
“Rowdy” returns in the All Star race as Kyle Busch will be back behind the wheel for the first time since his February accident at Daytona that left him with a broken leg among other injuries. Busch appears ready to get going and it will be interesting to see how he performs the first time out back in the car. On one account returning for the All Star race works to Busch’s advantage as with no points on the line the pressure of needing a good finish is diminished but on the other hand, with nothing to race for but the victory, the chances of becoming involved in another accident increase. With no victories and three top five finishes to his credit, Busch enters the event at 15-1 odds and owns the series best driver rating. A lot of eyes will be on Kyle Busch Saturday night as he makes his return and if sitting on the sidelines injured didn’t affect him greatly he could be holding up the trophy when all is said and done Saturday night, something Busch said he missed the most during his time away.

Jamie McMurray (JW)
Jamie McMurray won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race as a fill-in driver for Sterling Marlin back in 2002 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway while driving for Chip Ganassi. Since then he also won in 2010 and had two top five finishes at Charlotte last season. Add the fact that he is the All-Star race defending champion and you come up with the fact that McMurray will be a contender this weekend. McMurray is having a great season so far, running in the top ten in points, and had a solid race last weekend with a 13th place finish at Kansas after running in the top five early in the race. A repeat All-Star race win is not out of the question and there is no doubt McMurray will be one to reckon with this weekend.

Chase Elliott (DM)
Chase Elliott is one of many strong drivers who will have to race their way into the All Star race through the Sprint Showdown on Friday night. To get into the big show, Elliott must either win one of the races two 20-lap segments or win the fan vote and he’s up against some strong competition in Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, and Danica Patrick among others. Although just a 10-1 field bet to win, should Elliott make the All Star race and then actually win, it would be considered a remarkable upset. The only two rookies to win the All Star race were Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2000 and Ryan Newman in 2002 so should Elliott also accomplish that feat, he would be in good company. Elliott has proven he is capable of winning at the big league level and his progress throughout the weekend will be a main storyline to follow.

Martin Truex, Jr. (JW)
Martin Truex, Jr. is having a career year at Furniture Row Racing this season and is second in the point standings, right behind Kevin Harvick. What Truex needs is a trip to victory lane. Truex had a shot last weekend after leading the most laps and running second till the late caution and final pitstop. Truex hasn’t had great results at Charlotte with only four top ten finishes in 19 starts but his year’s Truex can run everywhere and run well everywhere. Look for Truex to win the Sprint Showdown and transfer to Saturday night’s All Star race. Then look for him to race to the front.

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