2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
Location Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina
Date May 22, 2010
Laps 100
(One 50-lap segment, two 20 lap segments and ten green flag laps)
Distance 150 miles (240 km)
[Segment 1: 75 miles (121 km); Segments 2 and 3: 30 miles (48 km); Final segment: 15 miles (24 km) – Green Flag Laps only]
Winner Kurt Busch
Showdown Winners Martin Truex Jr.
Greg Biffle
Fan Vote Carl Edwards
Average speed 94.175 miles per hour (151.560 km/h)
Polesitter Kurt Busch
(due to rainout of qualifying)
Most Laps Led Jimmie Johnson (56 laps)
Television
Network Speed
Announcers Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds

The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Showdown and Sprint All-Star Race was the 26th running of NASCAR's special non-points race involving winners of the 2009 and 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races through the 2010 Autism Speaks 400 as well as Sprint All-Star Race 2000–2009 winners, when the event was known as "The Winston" and the "Nextel All-Star Challenge", and past Sprint Cup champions from the decade covering 2000 to 2009, including the "Winston Cup" (2000–2003) and "Nextel Cup" (2004–2007) eras. The event was run at the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Charlotte, North Carolina suburb of Concord on May 22, 2010. Speed provided television coverage in the US while MRN (over-the-air/terrestrial) and Sirius XM Radio (satellite) held radio rights. Kurt Busch won the race and the $1 million prize.[1]

Race format

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The format of the race was follows:

  • One fifty-lap segment with a mandatory four-tire green flag pit stop at or around Lap 25;
  • Two twenty-lap segments with a ten-minute break following Segment Three;
  • A ten-lap green flag segment.

Pits were open following the end of the first two segments, where drivers could have opted to take a pit stop, but could have sacrificed their position on the track should they chose to do so. After the first pace lap following the break, teams were required to take a four-tire stop. The order they come out determined the starting order for the last segment.

The qualifying session for eligible drivers was to have consisted of three laps instead of the standard two, including a pit stop after either of the first two laps, slowing to the speed limit of 45 mph entering pit road, but going full throttle as they exit. However, a rainstorm the night before (May 21) cancelled the event, and the first 19 positions were chosen by the luck of the draw for the cancelled qualifying; as a result, Kurt Busch and Joey Logano made up the front row.

Eligible drivers

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The following drivers qualified for the race in these categories:

Past Series Champion drivers

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The following six drivers were eligible in the Past Champions category:

Past All-Star race-winning drivers

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The following five drivers were eligible as a past winner of the event in the last decade:

2009 or 2010 race winners

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The following eight drivers were eligible by winning a Sprint Cup points race in 2009 or 2010:

§ – McMurray was the winning driver in the #26 Roush Fenway Racing Ford in the AMP Energy 500; that team would later be owned by Latitude 43 Motorsports, and McMurray became the driver of the #1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet for the 2010 season, also winning the 2010 Daytona 500. The #09 team for which Brad Keselowski drove to victory in the Aaron's 499, as well as the #26 team were not eligible unless:

a) the team won a race prior to May 16;
b) won one of the two top positions of the Sprint Showdown or
c) Aric Almirola, who drove the #09 car or either David Stremme or Boris Said, the respective drivers of the new #26 car, were selected in the fan poll.

In the end, neither Phoenix or Latitude 43 attempted even the Showdown. The full-time #66 of Prism Motorsports, driven by Dave Blaney, also didn't attempt the Showdown.

 – On May 13, Vickers was sidelined with blood clots in his legs and chest, and Casey Mears replaced him as the interim driver in the #83 Red Bull Racing Toyota. Mears would not have qualified for the event; NASCAR gave the team approval for the driver switch.

For those not listed above, a special race, The Sprint Showdown, consisting of two halves of 20 laps [30 miles (48 km)] each was held prior to the main event. The top two finishers – Martin Truex Jr. and Greg Biffle – and a driver chosen by a fan poll – Carl Edwards – were promoted to the main event. Only winning drivers, not teams, are eligible to race in the All-Star Race.

Entry Lists

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Showdown

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# Driver Team Make
6 David Ragan Roush Fenway Racing Ford
7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Toyota
13 Max Papis Germain Racing Toyota
16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford
19 Elliott Sadler Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
21 Bill Elliott Wood Brothers Racing Ford
31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
32 Reed Sorenson Braun Racing Toyota
33 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
34 Travis Kvapil Front Row Motorsports Ford
36 Tony Raines Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevvrolet
37 Kevin Conway (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford
38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
43 A. J. Allmendinger Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
46 J. J. Yeley Whitney Motorsports Dodge
47 Marcos Ambrose JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota
55 Michael Waltrip Prism Motorsports Toyota
56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
57 Norm Benning Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet
64 Todd Bodine Gunselman Motorsports Toyota
75 Derrike Cope Stratus Racing Group Dodge
77 Sam Hornish Jr. Penske Championship Racing Dodge
78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
82 Scott Speed Red Bull Racing Team Toyota
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
92 Robert Richardson Jr. K-Automotive Motorsports Dodge
98 Paul Menard Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford

All-Star Race

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# Driver Team Make
00 David Reutimann Miachael Waltrip Racing Toyota
1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
2 Kurt Busch Penske Championship Racing Dodge
5 Mark Martin Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
9 Kasey Kahne Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
12 Brad Keselowski (R) Penske Championship Racing Dodge
14 Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford
18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
39 Ryan Newman Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
71 Bobby Labonte TRG Motorsports Chevrolet
83 Casey Mears Red Bull Racing Team Toyota
88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Qualifying results

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Showdown

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Pos. # Driver
1 6 David Ragan
2 13 Max Papis
3 77 Sam Hornish Jr.
4 37 Kevin Conway (R)
5 16 Greg Biffle
6 32 Reed Sorenson
7 21 Bill Elliott
8 43 A.J. Allmendinger
9 33 Clint Bowyer
10 7 Robby Gordon
11 78 Regan Smith
12 98 Paul Menard
13 55 Michael Waltrip
14 42 Juan Pablo Montoya
15 57 Norm Benning
16 19 Elliott Sadler
17 31 Jeff Burton
18 82 Scott Speed
19 47 Marcos Ambrose
20 56 Martin Truex Jr.
21 64 Todd Bodine
22 92 Robert Richardson Jr.
23 46 J. J. Yeley
24 34 Travis Kvapil
25 87 Joe Nemechek
26 99 Carl Edwards
27 36 Tony Raines
28 75 Derrike Cope
29 38 David Gilliland

All-Star Race

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Pos. # Driver
1 2 Kurt Busch
2 20 Joey Logano
3 12 Brad Keselowski
4 1 Jamie McMurray
5 18 Kyle Busch
6 00 David Reutimann
7 48 Jimmie Johnson
8 24 Jeff Gordon
9 83 Casey Mears
10 39 Ryan Newman
11 14 Tony Stewart
12 11 Denny Hamlin
13 29 Kevin Harvick
14 17 Matt Kenseth
15 5 Mark Martin
16 9 Kasey Kahne
17 71 Bobby Labonte
18 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
19 56 Martin Truex Jr.
20 16 Greg Biffle
21 99 Carl Edwards

Race results

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Showdown

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Pos. # Driver Laps Led Status
1 56 Martin Truex Jr. 40 8 running
2 16 Greg Biffle 40 12 running
3 31 Jeff Burton 40 0 running
4 98 Paul Menard 40 0 running
5 47 Marcos Ambrose 40 0 running
6 6 David Ragan 40 20 running
7 77 Sam Hornish Jr. 40 0 running
8 43 A.J. Allmendinger 40 0 running
9 34 Travis Kvapil 40 0 running
10 99 Carl Edwards 40 0 running
11 19 Elliott Sadler 40 0 running
12 21 Bill Elliott 40 0 running
13 32 Reed Sorenson 40 0 running
14 82 Scott Speed 40 0 running
15 7 Robby Gordon 40 0 running
16 13 Max Papis 40 0 running
17 46 J.J. Yeley 40 0 running
18 37 Kevin Conway (R) 40 0 running
19 75 Derrike Cope 40 0 running
20 57 Norm Benning 40 0 running
21 92 Robert Richardson Jr. 39 0 running
22 55 Michael Waltrip 38 0 running
23 33 Clint Bowyer 34 0 crash
24 38 David Gilliland 21 0 crash
25 36 Tony Raines 18 0 suspension
26 78 Regan Smith 16 0 crash
27 42 Juan Pablo Montoya 16 0 crash
28 64 Todd Bodine 13 0 transmission
29 87 Joe Nemechek 7 0 electrical

All-Star Race

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Pos. # Driver Laps Led Status
1 2 Kurt Busch 100 19 running
2 56 Martin Truex Jr. 100 0 running
3 20 Joey Logano 100 0 running
4 11 Denny Hamlin 100 2 running
5 14 Tony Stewart 100 0 running
6 29 Kevin Harvick 100 0 running
7 12 Brad Keselowski (R) 100 0 running
8 17 Matt Kenseth 100 0 running
9 16 Greg Biffle 100 0 running
10 71 Bobby Labonte 100 0 running
11 39 Ryan Newman 100 0 running
12 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 100 0 running
13 48 Jimmie Johnson 100 56 running
14 18 Kyle Busch 98 23 crash
15 9 Kasey Kahne 98 0 crash
16 83 Casey Mears 95 0 crash
17 5 Mark Martin 90 0 crash
18 1 Jamie McMurray 90 0 crash
19 00 David Reutimann 90 0 crash
20 24 Jeff Gordon 90 0 crash
21 99 Carl Edwards 90 0 crash

Other events

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Induction of the Charter Class to the NASCAR Hall of Fame

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On October 14, 2009, the Charter Class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame were announced, consisting of Bill France Sr., the organization's founder, his son Bill France Jr., seven time series champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt and former driver-owner Junior Johnson. The formal inductions were held on Sunday, May 23 on the Ceremonial Plaza of the new building.

Craftsman All-Star Pit Crew Challenge

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The annual Craftsman All-Star Pit Crew Challenge competition was held on the Wednesday prior to the event at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Denny Hamlin's #11 team dethroned Jeff Burton's #31 team as champions, and earned the right to be the first team to choose their pit stall for the race.

Pennzoil Ultra Victory Challenge

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The third annual Pennzoil Ultra Victory Challenge – judged by former driver Jimmy Spencer, TNA wrestler Jeff Hardy, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith along with Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti from the rock group Creed – was held prior to the All-Star Race. Joey Logano won the event with 67 points.

References

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  1. ^ Fryer, Jenna (May 22, 2010). "Kurt Busch wins $1 million All-Star race". Statesboro Herald. Retrieved February 27, 2024.