By SEMA News Editors
NASCAR Unveils Format for 2026 All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway
Graphic courtesy of NASCAR
NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports officials announced Wednesday the format for the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway, including a 350-lap main event broken into in-race segments and an enhanced qualifying session featuring the Pit Crew Challenge.
The NASCAR Cup Series exhibition, which put a $1-million prize on the line--transitions from North Wilkesboro Speedway--which hosted the All-Star Race from 2023-25--to Delaware's "Monster Mile" on May 17. The 2026 edition of the exhibition will also include events for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.
In addition to a change of venue, the 2026 All-Star Race format itself will put a larger emphasis on May 16's qualifying. Competitors will take the green flag and run one full lap at speed around the 1-mile circuit. The second lap will feature the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge, where each pit crew will perform a single four-tire stop with no gas. Competitors will then race back to the start/finish line, with qualifying encompassing the total time from green flag to checkered flag. The pit crew with the fastest pit stop and no penalties will win the Pit Crew Challenge, with the results determining pit selection order for the All-Star Race.
In place of an All-Star Open, qualifying results will instead determine the full field for Segment 1, a 75-lap sprint as part of the 350-lap event. Following the conclusion of Segment 1, a second 75-lap dash will occur; the lineup for Segment 2 will be an inversion of Segment 1's top 26, with the remaining drivers lined up by finish.
The final 200-lap segment of the 2026 All-Star Race will consist of 26 drivers. The field for the final segment will include 2025 and 2026 Cup Series race victors, former Cup Series champions who compete full-time, a Fan Vote winner and remaining drivers based on the lowest combined finishing positions among Segments 1 and 2.
For more information, visit nascar.com.
Formula DRIFT Reorganizes PRO-AM Affiliate Program
Photo by Larry Chen courtesy of Formula DRIFT
Formula DRIFT has reorganized its Pro-Am Affiliate Program for 2026, outlining new and expanded pathways for drivers seeking a competition license in either the PRO or PROSPEC championships.
Both the PRO and PROSPEC fields are capped at 40 drivers. In PROSPEC, the top 24 drivers in the previous season’s standings automatically retain their competition places, while in PRO the top 32 are secured. The remaining 16 PROSPEC and eight PRO spots are subject to relegation. Drivers who finish 25th or lower in PROSPEC, or 33rd or lower in PRO, risk losing their Formula DRIFT competition license unless they meet specific criteria or successfully petition the series to remain.
For drivers aiming to enter PROSPEC, Formula DRIFT has published a list of 10 qualifying multi-round Pro-Am championships whose winners will earn a PROSPEC license for the following season. Three new additions join the program for 2026: DMCC in Quebec, Gateway PROAM at Worldwide Technology Raceway near St. Louis, and Klutch Kickers in Alabama, which has been promoted from the Scouting Program. Other affiliated series include Drift Colorado (CO), East 10 Drift (GA and TN), Full Lock Drift (OK), Great Lakes ProAm (PN), ND Drift (ND), Spec D (Canada) and US Drift Circuit (FL).
In addition to the Pro-Am route, drivers may pursue a PROSPEC license through the Formula DRIFT Scouting Program. Participating series include Drift School USA (CA), Evergreen Drift (WA) and US DRIFT (VA, WV, NC and NJ). These organizations can recommend standout drivers for licensing consideration, though approval is not guaranteed. Drivers, particularly those from outside North America with current competition licenses, may also submit individual petitions.
There are three routes to obtain a PRO license. The most direct is a top-three finish in the PROSPEC championship, which guarantees eligibility to advance. Drivers can also qualify by winning Hotpit Autofest, a five-round championship in the Greater Los Angeles region, or by petitioning the series.
Formula DRIFT officials said the strengthened 2026 Affiliate Program is intended to maintain competitive standards while creating structured opportunities for emerging talent to enter the series.
For more information, visit formulad.com/pro-am.
MyRacePass Adds USAC National Series
Graphic courtesy of MyRacePass
USAC national racing will be available on MyRacePass for the entirety of the 2026 season, the organizations announced.
The partnership includes the full seasons for the USAC Silver Crown, AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship and NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, which can be downloaded on the MyRaceApp.
"All of us at MyRacePass are excited to work with USAC to not only provide them with the suite of tools we offer but also learn from one of the most experienced and most diverse sanctioning bodies in the world to continue growing and improving our product for everyone," said Josh Holt, co-owner and co-founder of MyRacePass. "We work with the majority of tracks and traveling series in the United States and adding the United States Auto Club to the MyRacePass app will be great for all the current and future dedicated USAC race fans across the country."
The 2026 USAC national season began last month at Barberville, Florida’s, Volusia Speedway Park for the AMSOIL National Sprint Cars.
For more information, visit usacracing.com or myracepass.com.
For more racing industry news, visit the PRI website at performanceracing.com/magazine/industry-news.
