For just the 2nd time in history, NASCAR’s famed All-Star Race will not be held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Instead, this year’s edition of the All-Star Race will be held at Bristol Motor Speedway to provoke intense short track racing with a million-dollar prize on the line. Over the last year, NASCAR’s former race winners, former Cup Series Champions, and former winners of the All-Star Race are among the drivers eligible for the All-Star Race this Wednesday night. Simply put, it will be a battle among the best that the Cup Series has to offer in what promises to be an exciting night of racing.
For the drivers that do not meet the criteria mentioned above, there will be a qualifying race prior to the main event known as the NASCAR Open. The Open will feature all remaining Cup Series drivers who will be fighting for the chance to race their way into the All-Star Race. The NASCAR Open will feature three segments (35/35/15) with the winner of each segment advancing into the All-Star Race. Once the main event begins, the All-Star Race will consist of segments of 55 laps, 35 laps, 35 laps, and a final 15 lap shootout to determine the winner.
From a betting standpoint, the All-Star Race is always challenging to predict. This non-points paying race gives drivers the opportunity to lay everything on the line, and the number of late-race restarts is bound to cause carnage on this small half-mile bullring known as Bristol. Still, Kyle Busch has proved to be the absolute best at Bristol with eight career Cup Series victories. Busch has yet to win in 2020, which is one of the most surprising storylines. However, Bristol is not nearly as much about car setup, aerodynamic speed, and equipment as most other tracks. As a result, Rowdy should be considered a prime target to end the longest winless streak (to start the season) of his professional career.
For bettors, it is important to note that the Cup Series visited Bristol under the same rules package at the end of May. The end of that race produced a lot of controversies when Chase Elliott drove into Joey Logano in a battle for the lead with two laps to go. Once the two tangled, Brad Keselowski was able to get by and steal the victory. I personally believe both Logano and Elliott will be front-runners again on Wednesday. I actually favor Logano because the Team Penske cars really take off well on short runs they have shown all year across all venues. Logano has become one of the best drivers at Bristol in recent years, and he will be my main betting target in H2H match-ups going into Wednesday!
For the bettors looking at more value for Wednesday, let’s discuss a couple of long shots that should have everyone’s attention. Kurt Busch (+2750) is a 6-time winner at Bristol Motor Speedway and holds an aggressive driving style that perfectly suits this shootout style format. At near 30 to 1 odds, the elder Busch holds a lot of betting value. Additionally, Jimmie Johnson (+3300) is a surprisingly sharp pick for Wednesday’s All-Star Race. Johnson is a two-time winner at Bristol and actually holds the best average finishing position among active drivers. Johnson was solid at Bristol back in May, and I believe he can keep the #48 car at the front of the field. Who knows, if things get crazy Johnson could capitalize, and the 33 to 1 odds leave a lot of opportunistic value!
