2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup stars come into the 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with a win-it-or-wreck-it attitude. There are no points on the line this weekend but there is a $1,000,000 payday for the winner.

This made-for-TV event is a 100-lap four-segment dash for cash ending with a 10-lap dash for the cash. There is little time for patience and strategy. Drivers need to go all out, get to the front and collect the win.

Speedway ticket office (800) 455-FANS or (704) 455-3200

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a mile and a half tri-oval with 24 degrees of banking in the turns. The track is fast and even though there is one preferred groove there is still enough room on the top for a faster car to get by.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is the home track for NASCAR. The majority of the teams are based within 30 miles of the speedway and everybody brings their best stuff to Lowes because everybody wants the bragging rights of winning their home race.

100 laps = 150 miles in four segments

1. Segment 1 = 50 Laps
2. Segment 2 = 20 Laps
3. Segment 3 = 20 Laps
4. Segment 4 = 10 Laps

All preceded by the 40 lap / 60 mile Sprint Showdown qualifying race.

This year the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will feature 21 drivers.

There are five different ways to qualify for the Sprint All-Star Race:

1. Race winners from 2009 or 2010 (16 drivers)
2. Sprint Cup Champions from the last ten years (1 drivers)
3. Winners of the All-Star race within the last ten years (1 drivers)
4. First and second place finishers in the Sprint Showdown (2 drivers)
5. One driver voted in by the fans (1 driver)

Every year legendary NASCAR promoter Bruton Smith has to tinker with the format. This year the tweak is pretty minor.

• Drivers will line up behind the pace car to start the final segment in the order they finished segment three.
• All drivers will have to pit for a four tire stop.
• The order they leave pit road determines how they start the final ten lap shootout.

This should put some serious pressure on the pit crews as this year's event could easily be won or lost in the pits.

TV: SPEED Saturday, May 22nd, 7:00PM Eastern.

Radio: PRN and SIRIUS Satellite

2009 Winner: Tony Stewart

2009 saw the return of the ten lap final segment. The Showdown and the first three segments were pretty quiet. However, when the final ten lap dash for $1 million went green the gloves came off and we saw fireworks.

Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon were three wide for the lead. That ended badly for Gordon as he crashed out of the race.

The lead changed hands a number of times during the final ten laps with Tony Stewart taking the lead for good with a lap and a half to go. Tony picked up the $1 million paycheck, the first win ever for his new team.

To win the 2010 Sprint All-Star race you will need a fast car, good strategy and a driver that knows no fear. The last ten laps are likely to get crazy.

A driver that knows no fear? Yeah, I'm going with Kyle Busch. He has a great team, incredible talent and no fear whatsoever. There is no doubt in my mind that Kyle Busch will be in the hunt for the win at the end or on the sidelines with a broken race car.

For my backup I am going with a driver that has been in the hunt lately and was three-wide for the lead late in this race last year. Jeff Gordon has had some fast race cars and has been close to some checkered flags. I think he makes a great pick in this weekend's 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.