The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race took place over the weekend and it was Joey Logano that battled his way to a million dollar payday!
Rain at Charlotte Motor Speedway delayed many of the events and even caused some to be cancelled altogether. However, moved from Friday night (5/20) Saturday morning (5/21) the Sprint Showdown did take place for drivers that were not automatically included in the Sprint All-Star Race to try to race their way in. Trevor Bayne won segment one of the showdown, Greg Biffle won segment two and Kyle Larson won the final segment. All three of those drivers earned their spot in the featured event Saturday night.
Needing two more drivers to complete the mandatory minimum 20 car field for the Sprint All-Star Race, the fan votes added Chase Elliot and Danica Patrick to the feature as well.
When the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race was able to get started everybody thought they understood how the new format would play out. Through the race many of the drivers voiced their confusion of what was actually going on. I must admit that a lot of it seemed not quite right to me as well.
That being said, it did seem that it was an entertaining exhibition race for fans to watch. There were multiple strategies through the three segments (50 laps, 50 laps and 13 laps) to be in the right position to win the big million dollar paycheck.
It did look as though the winner of the final segment from the showdown earlier in the day, Kyle Larson had set himself up to grab his first win of any kind in a Sprint Cup car and claim that big reward in doing so. However, as the laps in the final segment wound down, Joey Logano kept getting closer and closer to the leader in the #42 Chevrolet.
With just a few laps left Joey was able to get past Kyle putting his #22 Ford out front and ultimately claiming his first NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race win and the $1 million! Brad Keselowski grabbed the second place finish with Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking home a third place finish. Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch claimed fourth and fifth places respectively. See the complete race results for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race here.
This was a race for the fans and the million dollars, so no points were earned or lost. That means the point standings and Chase Grid remain the same as they were after the AAA 400 at Dover the week previous.
The drivers that got to participate in the Sprint All-Star Race and Sprint Showdown got some valuable on-track information to take forward with them to next weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race that DOES have points to be won. It is also the longest race of the year. The drivers and teams will remain at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday, May 29th.
By: Buck Stevens
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- CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 21: Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 3M Chevrolet, and Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, battle for the finish in the third segment of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
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- CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 21: (Top row L-R) The segment winners, Trevor Bayne, driver of the #6 AdvoCare Ford, Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 Cheez-It Ford, and Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, pose with the fan vote winners Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 3M Chevrolet, and Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet, in Victory Lane after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
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- CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 21: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Light Chevrolet, and Kyle Busch, driver of the #75 M&M’s 75th Anniversary Toyota, lead the field past the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 21: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
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- CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 21: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, leads Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota,during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
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- CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 21: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, crosses the finish-line to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 21: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
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- CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 21: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/NASCAR via Getty Images)
