For the first time in NASCAR history, the annual all-star race was held at Dover Motor Speedway. 

A lot of fans came to watch the historic event on a hot, sunny day in the state capital. The winner was set to take home the $1 million.

The race was broken into three segments. After claiming the last two points races at Dover, Denny Hamlin started from the pole and dominated most of the day, leading 53 of 75 laps in Segment 1 and 103 of 200 laps in Segment 3, claiming his second all-star victory. Even with Hamlin dominating, there was plenty of action and excitement.

The Monster Mile didn’t wait long to claim its first victims when Ryan Preece backed hard into the Turn 1 wall on the second lap. After coming to a rest at the bottom of the track, the car ignited in flames, forcing a red flag to stop the field. Preece was able to climb out safely. There were nine cars involved in the wreck, including one of the favorites Kyle Larson. Dave Blaney also had to hit the garage and was never in contention for the win. Fan-favorite Chase Elliott was also involved.

Brad Keselowksi jumped out front early, leading 16 of the first 17 laps until Hamlin tracked him down for the lead. Hamlin would pull out to a lengthy lead until caution flew again on Lap 63 when Carson Hocevar hit the Turn 4 wall. 

Bubba Wallace would jump to the lead on the restart, winning Segment 1 when it ended with a nine-car crash near the start-finish line. Cars involved included Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott (again), Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher and Erik Jones. Wallace was followed by Hamlin, Ross Chastain, Chase Briscoe and Keselowski.

Segment 2 inverted the field from 26th place to first place, but the 23rd- to 26th-place drivers were too damaged to restart and A.J. Allmendinger led the field to the green flag, pulling out to a lead until the Monster Mile claimed its next victims when contenders Chastain, Keslowski and Wallace were involved in an incident on the backstretch, ruining their chances at the $1 million payday. 

Tyler Reddick took the lead on Lap 66 and then held off Briscoe and Hamlin who each started deep in the field in Segment 2. Reddick looked poised to compete for another win this year.

The 200-lap main event trimmed the field from 36 to 26. Hamlin led to the field to the green, but Briscoe had the better early run car and led 39 of the first 40 laps until Reddick regained the lead. With 150 laps to go, Reddick was followed by Briscoe, Hamlin, Connor Zilisch, William Byron and Erik Jones.

Hamlin overtook Reddick on Lap 75 just before the competition caution. Hamlin jumped out to the lead on the restart and led until caution flew again on Lap 140 when Joey Logano wrecked in Turn 1, setting the stage for a 52-lap shootout when the green flag dropped again on Lap 149.  Briscoe once again jumped to the lead as Hamlin’s car seemed to take a few laps to get going, but Hamlin had the better car and would regain the lead for good on Lap 171. Reddick had to take his car behind the wall on Lap 168 due to steering issues, leaving Briscoe as Hamlin’s top contender. Hamlin’s car liked the low line better, and Briscoe rode the high line trying to gain ground. Hamlin adjusted his line to not give Briscoe clean air up top and held his teammate off for the win.  

After the race, Hamlin’s Crew Chief Chris Gale was asked about working with a veteran driver and any concerns about him tapering off. 

When asked about Dover not being a good track for him in his early years but now winning three years in a row and whether Dover was now his best track Hamlin said: “I spent an enormous amount of time studying Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex and how they got around this race track. I just watched lap after lap and tried to copy that. Best track? It’s in the Top 3.”

Corey Day wins BetRivers200

Corey Day mounted a surprising and thrilling late-race comeback, finding speed up top and chasing down Justin Allagaier to pass him to win the BetRivers200 with just four laps remaining. Those were the only four laps Day led.

He credited his team with working on the car all day to make it better.

With 15 laps to go, Day moved up to the top lane. After the race, he said it was way easier to run a faster pace up there.

"I was doing my best to not make any mistakes, and with the lapped cars, it just kind of all worked out," he said. "It was definitely difficult managing traffic.” 

Truck Series race

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returned to Dover Motor Speedway for the first time since 2020. The race didn’t disappoint, as multiple cup drivers competed against the young guns of the truck series. 

Kyle Busch kicked off the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Weekend in dominating fashion, first winning the pole with a lap of 22.258 seconds at 161.740 mph then winning the first of two 45-lap segments and the race while leading the most laps, 147. The victory was Busch’s 69th win in the truck series in 184 truck races.   

When asked if Busch had a certain number of wins in mind to hit in the truck series, he didn’t have a number in mind but quipped: “You never know when the last win is going to be … cherish them all.” 

Busch was questioned on his recent resurgence and whether it feels like the old days when he used to dominate races frequently. He said he didn’t feel like he ever lost anything.

“I guess I remembered how to drive," he said. "It is just a matter of going out there and doing a good job and the team doing a good job. We sucked in the trucks last year. I enjoy working with Brian Pattie and his mindset and vision.”

Ross Chastain took the lead in the beginning of Stage 3, leading for 49 laps, but Busch quickly regrouped to hunt Chastain down to regain the lead for good for the final 58 laps.

“When Ross got the lead, I felt like it would be a tough finish to the race … trying take care of right front, save fuel," he said. 

Busch said he had a lot of speed and the truck was "really good, really fast, but it felt a little rigid, a little too stiff." 

Ty Majeski came home second, with Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt and Christopher Bell rounding out the top five. Honeycutt has a 38-point lead over Riggs in the standings heading into next week’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Lifelong NASCAR fan

By Sean Brooks

One of the best parts of NASCAR has always been the people.

While making my rounds around the track during Saturday’s race weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, I met Rick Davis wearing a weathered hat from the 1992 Mountain Dew-sponsored Southern 500 that he proudly told me he’s had since that very race. What started as a quick conversation turned into one of those stories that reminds you exactly why this sport means so much to so many people.

On Sunday, he attended his 101st race at Dover.

His daughter was there with him, supporting her dad with a huge smile the entire time. She told me she was actually born during Dover’s spring race weekend back in 1973. Naturally, I asked him if he had missed the race that year.

Without hesitation, he laughed and said, “Hell no.”

That answer pretty much sums up NASCAR fandom perfectly.

Through generations, families, memories, traditions and decades of weekends spent at the track, fans like this are what keep the sport special. It’s more than racing – it’s family history.

And after the incredible race we witnessed Saturday, it’s safe to say Dover delivered once again.

What a race.