NASCAR Picks, Predictions and Odds

NASCAR All-Star Race 2026 Betting Preview

All-Star Race picks and predictions from WagerTalk NASCAR handicapper Andy Lang are below as drivers start their engines on May 17, 2026 for the big race being held at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware! Andy gives his All-Star Race picks and predictions before the race starts up at 1:00pm ET!

All-Star Race 2026 Betting Odds

Sunday, May 17	All-Star Race Notes (Courtesy of Caesars)
Date:	May 17, 2025
Time:	1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT
Location:	Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware
Favorite to Win:	Denny Hamlin (+380)
TV:	FS1

All-Star Race Track: Dover Motor Speedway

The 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race moves to Dover Motor Speedway for the first time, bringing the exhibition event to the famous 1-mile concrete oval known as “The Monster Mile.” Dover is one of the most physically demanding tracks in NASCAR, featuring 24 degrees of banking in the corners and a rough concrete surface that creates high tire wear and intense g forces.

The track rewards drivers who can maintain rhythm over long runs while managing traffic and tire falloff. The 2026 format has been completely revamped, with a heavier focus on qualifying and pit crews.

Saturday qualifying will combine a speed lap with the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge, where teams perform a four-tire stop with no fuel, and the total time from green flag to checkered determines qualifying order and pit selection.

Instead of the traditional All-Star Open, the full field will compete in the main event beginning with Segment 1, a 75-lap sprint.

Segment 2 is another 75-lap race, but the top 26 finishers from Segment 1 will be inverted to shake up the field and encourage aggressive racing.

The final segment is a 200-lap showdown featuring 26 drivers, including recent race winners, former champions, the Fan Vote winner, and the best remaining drivers based on combined finishes in the first two segments.

A competition caution around Lap 75 in the final stage will add another strategy element to the race. With Dover’s high-speed concrete surface and the new elimination-style format, the 2026 All-Star Race is designed to create nonstop intensity, aggressive restarts, and major pressure on both drivers and pit crews.

All-Star Race Head-to-Head Pick

Ty Gibbs -125 over Alex Bowman -110

Based on the format, there’s a chance Gibbs can not have a great first part of the race, but advance because he has a win this year.

If Bowman doesn’t have a good first part of the race, he won’t advance as he doesn’t have a win, and has missed time this year with Vertigo.

He’ll have to have a really good first part of the race, and beat Gibbs in the second part. The odds are too good to pass up.

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