NASCAR’s All Star Race used to feel special. It used to feel like a major event on the calendar. This year at Dover Motor Speedway, it honestly feels like just another Sunday race with a million dollar bonus attached to it.

The first issue starts with television coverage. For an event NASCAR promotes as one of its biggest nights of the season, FOX did not even put the race on the main FOX network. Instead, it is buried on FS1. That is a massive disappointment for fans who expect the All Star Race to be treated like a premier event.

Imagine if the MLB All Star Game or the NHL All Star Game was pushed to a secondary sports channel instead of national television. Fans would immediately question how important the event really is. That is exactly the vibe NASCAR is giving off here.

Then there is the start time.

Part of what made past All Star Races feel larger than life was the atmosphere. Night racing creates energy. The lights, the buildup, the intensity, and the primetime audience all made the event feel important. Dover does not have lights, so now fans are getting a 1 PM ET start time for what is supposed to be NASCAR’s showcase exhibition race.

That does not feel like an All Star event. It feels like a regular Sunday afternoon race.

The money aspect also does not hit the same anymore. NASCAR continues pushing the “richest All Star event in America” narrative because the winner takes home one million dollars. Years ago, that sounded massive. In 2026, it just does not carry the same weight.

Drivers today are making huge salaries, major sponsorship deals, and bonus money across the season. One million dollars is still a lot of money to everyday people, but in professional sports, it no longer feels luxurious or groundbreaking the way NASCAR markets it.

On top of that, there has not exactly been overwhelming excitement from drivers or fans about Dover hosting this event in the first place. The All Star Race is supposed to feel flashy, bold, and unforgettable. Fans want wild short tracks, primetime racing, and an atmosphere that screams spectacle.

Instead, this year’s event feels stripped down.

The All Star Race should feel like NASCAR’s version of a celebration. Right now, it feels more like a glorified exhibition race sitting awkwardly on the schedule a week before the Coca-Cola 600.

NASCAR desperately needs to bring the magic back to this event because right now, the “All Star” feeling is missing completely.