Dover To Host 2026 All-Star Race In Surprise Shift

Dover Motor Speedway will host the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race. (John Harrelson/Nigel Kinrade Photography)

DOVER, Del. – For the first time in NASCAR history, the NASCAR Cup Series and its annual $1 million All-Star Race will head to Dover Motor Speedway.

As part of NASCAR’s 2026 schedule release on Wednesday, the date and venue for the exhibition special were confirmed, slated for May 17 at the historic ‘Monster Mile’.

“We are beyond excited to host the NASCAR All-Star Race at the ‘Monster Mile’,” said Mike Tatoian, Dover Motor Speedway’s president and general manager. “The mid-May dates historically offer great weather in our region, and we are already hard at work on plans to make the entire weekend a special one for our fans.

“There will be a lot of updates and fun additions to the weekend – including the return of the wildly successful Miles Beach, presented by Visit Delaware – in our famous Fan Zone.”

Dover will swap a regular season, points-paying race with North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway for the All-Star event. The North Wilkesboro date has moved to July 19 for next season.

The move will also come with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series joining the O'Reilly Auto Parts (formerly known as the Xfinity) Series and Cup Series, at Dover for a packed tripleheader weekend.

May will mark the first time that has happened at Dover in six years.

As echoed by Dover GM Mike Tatoian, a factor in the move for Dover was due to weather. The most recent race in July was the first time the yearly event was run in the middle of the summer since its inaugural race in 1969.

Characteristic summer weather of mid-Atlantic rain and coastal humidity affected the experience for fans and drivers during the 400-mile race.

With the one-mile track not having permanent lighting, the All-Star Race is expected to be a daytime affair, though NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Venue & Racing Innovations Officer Ben Kennedy admitted discussions around temporary lighting had been had.

“More than likely, it will be a day race at Dover. We worked with Speedway Motorsports on the shift there,” said NASCAR Vice President, Ben Kennedy. “Part of it was taking into consideration whether moving Dover into May was a better time of year from at least a heat perspective, and we considered a handful of other tracks as well. We felt like this one was the best.

“It took a number of considerations as we thought about each one of these moves, and Dover was the best option that we had for 2026.”

On the other side of the move, North Wilkesboro will move to a mid-summer date, replacing Dover in its July slot. It will be the first time the track has hosted a points race since 1996, and the elevation comes three years after its triumphant return to the NASCAR circuit.

Acquiring the All-Star event will allow both the state of Delaware and the nearby regional market of Philadelphia, Pa., economic opportunities.

For the first time the event will be held in the Northeast part of the United States, and it will kick off three months of major sporting events in the greater Philadelphia area – the city is roughly an hour and a half from Dover.

With the city of ‘Brotherly Love’ also hosting the MLB All-Star game and FIFA World Cup 26 games that summer, those events were an influencing factor for NASCAR officials in planning the Dover move.

All three events will coexist with the U.S. celebrating America’s 250th birthday on July 4th and the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence— all a part of the industry’s Dover vision.

“Hosting the NASCAR All-Star Race at The Monster Mile is a win for Delaware’s economy and tourism industry,” said Delaware Governor Matt Meyer. “In 2026, as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, fans from across the globe will come here for the thrill of our race weekend, discovering our beaches, history and hospitality along the way.”

The move to Dover for the All-Star race was one of a few major changes made to the NASCAR schedule. The event format will be announced at a later date.

Christopher Bell was the winner of the most recent All-Star Race in May at North Wilkesboro.

Coverage of the 42nd Cup Series All-Star Race from Dover is slated for Sunday, May 17, 2026 on FOX Sports, the Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.