The entire existence of NASCAR’s All-Star Race has been the subject of debate of late. Lackluster races that scream nothing more than a gimmicky exhibition without any real substance, and a $1 million prize that doesn’t really seem all that big, have fueled the criticism. Dale Earnhardt Jr. argues that the best idea is to get rid of it altogether. But not everyone agrees.

Former Cup Series driver Jeff Burton has a solution to save the All-Star, and it doesn’t align with Dale Jr.’s idea to just wave the white flag and say goodbye to a race that’s been ever-present in the schedule since 1985.

“I publicly said I think that Marcus should promote the All-Star Race at South Boston Speedway, at Orange County Speedway, at Hickory. And I got laughed out of the industry,” Burton said on The Dale Jr. Download podcast with Junior and SMI boss Marcus Smith on the panel.

“I had some of the biggest people in the industry say, there’s no way we’re going back to those racetracks. We don’t belong there. What do you mean we don’t belong there?” he added, explaining the importance of short-tracks.

Local short tracks represent the grassroots foundation where even some of the biggest Cup Series stars develop the basic skills and racecraft. And Burton feels that without tracks like South Boston, Orange County, and Hickory, they wouldn’t be at the top today.

By embracing the past, Burton doesn’t want NASCAR to just copy and paste the older format and allure of the All-Star Race by heading back to Charlotte, which hosted every race but one between 1985 and 2019.

He wants NASCAR to visit several historic short tracks around the country, which would also benefit grassroots racing as a whole. “You’re talking about helping short-track racing. You’re talking about helping grassroots.”

For 2027, it appears that NASCAR will return to North Wilkesboro for the All-Star Race, with Dover, which hosted it this year, expected to go back to hosting a points-paying Cup Series race. Many fans are unhappy, and the community is divided. Dale Jr. mainly feels that treating historic tracks as an afterthought and deciding who gets to host the event at the expense of another venue is one of the reasons he doesn’t want the All-Star Race to continue.

Burton agrees that the excitement that the All-Star Race once had has gone away. It’s become like an unexciting exhibition race. But he argues that instead of cancelling it, NASCAR should reinvent it.

Whether NASCAR sticks with North Wilkesboro or decides to try Burton’s idea remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: simply moving the All-Star Race from one track to another isn’t enough anymore. If NASCAR wants fans to care again, it’ll have to make the race feel special. Otherwise, more people might start agreeing with Dale Jr. that it’s time to move on from it.