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"By far the worst I have ever seen" — 60% of 437 fans reject Dover All-Star Race

Essentially NASCAR

May 18, 2026

Was the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Good?

Was the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Good?

60%

No

264

40%

Yes

173

437 readers voted


**TLDR** — The verdict is in, and it's not pretty for NASCAR. A decisive 60% of 437 fans polled (264 votes) said the 2026 All-Star Race at Dover was a flop, with just 40% (173 votes) defending the spectacle. The complaints came fast and loud: too many wrecks wiping out contenders on lap two, a gimmicky format that confused more than it entertained, and a Dover layout that one reader argued simply 'collects other cars during accidents.' An 82-year-old lifelong fan called it 'by far the worst I have ever seen' since the event's beginning. Others ripped the broadcast for excessive commercials and FS1 paywalls, while a chorus begged NASCAR to send the All-Star Race back to Charlotte or North Wilkesboro. Even some 'Yes' voters admitted the track 'didn't seem safe.' For a marquee exhibition, that's a damning scorecard from the grandstands.

We asked readers to weigh in — 50 shared their take. Here’s what they said:


Reader Reactions

50

No

mi****a***r***1@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 8:30 AM EDT

It was a nascar race, bloated cars driving in circles and getting nowhere. REAL racers can turn left and right.

No

tb*e*s*a@hotmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 6:43 PM EDT

To many good cars wiped out on 2nd lap. Then it became the Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick show. And Chase Briscoe. Announcers always talk about their favorites and forget about the rest of the field. I am glad FOX is done for the year!

No

pl***h**m***4@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 8:29 PM EDT

By far the worst I have ever seen I am 82 years old and have been there or seen since their beginning

No

rr**n*e**4@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 10:54 PM EDT

To much gimmick aspect to the race.

No

nl*ar*y@msn.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:56 PM EDT

Format change was not good. Location may have added to the numerous wrecks. NASCAR used to be my favorite sport but becoming unappealing now. Changes to broadcast also an issue. With the streaming of so many races, makes me step away. Many older fans cannot afford the cost.

No

da***s***r***2@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 7:25 AM EDT

Too many wrecks taking out unsuspecting cars and good drivers

No

br***k**l**y@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:08 PM EDT

Boring!!!

No

bo**b**w**3@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 8:13 PM EDT

Don’t host it at Dover due to how the track collects other cars during accidents. Did not like the size of the field to start the race as these not locked in drivers took out locked in drivers.

No

pe**e*c*t@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:17 PM EDT

It sucked

No

ma***v**t**6@hotmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 8:45 AM EDT

Obviously money talks louder than safety. From the race format to the car that was engineered for maximum nascar profit. Not safety.

No

ar**w**p**e@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 10:02 PM EDT

Lost all entertainment value of a Saturday night expo!

No

ls**t*n*8@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:13 PM EDT

Too many wrecks!

Yes

kl**h*e*p@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 10:36 PM EDT

Too many drivers didn't finish. Track didn't seem safe.

No

jo**r**4**6@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:20 PM EDT

Every NASCAR race is a joke anymore. It appears they are giving Toyota a big advantage, so why watch this anymore?

No

ho**o**i**3@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 6:38 AM EDT

FS1 is not available without extra cost but still is over 30%comercials I won't waste money watching that many commercials.

Yes

be**a*r**1@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 8:08 AM EDT

Lots of action

No

gm*e*n*2@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 9:09 PM EDT

Format didn't make sense to showcase the best drivers. Was set up yo be a crash-fest

Yes

ro**i**r**e@hotmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 6:38 AM EDT

Liked including more cars and the inverted field, more to watch than a quick sprint.

No

ri****e***r****2@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 8:21 PM EDT

WHEN YOU DROP THE REAR SPOILER BY 1 INCH AND INSTALL A SMALLER DEFUSIOR UNDER THE BACK OF THE CAR WHAT DO YOU EXPECT A BUNCH OF TORN UP RACE CARS THAT THE OWNER HAS TO REPAIR THROUGH PARTS LABOR FROM THE TEAM TOTALY DISRESPECTFUL NASCAR WAKE UP GET THE DOWN FORCE RIGHT STOP COSTING THESE OWNERS MONEY..

No

sk**i**4**0@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 6:28 PM EDT

to rigged very poor presentation too complicated to keep up with, N wilkesboro much better show

No

ba***r**o**r@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:14 PM EDT

As usual, just like all other NASCAR Cup races, it was terrible, NASCAR would do better if they done away with this NACAR built car and run Toyota out of the series, they have ruined NASCAR and let the teams build their own cars, Ford, Chevy and Dodge, thats it and thats the way it should be, maybe NASCAR should get up with some of the older drivers and get their expertise on which direction the sport should move in, the new car is the problem not the tracks, NASCAR is running out of time, I tired of watching this!!!

No

pa**y*g**d@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:59 PM EDT

This was a disaster- please go back to Charlotte!!! Where fans can visit all of the shops and drivers have events - that is a Fan Event!

Yes

ma**a*n*s@live.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:13 PM EDT

Still do not understand the point system... was it ever explained? If so, by who?

No

jh**m*c**2@hotmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 12:12 AM EDT

Most good cars crashed early. This race is always a dud regardless of where it is run. Just eliminate it and give the teams a week off.

Yes

mi****l***s****4@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 9:02 PM EDT

K.Larson’s quote “Arts & Crafts” 4 working on The car in the pits was great! Also, Preece saying “I was built for the big hits”, was pretty Good too. 2 weeks in a row that C.Zilisch’s Team has cost him the race!

No

la**y**e**3@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 10:21 AM EDT

It is a wasted weekend If you are not going to have a points race just give the teams a weekend off They deserve it

No

da*g*n*w@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 10:15 AM EDT

A complete waste of time and money

No

ge**b*a**7@msn.com

May 17, 2026 · 8:38 PM EDT

Not a good race at all in my opinion. All star race needs a different format.

No

bi**g**1**6@outlook.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:15 PM EDT

They should of had the drivers compete to get in,then race the race. It should have shorter.

No

ed***a***s***0@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 6:37 PM EDT

Reminded me of high speed demo derby. The next gen car proved again how unsafe and fragile they are. Everyone pushed like it was their last race knowing what the track was like. Money and helmets make drivers go brain dead

No

di**e**t**n@msn.com

May 17, 2026 · 9:48 PM EDT

Boring

No

di****a***r***8@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 7:44 AM EDT

In my eyes it was trash

No

vi*e*r*r@msn.com

May 18, 2026 · 8:59 AM EDT

Boring, single file racing and very poor coverage!

No

we**s*6*5@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 6:26 AM EDT

The race was to long. To many rule changes for just the one race. It did not feel like something special. To many cars damaged early.

No

cl****o****i****3@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 8:12 PM EDT

Everything catered for TOYOTA!!!!!!

Yes

ma**i*1*5@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 8:14 AM EDT

There was intense racing all over the track... the tire wear became an issue but in spite of the crashes , they put on an Awesome show... only thing I felt needs to be addressed is the cars wrecked in the opening laps were allowed to be repaired with no real penalty heading into the final 200 lap segment... Hamlin would have taken it regardless of competitors returning from the garage

No

je***o**w***4@icloud.com

May 18, 2026 · 5:32 AM EDT

I'm sick and tired of Denny Hamlin winning and still issuing comments on other drivers and what he says on his podcast about other drivers. He could say no comment and leave it at that. Who does he think he is to comment on any other drivers anyway. He's made his share of driving mistakes and nobody is perfect.

No

re**w**e**r@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 6:26 PM EDT

It was too many laps and rather boring. The cookie cutter Next Gen cars need to go away and go back to racing stick cars!!!

No

pe***a**m***e@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 6:27 PM EDT

I will comment but it'll never be heard by anybody that makes any difference probably but if they'll give them 800 horsepower naira the tires by 2 in with all the safety equipment they have now it'll be some hellacious good racing for everybody

Yes

sm**o*u**n@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 7:17 AM EDT

Overall it was a good race. Personally I think it needs to be held at a different track. Back to N. Wilkesboro or the like. Lots of excitement with incidents, which took out my favorite driver. I was expecting the old format, which I like better. Maybe next year??

No

ro***r**s**p@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 10:36 PM EDT

Worst thing that ever happened. wasn't a race it was a demolition derby. Whoever thought this up was an idiot. NASCAR has lived down to my expectations. As we all say it's become the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION SPORTS CAR AUTOMOBILE RACING !!!

No

te**i*3*0@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 6:31 PM EDT

😡That Kyle Larson was caught up in wreck on lap 2.

No

bi****l***d***1@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 8:53 PM EDT

I'm drawing retirement on my SSI and i can't afford to pay for the channels to watch the races so i don't watch Nascar anymore. I get my need for speed fix from NHRA and INDY CAR RACING now.

No

li***m**m***e@hotmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 6:37 PM EDT

It was boring -------just another ho hum race

No

pe**4*3*7@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 7:37 PM EDT

Terrible format. Once again only the Toyota's finished up front. Something seems off. No competition from the other brand of cars. How.can that be?

No

42*r*m*y@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 10:04 PM EDT

Fix is in for Toyota. So so drivers run away from the field.

No

ba***s**2***1@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 2:17 AM EDT

To much like watching slit cars going around & around

No

ba*n*.*b@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 6:43 PM EDT

Nascar needs alot of changes for the fans that have been around since dale sr,no driver has a personality anymore all bland.

No

da***w**b***8@gmail.com

May 18, 2026 · 1:05 AM EDT

The race was fixed so the guys would have no downforce to really race each other. It was a poor choice of tires as anyone could see during qualifying. The best drivers in nascar dont spin out like that did at dover and we've never seen this bad of an issue with tires and traction like this weekend. It sucked so we didnt watch it. Big disappointment!

No

gk**e*0*8@gmail.com

May 17, 2026 · 9:29 PM EDT

Dover the track is boring, the first two stages were exciting because there were hungry drivers the 200 finally was single file racing do the all star race at Datona or Atlanta

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