A little late, but better than not at all...
Just like past years, we're going to treat the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race next Sunday (May 22) just like a normal weekend NASCAR race but with more bonus point opportunities.
All picks for the All-Star Open and the All-Star race events must be posted before 5:00PM EDT (2:00PM PDT) Sunday, May 22, before the television coverage of both races starts on Fox Sports 1.
Here's the weekend schedule:
* No game bonus point for qualifying at the All-Star Race this year.
Qualifying for both the Open and All-Star Race will be on Fox Sports 1 on Saturday, May 21, starting at 7:30PM EDT (4:30PM PDT).
* Sunday, May 22, 5:30PM EDT (2:30PM PDT) the NASCAR All-Star Open, a qualifying race for all drivers not automatically eligible to drive in the All-Star race. There will be three segments to the Monster Energy Open: 20, 20, and 10 laps, with each stage winner advancing to the All-Star race. Another driver will advance to the All-Star race based on the fan vote.
* There are four stages in this year's All-Star Race -- Stages 1 through 3 will each be 25 laps, and the final stage will be 50 laps.
So, how are points going to work? Pick two drivers as always - driver picks can be from both the All-Star Open and the already-qualified drivers for the All-Star Race. You are picking drivers for only the All-Star Race, not the All-Star Open.
All game scoring will be based on All Star Race stage and finish position only.
But you can pick a driver that is driving in the All-Star Open if you think they will be one of the three drivers from either the All-Star Open stage winners, or will be the fan vote winner, and advance to the All Star Race.
If your driver wins the final 50-lap segment of the All Star Race you'll get a -5 bonus, 2nd-place driver pick will get a -3 point bonus. Also, the driver pick winning stage All Star Race will get a -1 point bonus. If the same driver pick wins multiple stages they'll get a -1 point bonus for each.
As always, finishing positions from the All Star Race for your driver picks will be averaged. But not all current drivers will be starting the 125-lap All-Star race.
Only 24 drivers will start the All-Star race event, including the Fan Vote Winner and the three stage winners from the All-Star Open preliminary race.
If you pick a driver that doesn't make it out of the Monster Energy Open, you'll get an 24th-place finish for that driver.
No picks at all will be counted as 24 points since only 24 cars will be starting the All-Star Race stages.
Here's the list of drivers guaranteed entry to the All-Star Race. They'll be joined by the Fan Vote Winner and the three stage winners of the All-Star Open:
#1 Ross Chastain
#2 Austin Cindric
#4 Kevin Harvick
#5 Kyle Larson
#6 Brad Keselowski
#9 Chase Elliott
#10 Aric Almirola
#11 Denny Hamlin
#12 Ryan Blaney
#14 Chase Briscoe
#15 AJ Allmendinger
#18 Kyle Busch
#19 Martin Truex Jr.
#20 Christopher Bell
#22 Joey Logano
#23 Bubba Wallace
#24 William Byron
#34 Michael McDowell
#45 Kurt Busch
#48 Alex Bowman
Pick any driver not on the above list and double any bonus points earned by that driver. You could get -10 points for an event win, -6 points for an event runner-up, -2 points for any stage win.
Not interested in any driver except for those already locked in, you say? Any of the drivers racing in the All-Star Open could easily win either the Monster Energy Open or the Fan Vote on Friday night. Pick a non-qualified driver and possibly earn double bonus points.
So, do you feel lucky? Well, do you?
Vote for your favorite driver if he's not already in the set field and try to get him in via the Sprint Fan Vote.
And of you just want to keep your already "locked in" picks...that's OK too.
Good luck all! Let me know if you have any questions.