It's NASCAR All-Star Race night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and we've got the actual race start time, the starting lineup and some other facts about Saturday's race for you below.
Follow @sbnation | Like SB Nation on Facebook | Subscribe to SB Nation Youtube
What time does the race start Saturday? This is not an easy answer because the evening begins with the "Sprint Showdown," a 40-lap race to decide which two drivers will transfer into the All-Star Race. The Showdown's official start time is listed as 7:36 p.m. Eastern, but since it's tough to say exactly how long the race will take, the All-Star Race start time is approximate. NASCAR estimates the engines will fire at 9:03 p.m., followed by the All-Star Race green flag at 9:12 p.m.
NOTE: If you're unable to watch the race, I'll be providing Twitter updates here – @jeff_gluck
Race format/distance: The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is a 90-lap race around the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway. This year, there are five segments: Four 20-lap segments followed by a 10-lap shootout for the $1 million prize. The four segment winners will line up 1-2-3-4 entering pit road for the final stop before the shootout, which will then make the race decided by pit strategy. You can read more about the format here.
TV and radio: The race can be seen on SPEED, not FOX. Unfortunately, there is no live streaming of the race – but you can listen on the Motor Racing Network's Web site (just click the red link). You can also check MRN's site for a list of affiliate stations in your area.
National anthem: Tony Lucca, who was a finalist on Season 2 of The Voice, will do the honors. This is the second week in a row that a former contestant from The Voice has performed the anthem. Team owner Joe Gibbs will be doing the invocation.
Tickets: The All-Star Race is not a sellout – far from it, actually – and you should be able to get some very cheap tickets if you want to make a last-minute trip to the track.
Weather: The unofficial NASCAR weatherman, Brian Neudorff, predicts no rain and a pleasantly dry evening for fans in attendance.
Last time: Carl Edwards won an uneventful All-Star Race last season, but made it eventful by wrecking his car in the grass while celebrating after the race.
Starting lineup for Saturday's NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
- Kyle Busch
- Ryan Newman
- Denny Hamlin
- Greg Biffle
- Kevin Harvick
- Jimmie Johnson
- Paul Menard
- Jeff Gordon
- Tony Stewart
- Regan Smith
- Trevor Bayne
- Clint Bowyer
- Carl Edwards
- David Ragan
- Matt Kenseth
- Mark Martin
- Kurt Busch
- Marcos Ambrose
- Brad Keselowski
- Kasey Kahne
- Sprint Showdown winner
- Sprint Showdown runner-up
- Sprint Fan Vote winner
And here is the starting lineup for the Sprint Showdown:
- AJ Allmendinger
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Jeff Burton
- Aric Almirola
- Landon Cassill
- Juan Pablo Montoya
- Bobby Labonte
- Travis Kvapil
- David Stremme
- Casey Mears
- David Reutimann
- Joey Logano
- Stephen Leicht
- Scott Speed
- David Gilliland
- Mike Bliss
- JJ Yeley
- Jamie McMurray
- Joe Nemechek
- Josh Wise
- Tony Raines