The Nextel NASCAR All-Star Challenge
Participants
2005
Run on May 21, 2005
These are the rules for 2005.
The 'NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge' is a Nextel Cup non points race. It is also one of the richest races with the winner earning $1 million dollars, $50,000 per lap in the final segment. The race is run at Lowe's Motor Speedway. It is held one week prior to Memorial Day, on Saturday night, 'under the lights'.
Qualifying will have the driver start by rolling into a pit box, the crew will change 4 tires. As the driver leaves the pit box, there is no pit road speed limit, and they run 3 laps.
The race is run in three parts, of 40-30-20 laps, with a break of ten minutes between each segment where tire changes and chassis adjustments are allowed without losing track position. During the first segment, a mandatory green flag 4 tire pit stop is required, but it must be at least one lap before the final lap (the 'Jeff Burton Rule*'). During the first break, cars will be inverted (6-12 Driver Random by lottery type draw).
Caution laps will be counted during the first 2 segments, but not during the 3rd segment. Restarts are side-by-side in running order (like the start of a race). Drivers who pit during yellow-flag interruptions may lose one or more laps if they remain on pit road while the field circles behind the pace car.
Who is in the race?
- Winners of NASCAR Nextel/Winston Cup races in the previous year and up to the race before 'The NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge'. This includes both drivers and team owners.
- All previous NASCAR Nextel/Winston Cup champions who attempt to qualify for Nextel Cup events are eligible.
- All previous 'NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge' or 'The Winston' winners from the past (used to be within the past five years) who attempt to qualify for Nextel Cup events are eligible.
- If the field is less than 20, winners of Nextel/Winston Cup events from previous seasons can be made eligible. All drivers eligible from a particular season are made eligible, even if the field has more than 20 cars.
- The winner of the 'Nextel Open' is eligible. 'Nextel Open', a two segment 30 (20 & 10) lap qualifying race, is run prior to 'The NASCAR All-Star Race presented by Nextel', and is open to all Nextel Cup regulars who do not qualify based on earlier qualifications. If the cars pit during the break, they will lose position. Only green flag laps count during the last segment. 'The NASCAR All-Star Race presented by Nextel Open' qualifier starts from the rear of the field.
- By Fan Vote. The competitor who gets the votes at NASCAR.com or text message on a Nextel phone. If the driver with the most votes wins the race, or does not finish on the lead lap, the next highest (and so on) will be in the race.
Click Here for a list of previous winners.
| '05 # | Driver Name | Qualification/Race Event | |
| 1 | #8 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | '04 Wins: Daytona (2/15), Atlanta
(3/14), Richmond (5/15), Bristol
(8/28), Talladega (10/3), Phoenix
(11/7) '00 Winston Race Winner |
| 2 | #17 | Matt Kenseth | '04 Wins: Rockingham
(2/22), Las Vegas (3/7) '03 Winston Cup Champion '04 Nextel All-Star Challenge Winner |
| 3 | #48 | Jimmie Johnson | '04 Wins: Darlington
(3/21), Lowe's Motor Speedway
(5/30), Pocono (6/13), Pocono
(8/1), Lowe's Motor Speedway
(10/16), Martinsville
(10/24), Atlanta
(10/31), Darlington
(11/14) '05 Wins: Las Vegas (3/20) '03 'The Winston' Winner |
| 4 | #97 | Kurt Busch | '04 Wins: Bristol (3/28), Loudon
(7/25), Loudon
(9/19) '05 Wins: Phoenix (4/23) '04 Nextel Cup Champion |
| 5 | #38 | Elliott Sadler | '04 Wins: Texas (4/4), California (9/5) |
| 6 | #2 | Rusty Wallace | '04 Wins: Martinsville
(4/18) '89 Winston Cup Champion |
| 7 | #24 | Jeff Gordon | '04 Wins: Talladega (4/25),
California (5/2), Infineon
(6/27), Daytona (7/3), Indianapolis
(8/8) '05 Wins: Daytona (2/20), Martinsville (4/10), Talladega (5/1) '95, '97, '98, '01 Winston Cup Champion '01 The Winston Race Winner |
| 8 | #6 | Mark Martin | '04 Wins: Dover (6/6) '98 'The Winston' Race Winner |
| 9 | #12 | Ryan Newman | '04 Wins: Michigan (6/20), Dover
(9/26) '02 The Winston Race Winner |
| 10 | #20 | Tony Stewart | '04 Wins: Chicago (7/11), Watkins
Glen (8/15) '02 Winston Cup Champion |
| 11 | #16 | Greg Biffle | '04 Wins: Michigan
(8/22), Homestead (11/21) '05 Wins: Fontana (2/27), Texas (4/17) , Darlington (5/7) |
| 12 | #19 | Jeremy Mayfield | '04 Wins: Richmond (9/11) |
| 13 | #01 | Joe Nemechek | '04 Wins: Kansas (10/10) |
| 14 | #99 | Carl Edwards | '05 Wins: Atlanta (3/20) |
| 15 | #29 | Kevin Harvick | '05 Wins: Bristol (4/3) |
| 16 | #9 | Kasey Kahne | '05 Wins: Richmond (5/14) |
| 17 | #18 | Bobby Labonte | '00 Winston Cup Champion |
| 18 | #88 | Dale Jarrett | '99 Winston Cup Champion |
| 19 | #44 | Terry Labonte | '84,'96 Winston Cup Champion |
| 20 | #91 | Bill Elliott | '98 Winston Cup Champion |
| 21 | #15 | Michael Waltrip | '96 'The Winston' Race Winner |
| 22 | #98 | Geoffrey Bodine | '94 'The Winston' Race Winner |
| 23 | ??? | ??? | Winner of 'The Nextel NASCAR All-Star Challenge Open' |
| 24 | ??? | ??? | Winner of Fan Vote for 'The Nextel NASCAR All-Star Challenge Open' |
Other active former Nextel Cup
winners not otherwise eligible: Ricky Craven (3/03), Robby Gordon (6/03), Ward Burton (2/02), Sterling Marlin
(3/02), Ricky Rudd (6/02), Jamie McMurray (10/02), Jeff Burton(5/01), John Andretti(4/99), Kyle Petty(6/95),
Morgan Shepherd(3/93), Ken Schrader(6/91), Derrick
Cope(6/90).
