The NASCAR All-Star Race is a non-championship exhibition event that has been held every year since 1985, originally sponsored by Winston as "The Winston" and now a highlight of the Cup Series calendar. For most of its history, it was anchored at Charlotte Motor Speedway (renamed Lowe's from 1999–2009, with a sole 1986 exception in Atlanta), but recent years have seen it travel to Bristol (2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Texas (2021), North Wilkesboro (2023 and again in 2027), and Dover (2026). The race's format has evolved considerably, adding a preliminary Open/Showdown qualifying race and a fan vote (since 2004), with Michael Waltrip making history in 1996 as the first driver to win after transferring in from a qualifying race. Eligibility rules have also broadened: after 2005, winners from the past ten years of either the Cup Series or the All-Star Race became eligible, and by 2015, all full-time drivers with a Cup or All-Star victory were automatically exempt. The title sponsor transitioned from Winston to Nextel/Sprint, leading to the official name "Sprint All-Star Race XXIV" in 2008 (using Roman numerals), while in 2014, the Showdown was moved to the night before, with qualifying taking place just prior to the main event. Interestingly, the original "Winston" title cleverly circumvented U.S. tobacco advertising restrictions on television, as the lack of a generic alternative forced broadcasters to mention the brand despite the regulatory limits.