Since NASCAR announced the format change for the All-Star Race, the decision had sparked plenty of debate among the fans and drivers. After the race, Chase Briscoe has now opened up about how he felt about the event. 

This year’s All-Star race took place under a different format, as three segments replaced the All-Star Open. According to the new format, all 36 drivers participated in the first two segments. During the third segment, the grid was narrowed down to just 26 drivers. According to the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, the All-Star event lacked the familiar feeling it had carried over the years.

“Didn't feel like an all-star race," Briscoe said. "I don't know, maybe because it's during the day and it just didn't all weekend; it just didn't feel like an all-star race. It just felt like we were at a normal points race, but we had practice, which was cool, but I never even came out of the garage."

The race ran long since NASCAR and SMI wanted to avoid cutting laps for the Dover regulars who attend each year. The opening half used a full field with an inversion and eliminations to mimic an “open race” format.

“So that was kind of unique," Briscoe added. "But it definitely didn't feel like an All-Star race, maybe just because it's new. But the reward for winning definitely felt like an all-star race, but the race itself was so long.”

Chase Briscoe was not the only driver to have voiced his opinion about the new All-Star format. Prior to him, Bubba Wallace also spoke about how the event "doesn't feel like an All-Star weekend and just feels like another race."

Briscoe had a decent run at the Monster Mile. But he was overtaken by his teammate in the final 29 laps of the race and was forced to settle for second. 

Chase Briscoe Battles Through Illness to Deliver a Strong Performance at Dover

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver came up short of a win against his teammate, Denny Hamlin, who walked away with $100,000 for his team. 

During a post-race interview with Speedway Digest, Briscoe revealed that he had been battling a stomach bug the whole weekend.

“I’ve been having the stomach bug bad the last two or three days, so I didn’t know how the day was truthfully even going to go,” he said.

The Dover Motor Speedway temperatures did not make the conditions any easier for the driver. Despite his battle with the stomach bug, the #19 driver put up an impressive performance. 

Chase Briscoe currently sits in 17th place, just six points away from making it into the playoff bubble. He will be looking forward to contending for a race win at the upcoming Coca-Cola 600,  the longest race of the season, which will take place on May 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Read more at Daytona Racing Digest.

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar