NASCAR hopes softer tires will liven up All-Star race

A crew member rolls a tire to mount on the car of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. during practice for today’s NASCAR Cup series All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

CONCORD, N.C. — It’s the 25th anniversary of “One Hot Night,” the All-Star race that made the nighttime spectacular must-see TV.

NASCAR is hoping tonight’s running can replicate some of the magic from that 1992 showcase.

That year was the first time the exhibition dash-for-cash was held under the lights at Charlotte. There was a full moon, a raucous crowd of more than 100,000 and a wild ending in which the winner was unconscious when he crossed the finish line. The driver, the late Davey Allison, went to the hospital and his damaged car did not go to victory lane.

Nothing will likely top that race, celebrated recently by Charlotte officials at the track’s prestigious speedway club. Allison was represented by Larry McReynolds, his crew chief at the time.

“Davey asked me 10 times from the car to the infield care center what happened,” McReynolds recalled. “I kept telling him, and then he would ask me again.”

NASCAR is in need of another memorable night. Why not today? The AllStar race this year has the makings of one they will talk about it for 25 years — if the drivers treat it that way.

NASCAR has some good on-track competition right now, and the $1 million made-for-TV event is a chance to showcase the storylines.

There’s a changing of the guard and a youth movement afoot, and some of the older stars need to prove their relevancy. There’s no better stage to just throw Chuck Burton / The Associated Press it all to the wind than this race that doesn’t matter.

As always, there’s a convoluted format that will lead to one 10-lap shootout for $1 million. This year, only 10 drivers will be allowed to compete in the final sprint.

The big shake-up is a softer tire and Goodyear officials seemed to be pretty excited after a Friday practice session. Stu Grant, Goodyear’s general manager of world-wide racing, thought the “bonus tire” was considerably faster but wasn’t sure what importance track position will have tonight.

Grant said the tires are built to last at least one 20-lap run, so it was up to teams to decide when they wanted to use that softer batch. If a driver elects to use the tires in the final shootout, he must start at the rear of the field.

When to use the tires becomes the pivotal question of the race because some will race with them just to ensure a spot in the final 10. Others will save the tires for the shootout, as they try to weave through traffic to regain track position and chase the money.

It’s literally checkers or wreckers, and a real chance for NASCAR to recapture the hype surrounding “One Hot Night.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has indicated the drivers have long asked for a softer tire — it has more grip but an unpredictable life span — so the gamble of briefly using a different compound Saturday night appeals to many. It could longterm lead to a second tire from Goodyear, but short-term has to deliver a real show tonight.

“I think the hardcore fans like that piece of strategy,” Earnhardt said.