Who’s Locked into the All-Star Race?

by
Peter Stratta
May 16, 2022

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

Which 20 Drivers Already Make Up the 2022 All-Star Race?

Sunday marks the 2022 running of the NASCAR All-Star Race from Texas Motor Speedway. With no points on the line, the sport’s best drivers will leave it all on the track for a $1 million check. Who is already guaranteed into the million-dollar show? Let’s take a look at which 20 drivers will make up the All-Star Race field. Four more contenders will join this star-studded field, transferring through from the Open race and the fan vote.

Seven past winners of NASCAR’s All-Star Race will be chasing another $1 million check. Those drivers include:

#4-Kevin Harvick (2007, 2018 winner)
#5-Kyle Larson (2019, 2021)
#9-Chase Elliott (2020)
#11-Denny Hamlin (2015)
#18-Kyle Busch (2017)
#22-Joey Logano (2016)
#45-Kurt Busch (2010)

Two past Cup Series champions are also locks for Sunday night’s big show. These perennial contenders going for their first All-Star Race win are:

#6-Brad Keselowski (2012 champion)
#19-Martin Truex Jr. (2017 champion)

Past those above, 11 others are also clinched into the All-Star Race through winning in 2021 or 2022. The race winners are:

#1-Ross Chastain (2022 COTA, Talladega winner)
#2-Austin Cindric (2022 Daytona 500)
#10-Aric Almirola (2021 New Hampshire)
#12-Ryan Blaney (3 wins in 2021)
#14-Chase Briscoe (2022 Phoenix)
#16-AJ Allmendinger (2021 Indianapolis)
#20-Christopher Bell (2021 Daytona Road Course)
#23-Bubba Wallace (2021 Talladega fall)
#24-William Byron (2021 Homestead, 2022 Atlanta, Martinsville)
#34-Michael McDowell (2021 Daytona 500)
#48-Alex Bowman (4 wins in 2021, 2022 Las Vegas)

The All-Star Open will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday night on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Through three segments, the 50-lap dash will send three more drivers into the main event. The fan vote winner will also transfer through, giving 24 drivers a shot at the $1 million. The 2022 All-Star Race will go green at 8:00 ET Sunday evening. See the new All-Star Race format here. Be sure to not miss a lap of action as NASCAR’s best talents duel it out for the biggest payday of the season.