Every year, the NASCAR All-Star Race brings together the sport’s top talent for a shot at a million-dollar payday. But not every driver is guaranteed a place in the main event. Most of the field is filled by race winners and past champions. But a few coveted spots are left open for those who can race their way in through the All-Star Open or win the ever-popular fan vote.
This high-stakes battle for the final three spots always delivers drama, heartbreak, and surprise heroes. In 2025, the fight for those last spots was as fierce as ever. However, it was two of NASCAR’s most notorious “bad boys” who grabbed the headlines and the golden tickets. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace was left on the outside looking in.
Noah Gragson and Carson Hocevar steal the spotlight at All-Star Race
Noah Gragson, driving the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports, didn’t win the Open on track. But the driver clinched his spot by winning the fan vote. His brash personality and “never lift” style have made him a lightning rod for attention, both positive and negative. This is his third consecutive year of winning the fan vote. “It means a lot. Really grateful to have all the support from the fans, and feel like we’ve got a pretty good race car,” Gragson said.
Apart from Gragson, the likes of Shane van Gisbergen, Carson Hocevar, Ryan Preece and Bubba Wallace were on the short list for the fans to vote their favorite driver in. Clearly, Gragson has no competition in terms of popularity among the fans, not even SVG or Wallace could topple him from his throne this year. On the other hand, Hocevar made sure he secured his spot by winning the All-Star Open race. A smart pit road strategy and leading 46 laps in the race, the Spire Motorsports driver will now have a shot at $1 million in the main event.
Meanwhile, John Hunter Nemechek made a splendid comeback in the last 7 laps of the race and jumped from seventh to second to secure the final spot for the All-Star race. 0.697 seconds was the difference between Hocevar and Nemechek crossing the finish line. It was a tough day for pole sitter SVG, who, despite leading 54 laps, couldn’t find himself in contention; the Kiwi driver finished the race 13th. The big upset was Bubba Wallace finishing the All-Star Open in eight place, not enough to get him through.
Noah Gragson wins the fan vote to transfer into the All-Star Race.
— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) May 18, 2025
Bubba Wallace gave it everything he had but came up short. Despite his efforts and loyal fan base, he missed out on both the transfer position and the fan vote. It was a tough break for Wallace, who’s made a name for himself in high-pressure situations.
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