Changes to the Sprint All-Star Race

Jamie McMurray en route to victory in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

NASCAR announced Wednesday that the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will be run with four segments for 25 laps. A driver's average finish in the first four segments will determine the order on to pit road for a mandatory pit stop before a 10-lap shootout crowns the $1 million winner of the annual classic at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 110-lap distance will be 20 laps more than the 90 scheduled circuits last season.

The race, which will be run with 2015 rules, breaks down as follows:

Segments 1, 2 and 3/25 laps each: All laps will be counted. … Optional pit stop during break, teams that pit will not retain their position on track.

Segment 4/25 laps: All laps will be counted. … Running order at the completion of the fourth segment will be repositioned based on the average finish of the first four segments. … Running order ties will be broken by the finish of the fourth segment. … Pit road will be open for a mandatory four-tire pit stop. … Order of cars returning to the track will determine starting order of the fifth and final segment.

Segment 5/10 laps: Only green flag laps will be counted.

Drivers who have won points races in the 2014 and 2015 as well as all previous NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions who had full-time rides in 2014 are in the field. Last month, NASCAR did not include Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth, the 2002 and 2004 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners, in the Sprint Fan Vote even though the drivers had not won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in the last 10 years, an eligibility requirement for past races.

In all, 17 drivers are currently locked into the field for the race:

For the second consecutive year, the Sprint Showdown will run the night before the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (May 15, 7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM). In the past, the top two finishers would advance to the main event. This year, the winner of each of two 20-lap Sprint Showdown segments will advance.

Between now and the start of the Sprint Showdown, the Sprint Fan Vote allows fans to pick a driver to make the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. For the first time in program history, votes shared via Facebook and/or Twitter will count as double toward a driver's total. Fans can vote daily with a maximum of one vote per day per unique email address by downloading the NASCAR MOBILE application or visiting NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Eligible voters can also enter into the Sprint Fan Vote sweepstakes, in which one lucky Sprint Fan Vote participant will win a trip for two to any 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote will be announced in Victory Lane following the conclusion of the Sprint Showdown. There are 32 drivers eligible for the 2015 Sprint Fan Vote. They must have attempted to qualify for the 2015 Daytona 500 and must run in the Sprint Showdown.

With 17 drivers locked into the race and three making it through via the Sprint Showdown or the Sprint Fan Vote, 20 drivers are guaranteed to run next month's race. Any eligible Sprint Fan Vote candidate who wins one of the five points races before the all-star event will automatically earn a spot, and the driver's name will be removed from the Sprint Fan Vote ballot with their existing votes voided.

The 32 drivers eligible for the Sprint Fan Vote include:
1. Justin Allgaier
2. Michael Annett
3. Trevor Bayne
4. Greg Biffle
5. Ryan Blaney
6. Alex Bowman
7. Clint Bowyer
8. Jeb Burton
9. Landon Cassill
10. Austin Dillon
11. Ty Dillon
12. David Gilliland
13. Ron Hornaday Jr.
14. Sam Hornish Jr.
15. Bobby Labonte
16. Kyle Larson
17. Justin Marks
18. Michael McDowell
19. Casey Mears
20. Paul Menard
21. Danica Patrick
22. David Ragan
23. Johnny Sauter
24. Brian Scott
25. Reed Sorenson
26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
27. Martin Truex Jr.
28. Mike Wallace
29. Michael Waltrip
30. Cole Whitt
31. Josh Wise
32. JJ Yeley

To engage in the #SprintAllStar Race conversation throughout the #SprintFanVote window, fans are encouraged to follow @MissSprintCup, @CLTMotorSpdwy and @NASCAR on Twitter.

NASCAR