It's All Star Race Time.

I still can't stop thinking of it as the Winston, I guess.  For the most part, I have a hard time not thinking about the sport as the Winston Cup, even after all these years.  Or the Busch Series.  Or the Craftsman Truck series.

But I guess since it's now called the Sprint All Star Race, that's what I'll call it.

It will be a real spectacle on Saturday night at Concord, NC.  There are no points involved.  It's all about the money, and more importanly, bragging rights.

The cars, but certainly not the drivers, are expendable.  All a driver has to do is win, no matter how badly he tears the car up.  It's going to be a lot of fun to watch drivers put everything on the line, not for points, but for fun, and glory.  The money helps a little too.

Nascar has done a masterful job of hyping up the All Star race over the years.  We basically only have two non points races per year, the first being the Budweiser Shootout in Daytona in February, and the other being the All Star race in Concord in May.  Sometimes, I wish Nascar put on more non points shows like this.  Nothing to lose, everything to gain stuff.  I like it.

Sometimes I think Nascar's points system puts way too much pressure on drivers saving their cars in order to finish races they have not chance of winning.  I miss the days when 43 drivers just let it all hang out to see who could get to the front and win.  That hasn't happened in a very long time.

Here's hoping for a spirited, if safe All Star race on Saturday.  Let's see who the best man is this year.

Spenser