Here we go...2021 12th annual NASCAR "Pick 'Em" Game
Just like past years, we're going to treat the 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race next Sunday (June 13) just like a normal weekend NASCAR race but with more bonus point opportunities.
All picks for the All-Star Open and the All-Star race events must be posted before 2:00PM EDT (11:00AM PDT) Sunday, June 13th, before the television coverage of Qualifying starts on Fox Sports 1.
Here's the weekend schedule:
* No qualifying events
* The NASCAR All-Star Open, a qualifying race for all drivers not automatically eligible to drive in the All-Star race. There will be three segments to the Monster Energy Open: 20, 20, and 10 laps, with each stage winner advancing to the All-Star race. Another driver will advance to the All-Star race based on the fan vote.
* There are six stages in this year's All-Star Race -- Stages 1 through 4 will each be 15 laps, Stage 5 will be 30 laps, and the final stage will be a 10-lap shootout. Only green-flag laps will be counted in All-Star Race and, I assume, NASCAR overtime rules will apply to all stages.
Confused yet?
So, how are points going to work? Pick two drivers as always - driver picks can be from both the All-Star Open and the already-qualified drivers for the All-Star Race. You are picking drivers for only the All-Star Race, not the All-Star Open.
All game scoring will be based on All Star Race stage and finish position only.
But you can pick a driver that is driving in the All-Star Open if you think they will be one of the three drivers from either the All-Star Open stage winners, or will be the fan vote winner, and advance to the All Star Race.
If your driver wins the final 10-lap segment of the All Star Race you'll get a -5 bonus, 2nd-place driver pick will get a -3 point bonus. Also, the driver pick winning stage All Star Race will get a -1 point bonus. If the same driver pick wins multiple stages they'll get a -1 point bonus for each.
As always, finishing positions from the All Star Race for your driver picks will be averaged. But not all current drivers will be starting the 100-lap All-Star race.
Only 21 drivers will start the All-Star race event, including the Fan Vote Winner and the three stage winners from the All-Star Open preliminary race.
If you pick a driver that doesn't make it out of the Monster Energy Open, you'll get an 22nd-place finish for that driver.
No picks at all will be counted as 22 points since only 21 cars will be starting the All-Star Race stages.
Here's the list of drivers guaranteed entry to the All-Star Race. They'll be joined by the Fan Vote Winner and the three stage winners of the All-Star Open:
#1 Kurt Busch
#2 Brad Keselowski
#3 Austin Dillon
#4 Kevin Harvick
#5 Kyle Larson
#6 Ryan Newman
#9 Chase Elliott
#11 Denny Hamlin
#12 Ryan Blaney
#18 Kyle Busch
#19 Martin Truex Jr.
#20 Christopher Bell
#22 Joey Logano
#24 William Byron
#34 Michael McDowell
#41 Cole Custer
#48 Alex Bowman
Pick any driver not on the above list and double any bonus points earned by that driver. You could get -10 points for an event win, -6 points for an event runner-up, -2 points for any stage win.
Not interested in any driver except for those already locked in, you say? Any of the drivers racing in the All-Star Open could easily win either the Monster Energy Open or the Fan Vote on Friday night. Pick a non-qualified driver and possibly earn double bonus points.
So, do you feel lucky? Well, do you?
Vote for your favorite driver if he's not already in the set field and try to get him in via the Sprint Fan Vote.
And of you just want to keep your already "locked in" picks...that's OK too.
Good luck all! Let me know if you have any questions.
