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Last year's All-Star race saw Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne in a dramatic, late-race battle for the win.

Head2Head: Should the All-Star race travel around?

Keep it at LMS or give tracks like Bristol, 'Dega a shot?

By NASCAR.COM
May 13, 2009
11:16 AM EDT

type size: + -

The walls at Lowe's Motor Speedway have been turned yellow which can only mean one thing -- it's all-star time.

Every May, NASCAR takes a "break" for the All-Star race, an exhibition to showcase the best of the sport. The all-star event made its debut in 1985, and except for one year in Atlanta (1986), the race has always been held in Charlotte, N.C.

But what about the 21 other tracks on the schedule? Should they get an opportunity to host NASCAR's premier exhibition event and see 20-plus of the greatest drivers battle for $1 million on their track? Or should tradition hold true and the race remain at LMS? Read both sides of the argument and then weigh in with your take.

Should NASCAR move the All-Star race to different tracks each season?


YES	NO
"Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor." -- William Cowper. Better get NASCAR a habenero, because its site selection for the All-Star race is quite bland. Year after year, the sport returns to a commonplace intermediate track -- the white bread of the circuit. Been there, done that ... now let's move along. This is the All-Star race, right? The crem della crem. Does repeatedly visiting Lowe's Motor Speedway truly put the best to the test? Imagine 25 cars battling under the lights at Bristol for a fat million one year and bump drafting like bats out of hell at Talladega the next. I salivate at the thought of NASCAR's finest duking it out at exciting and historic venues like Darlington and Daytona. The race is currently a glorified test session since the data carries over to the Coca-Cola 600 just one week later. I understand wanting a week for drivers to be close to home, but just hold the event elsewhere, take a week off and then run the 600. One LMS race per year is plenty, but I have to stomach three. In every other major sport, the hosting site changes each season, making it easier for local fans to attend. In the case of baseball's Midseason Classic, it also provides a fresh backdrop for those watching and a varying challenge for the players. C'mon, NASCAR ... mix it up. Throw the drivers a curveball and watch them hit it out of the park. • Jason Schoellen, NASCAR.COM The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.	The All-Star race belongs in Charlotte. It doesn't need to be moved around the country, at different tracks each year; it needs to stay right where it is. The season is a long, grueling one. And for these drivers, any opportunity to chill at home is a welcome one. The All-Star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway provides everyone involved -- from drivers to crew members -- the opportunity to take a nice two-week break. If the All-Star race moves from track to track, these guys lose that. Don't they travel enough? Besides, Charlotte is NASCAR. All the teams are within a stone's throw from LMS, providing fans the perfect opportunity to visit their favorite team's shop while there for the race. You won't get that kind of access in Fontana. On top of that, the Hall of Fame will soon be open to the public. Can you think of a better way to spend all-star weekend than with a trip down memory lane before heading to the track? I can't. Comparing NASCAR's all-star event to other sports just doesn't work for one reason -- all 36 weeks are an all-star race. The other sports don't have the best-of-the-best compete against each other week in and week out like NASCAR does. Finally, do we really want to see the All-Star race at Fontana? Michigan? Pocono? How can NASCAR tell some tracks yes and others no? They can't, so you involve one, you involve them all. Be careful what you wish for. All-Star weekend is the one time NASCAR can offer fans the complete package -- a week of entertainment that you just can't get in any other city than the Queen City. • Bill Kimm, NASCAR.COM The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

YES

"Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor." -- William Cowper.

Better get NASCAR a habenero, because its site selection for the All-Star race is quite bland. Year after year, the sport returns to a commonplace intermediate track -- the white bread of the circuit. Been there, done that ... now let's move along.

This is the All-Star race, right? The crem della crem. Does repeatedly visiting Lowe's Motor Speedway truly put the best to the test? Imagine 25 cars battling under the lights at Bristol for a fat million one year and bump drafting like bats out of hell at Talladega the next. I salivate at the thought of NASCAR's finest duking it out at exciting and historic venues like Darlington and Daytona.

The race is currently a glorified test session since the data carries over to the Coca-Cola 600 just one week later.

I understand wanting a week for drivers to be close to home, but just hold the event elsewhere, take a week off and then run the 600. One LMS race per year is plenty, but I have to stomach three.

In every other major sport, the hosting site changes each season, making it easier for local fans to attend. In the case of baseball's Midseason Classic, it also provides a fresh backdrop for those watching and a varying challenge for the players.

C'mon, NASCAR ... mix it up. Throw the drivers a curveball and watch them hit it out of the park.

• Jason Schoellen, NASCAR.COM

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

The All-Star race belongs in Charlotte. It doesn't need to be moved around the country, at different tracks each year; it needs to stay right where it is.

The season is a long, grueling one. And for these drivers, any opportunity to chill at home is a welcome one. The All-Star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway provides everyone involved -- from drivers to crew members -- the opportunity to take a nice two-week break. If the All-Star race moves from track to track, these guys lose that. Don't they travel enough?

Besides, Charlotte is NASCAR. All the teams are within a stone's throw from LMS, providing fans the perfect opportunity to visit their favorite team's shop while there for the race. You won't get that kind of access in Fontana. On top of that, the Hall of Fame will soon be open to the public. Can you think of a better way to spend all-star weekend than with a trip down memory lane before heading to the track? I can't.

Comparing NASCAR's all-star event to other sports just doesn't work for one reason -- all 36 weeks are an all-star race. The other sports don't have the best-of-the-best compete against each other week in and week out like NASCAR does.

Finally, do we really want to see the All-Star race at Fontana? Michigan? Pocono? How can NASCAR tell some tracks yes and others no? They can't, so you involve one, you involve them all. Be careful what you wish for.

All-Star weekend is the one time NASCAR can offer fans the complete package -- a week of entertainment that you just can't get in any other city than the Queen City.

• Bill Kimm, NASCAR.COM

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.