The Sprint All-Star race is one of NASCAR's most prized events and this year the winner of the race will be netting quite a bit of money, as the million-dollar prize has been doubled.
According to ESPN.com, Charlotte Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith announced the news on Tuesday, proposing to give an extra $1 million to a driver if they can win all five segments of the event held in May. He is calling it "Bruton's Big Bonus."
Defending Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski was at the news conference and also unveiled a car that was specially made out of one million $1 bills.
"It's a good-looking car," Keselowski said as armed guards watched the car. "It definitely inspires me to race hard."
The All-Star race format includes five segments in it with the best average finisher in the first four parts making how the field will come into pit road for a mandatory pit stop before the final segment. The order of the cars coming back to the track will help determine the starting order for the segment in which the winner receives the $1 million.
Jimmie Johnson was able to take advantage of the format last year and was able to get fresh tires and gas on the final segment. Johnson also took home the Daytona 500 race on Sunday.
"I kind of liked it last year," said Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, during the news conference two days after winning the Daytona 500.
The race format will remain the same with four 20-lap segments and one 10-lap finale and all the laps will count for the first four segments, while the green-flag laps will go towards counting segment five.
"Obviously, nobody enjoyed what we did last year," Knaus said. "But we all play with the rules we're given."
