CONCORD, N.C. (AP) – It didn’t take teams very long to figure out their best shot at winning the All-Star race would be in the first 20 laps.
What few predicted, though, was the new format would encourage drivers to take it easy for portions of Saturday night’s $1 million race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Now fans are upset winner Jimmie Johnson essentially sandbagged for 60 or so laps before turning it up for a final charge to his third All-Star race victory.
This year’s format ensured the winners of each of the first four 20-lap segments would line up 1 through 4 for the mandatory final trip down pit road.
Then they only had to race back onto the track for a 10-lap sprint to the finish.
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