“Feels Like a Normal Weekend!” Chase Elliott Makes Concerning Admission About Broken NASCAR Dover All-Star Race

The NASCAR teams are at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend for the 2026 edition of the All-Star race. But unlike the previous years, whole vibe around the garage is different. It does not feel like an exhibition race, like it did the last two years at North Wilkesboro, instead many sees it as a road course race.

2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott shared his thoughts on the Dover All-Star race and admitted that it feels like a normal race weekend for him. The veteran admitted that it’s a feeling he has never had about the race weekend and these comments shows how the Cup drivers are approaching the challenging weekend ahead of them.

This feels like a normal weekend. It feels like a normal weekend. I would say this feels the least like an All-Star weekend that we’ve ever had in my career.

Chase Elliott said ahead of the race.

Further talking about the point, the veteran racer pointed out that the weather and other key factors make him feel like he is racing in points event in October. Chase Elliott is hoping that the normal weekend feeling will vanish on Sunday, when the line-up to race it out for the $1 million payday.

I don’t know if it’s just because I’m not used to having an All-Star Race here but this feels like an October weekend, almost, with the weather today being cooler and whatnot. It reminds me of the old fall weekend more than anything else. But yeah, I’m sure as we get closer to Sunday it might feel a little bit more like an All-Star weekend but right now, this feels like a totally normal Dover points race.

Chase Elliott added as reported via motorsport.com.

Bubba Wallace agrees with Chase Elliott over Dover comments

The HMS drivers’ close friend Bubba Wallace also feelings the same about the weekend. He finds it odd that that it doesn’t feel like an All-Star weekend and is missing the good old days just like majority of the race fans.

I woke up on Monday morning and was like, ‘where are we racing at on Sunday’ and was like ‘oh yeah, Dover, All Star, and doesn’t feel like All Star week so that su**s. From a fan standpoint, the All-Star hasn’t been anything like it was back in the heyday. I know that. I was part of that indirectly, back when we did Speed Street, and that was really cool.

Bubba Wallace said.

Furthermore, the veteran admitted that the changes NASCAR made to the race over the years culminated to it no longer feeling like a special event. He hates it for everyone involved that the race lost it spark owing to the changes, that was made expecting better results.

So, then it changed, and we felt like we needed to go with the changes and all that, moved it around. I liked having it at Wilkesboro … but moving it to Dover… It just doesn’t feel like All-Star weekend. It just feels like another race weekend. I’m having to tell myself this weekend doesn’t really matter so go out there and try different things…hate that. I hate that for our sport. I hate that for the fans.

Bubba Wallace added.

The comments from the 23XI Racing driver seems to be something many in the racing community might agree with. It would be interesting to see how Sunday’s race is going to playout and how the community is going to respond to it.

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