With 16 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races in the books and just 10 races to go before the playoffs start, it’s time for the annual NASCAR All-Star Race break. And as is the case with a handful of new venues scattered throughout the 2021 schedule, the Cup Series heads to yet another “new” venue for this year’s All-Star Race – new by virtue of the fact Sunday night’s 36th edition of the event will be held at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth for the first time.
The inaugural All-Star Race was held at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in 1985. It moved to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the 1986 edition before moving back to Charlotte in 1987, where it was held for the next 33 seasons before moving to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for the 2020 edition. Texas now becomes the fourth All-Star Race venue.
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Never Stop Summering Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), heads back to Texas as the most recent race winner there after bringing home a points-paying win there last October. Busch led a race-high 90 laps and saved enough fuel to hold off JGR teammate Martin Truex Jr. It extended his streak of consecutive seasons with at least one points-paying Cup Series victory to 16, and it brought Texas win total to four career victories.
Busch locked in his spot for Sunday night’s main event – comprised primarily of 2020 and 2021 Cup Series race winners, plus past All-Star Race winners and past series champions – via his aforementioned win at Texas last fall, and his May 2 win at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. The Las Vegas native not only has earned the title of All-Star, he has recorded 217 career wins in NASCAR’s top three divisions and sits tied with Kevin Harvick for ninth on the all-time Cup Series wins list with 58. The two-time Cup Series champion brought home his first All-Star Race victory in 2017 at Charlotte and hopes to add another at Texas this weekend.
With the Cup Series summer swing well underway, Busch’s No. 18 Toyota will feature a special summer-themed paint scheme for Mars Wrigley’s latest Never Stop Summering promotion. With the Mars Wrigley brands come better moments and more smiles, and summer fun creates some of the best moments. Fans can check out the Never Stop Summering Instant Win Game promotion, which is open from now until Aug. 31 with thousands of prizes up for grabs, including M&M’S Racing diecasts, camping and barbecue gear, and more. Codes can be found on packs of Mars Wrigley favorites, including M&M’S, at retailers across the country. Fans can visit www.neverstopsummering.
So as Busch heads back to Texas for the first-ever All-Star Race in the Lone Star State, he’ll look to bring home his second-ever All-Star Race victory, along with the traditional Texas victory lane cowboy hat, as the start of summer heats things up.
TSC PR