CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The rules surrounding Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race continue to change, and fans are concerned the latest tweak is meant to benefit Danica Patrick.
Among a handful of changes announced was a clarification that the winning driver of the Sprint Fan Vote must only have a car in raceable condition to advance into the All-Star Race.
That counters earlier announcements that said the winner of the fan vote must finish on the lead lap of the Sprint Showdown preliminary race.
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp says the earlier reference to finishing on the lead lap was simply miscommunication on NASCAR’s part.
But fans pounced on the tweak, believing it was to benefit Patrick, who has struggled on intermediate tracks this year but is currently among the top-five vote getters.