CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR revealed the top five leaders for the All-Star Race fan vote ahead of Sunday's race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Alex Bowman, Noah Gragson, Carson Hocevar, Corey LaJoie, and Bubba Wallace are the five drivers ahead in the vote. Drivers who race full-time who did not win a race in 2023 and who have yet to find victory lane in 2024 are eligible for the fan vote.
There are 17 drivers locked into the NASCAR All-Star Race by winning a race in 2023 or 2024 or by previously winning a NASCAR All-Star Race or a Cup Series championship. Two other drivers will race their way in by finishing in the top two spots of the NASCAR All-Star Race Open. The fan vote winner will be the 20th starter in the All-Star Race.
NASCAR did not reveal how many votes each driver has at this point.
Alex Bowman
The driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is in the midst of a victory lane dry spell. Bowman's last win came at Las Vegas in March 2022.
Since that win, Bowman has 11 top-five finishes, including a second-place finish in the 2024 Daytona 500. Bowman has run in the top 10 for most of the races this season but has rarely challenged for a win.
In 2023, Bowman missed four races, including the All-Star Race, after suffering a fractured vertebra in a sprint car crash.
Bowman won the fan vote in 2019. He advanced to the All-Star Race by winning an All-Star Open stage in 2018. His best finish in the All-Star Race is sixth (2021, 2022).
Noah Gragson
In his first year with Stewart-Haas Racing, Gragson has improved considerably from his rookie season with Legacy Motor Club. Gragson has one top five and five top 10 finishes through the year's first 13 races. His best finish came at Talladega this season with a third-place effort.
Gragson won the fan vote for the 2023 All-Star Race and finished 23rd in his only start in the event.
Carson Hocevar
Rookie of the Year contender Carson Hocevar is looking to add an All-Star Race appearance to his resume.
Hocevar has just one top 10 finish this year with the relatively small Spire Motorsports -- a 10th-place finish at Texas -- but has shown enough promise in the Craftsman Truck Series for people to take notice of him. Hocevar is second in Rookie of the Year standings behind Josh Berry.
Hocevar's efforts to receive the fan vote reach far beyond his track performance. He has been very vocal on social media asking fans to vote for him and Wednesday's news shows it's working.
Corey LaJoie
LaJoie is looking to make his first All-Star Race appearance. The Sirius XM show host and Spire Motorsports driver has finished in the top 10 of each of the last five All-Star Open races but has yet to qualify his way in.
In 2024, LaJoie has just one top 10 finish -- a fourth-place effort at Daytona. He's had a rough start to the 2024 season and ranks 29th in the points standings.
LaJoie's off-track popularity ensures he'll be a favorite for the fan vote every year. Could this be his year?
Bubba Wallace
Wallace is hoping to compete in his fourth All-Star Race. Wallace's last win came at Kansas in 2022 but he has been unable to find victory lane since.
Wallace finished second in the 2023 All-Star Race, over four seconds behind Kyle Larson.
He advanced to the main event by winning a stage of the All-Star Race Open in 2019. He has yet to win the fan vote.
Previous fan vote winners
NASCAR champions and fan favorites represent the fan vote winners in the 20 years it has existed. Chase Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte, Carl Edwards, and Danica Patrick are some of the more notable names to win the vote.
Kasey Kahne is the only driver to win the All-Star fan vote and go on to win the All-Star Race. He accomplished that in 2008 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The NASCAR All-Star Race will be held on Sunday, May 19 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.