There's a cool million dollars on the line this Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway, and every driver in the field knows they'll have to get past Kyle Larson to claim it. NASCAR has thrown a major curveball for the 2026 All-Star Race, moving the exhibition event from its three-year home at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway to the high-banked, unforgiving concrete known as the "Monster Mile."

To match the track's brutal reputation, NASCAR has introduced a format that's equal parts thrilling and terrifying: a 350-lap marathon that will whittle the 36-car field down to a final 26-driver, 200-lap shootout for the $1 million grand prize. It's a test of endurance, strategy, and sheer nerve—and based on Friday's extended 90-minute practice session, the man to beat is exactly who everyone expected.

Kyle Larson, piloting the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, absolutely dominated the opening session. The reigning 2025 NASCAR Cup Series champion laid down a blistering lap of 22.792 seconds (157.950 mph), outpacing Spire Motorsports' Michael McDowell and Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin. For the rest of the garage, Larson's speed is a daunting reality check.

While Larson has had a somewhat frustrating start to the 2026 points-paying season—still searching for his first win—his record in this specific exhibition event is nothing short of legendary. He's already a three-time All-Star Race winner, and here's the kicker: those three victories came on three completely different track types. He conquered Charlotte Motor Speedway's 1.5-mile intermediate in 2019, the resurrected short track of North Wilkesboro in 2023, and now he's eyeing the concrete beast of Dover.

When asked about the prospect of winning on a fourth unique venue for the $1 million prize, Larson remained characteristically calm. "All my All-Star wins have come at different tracks," he noted after pacing Friday's session. "I think just to add another track would mean as much as adding another win. To me, it doesn't feel any different, just pays more."

But there's a twist that could shake things up. While Larson looks unbeatable on paper, Dover's notorious concrete surface has a way of humbling even the best. The "Monster Mile" demands precision, patience, and a car that can handle the relentless pounding. For Larson, it's another chance to add to his legacy. For the rest of the field, it's a David-versus-Goliath battle with a million reasons to fight.