The race at Lowe's Motor Speedway will still be 100 laps, but it will be split into four segments and culminate with the final sprint to the finish. NASCAR, track and sponsor officials announced the new format Wednesday.
Some of the most memorable moments in event history came during a 10-lap final segment, including Rusty Wallace's race-winning spin of Darrell Waltrip in 1989 and the side-by-side race to the checkered flag between Kyle Petty and Davey Allison in 1992.
"What better way to celebrate the 25th running of this great event than incorporate that element back into the format?" said NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton, who was Petty's crew chief for the 1992 losing battle with Allison.
"That has to go down as one of the most exciting all-star race finishes ever. The 10-lap shootout there at the end was something else from a competition standpoint. That was quite a night, one I'll never forget."
NASCAR and event sponsor Sprint have been trying to recreate that excitement the past several years through several different format changes. Pemberton defended the ever-evolving race, which has been held at Lowe's Motor Speedway every year but once.
"We want to do what's best for the fans," he said. "The different formats that were there -- they served their purpose at the time. It's basically still 100 laps."
The race this year will open with 50-lap segment with a mandatory pit stop. Following two 20-lap segments, there will be a caution after the second segment for an optional pit stop and a 10-minute break after the third segment.
For the final 10-lap segment, only green-flag laps will count.
There still will be a 40-lap preliminary race for all drivers not eligible for the Sprint Showdown, and the top two finishers from that race will advance into the All-Star race. A third driver voted by the fans also will be promoted into the main event.
Fans voted for Kasey Kahne last year, and he won the event and $1 million.
Ryan Newman won the preliminary event in 2002 to transfer into the All-Star race, where he pulled off an upset he calls the second biggest victory of his career.
"There's a sense of accomplishment. We beat everybody in our backyard, in their backyard, everybody had homefield advantage," he said. "To me, take that Daytona 500 out of it, and it is right there as second place to all my other (13 wins). Take away the points, take away the money, even, and we beat everybody at home, at Charlotte, at night."
