Larry Mac: All-Star Race isn't all that NASCAR must fix

For the fourth time in the last five years, we didn't have a pass for the win in the last segment of the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. I have mixed feelings about all that. I think what we saw the other night in the All-Star Race is simply a continuation of what we are seeing on the mile-and-a-half tracks and the two-mile tracks.

We have that last restart, which is really exciting, but once we have it and get a couple laps into the next run, it's simply hard for anyone to be able to get up there and pass anybody. So while everyone this week is talking about needing to "fix" the All-Star Race, I think in the grander scheme of things it's that something that needs to be done to fix the racing as a whole.

Look, I don't envy the position NASCAR is in. We've got some drivers saying we need more downforce. We've got some drivers saying take downforce away. Now my personal opinion is more downforce and drag will equate to these cars being racier. They are more apt to stay in a pack. The best example I can give you is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

I don't think reducing the horsepower like they did in the off-season has been the problem. I'm just not sure taking the downforce away was the right thing to do. Now to get back to people's comments about "fixing" the All-Star Race, I just don't think we can do much more to the format.

I kind of like this format because it truly makes the drivers race hard in all four segments. Now we saw that Saturday night. There was a lot of hard racing, but unfortunately it wasn't for the lead. I sure didn't want to see anyone crash the other night, but I sure was hoping for a caution late in that final 10 laps for the million dollars so that we could have a two- or three-lap shootout for the win.

I think Bruton Smith and his son, Marcus, do an incredible job of hosting the Sprint All-Star Race, but maybe it is time to consider holding the event at different venues. We have 23 tracks in the Sprint Cup Series. I don't think the two road courses or Daytona and Talladega are the right places to host an All-Star event. I also don't think Pocono, Michigan or Auto Club Speedway in California are the right places, either.

I do think maybe it's time to give it a try at Richmond or Bristol. We do have to do something. We need something to energize the Sprint All-Star Race because it hasn't been energized in a while.