Concord, NC (Betting Express) - NASCAR is making a slight adjustment to its annual Sprint All-Star Race by adding a mandatory four-tire pit stop for all teams prior to the start of the final 10-lap segment.

NASCAR officials made the announcement Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where the all-star event will be held on May 22.

Starting this year, all drivers must pit for four tires once the field completes one lap behind the pace car prior to the start of the fourth segment. The order in which the cars exit pit road is how they will line up for the 10-lap shootout with only green-flag laps counting.

"We saw last year just how competitive this format can be, with Tony Stewart battling Matt Kenseth for the win on the final couple of laps," NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said. "With the addition of the four- tire pit stop, there is going to be even greater competition between the pit crews on who can get their driver serviced and out the quickest. I think the fans are in for quite a show."

Last year, the all-star race featured a 10-lap shootout as its final segment for the first time since 2001. Stewart passed Kenseth with two laps remaining to win the event for the first time in his 11th appearance.

The remainder of the format for this year's race will remain the same.

The opening segment will be 50 laps with a mandatory green-flag pit stop on lap 25, at which time teams must pit and take on four tires. The caution flag will be displayed for an additional pit stop following the end of the first segment.

Segment two is 20 laps with the caution flag displayed at the end of the second portion for an additional pit stop.

After running 20 laps in segment three, teams will have a 10-minute break when they may make normal adjustments to their cars. The finishing order after the third segment determines the field's lineup for the pace lap prior to the start fourth segment.

The eligibility standards also will remain the same. Race winners from either the 2009 or 2010 season through May 16, or any past champions of the all-star event or Cup Series (over the previous 10 years) are eligible for the race.

The top-two finishers in the Sprint Showdown, a 40-lap preliminary race, and the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote all advance into the all-star race lineup. Joey Logano won the fan vote last year.