EXTRA ZEROS FOR ALL-STARS.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

Ask NASCAR Winston Cup driver Jeff Burton what makes The Winston all-star race different from the other all-star events in sports, and he'll say it's because there's more at stake.

This year, he couldn't be more accurate.

NASCAR and R.J. Reynolds announced Wednesday the purse for The Winston - May 17 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.. - will be worth $1 million for the winner, the largest ever.

Ever the tinkerers, NASCAR officials also announced the format for the race will be altered slightly. The main change is that 14 cars will be racing in the final 20-lap segment of The Winston, up from 10 last year.

Burton, who drives the No. 99 Ford for Roush Racing, compared The Winston to the NBA and NHL all-star games, which regularly turn into scoring fests and lack defense. That will not happen in NASCAR's all-star event. With $1 million going to the winner, it should make the drivers more motivated to win.

``What makes the intensity different in this race is just the number of laps that you have to get it done in,'' Burton said. ``That's the only difference. You don't race any harder at the Open in The Winston than you do for the (Coca-Cola) 600. It's just that you have less laps to get it done. You make more aggressive moves because you've got to get it done right then and there.''

Imagine if baseball players were offered such a payout for performances at all-star games: say $5,000 for a hit, $50,000 a homer. Imagine how intense the competition would become, how exciting every swing of the bat would be.

``I think this race pays a million dollars to win - $50,000 a lap for the last segment - because there's a good chance we will wreck,'' said Mark Martin, Burton's Roush Racing teammate and driver of the No. 6 Ford.

``It all works together,'' Martin said. ``I wouldn't bring my very best No. 1 car to The Winston. I did that two years in a row and tore 'em up, but we do the same thing at Daytona for the Bud Shootout. I think it's a fantastic event. I'm real excited about it.''

So should fans. Here are some of the other changes that will be made to the race:

What is being dubbed the Jeff Burton rule will be in effect this year. Essentially, cars will have to make a four-tire pit stop under green-flag conditions before the final lap of a segment. In last year's Winston, Burton made up several positions by making his mandatory pit stop on the final lap.

Another rule change is that the starting lineup will be inverted for the final segment.

There are a handful of other little changes, none of which will make the race any less interesting.

``The only thing to risk is making someone mad or wrecking your car,'' said Burton, who has yet to qualify for this year's Winston. ``The race is short. More people have chances to be in the mix.

``It's just that we have to make faster decisions to get it done in a shorter amount of time, which is what makes the racing exciting.''

--Indy Racing League: Roger Yasukawa, racing in front of his countrymen in Japan for the first time in an Indy Racing League event, crashed in his final tuneup before the Indianapolis 500.

Yasukawa, the West Hollywood rookie driver for Super Aguri Fernandez Racing, made contact with Helio Castroneves in lap 46 of the inaugural Indy Japan 300 on Saturday. Both drivers were unhurt. It was the second race in a row Yasukawa crashed.

``I really wanted to finish this race,'' Yasukawa said. ``I guess I will just have to wait until next year. We'll go to the next one and hopefully do better in the Indy 500.''

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- Tim Haddock