Simple NASCAR practice sessions, although targeted for teams’ data collection, are exciting for fans. They mark their attendance throughout the weekend to witness the on-track action from teams, and the practice sessions are also included in it. With a possible change in the Truck and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule, the same was expected for the Cup Series.

However, NASCAR’s new practice schedule didn’t make most fans happy. Moreover, it was requested by the teams, reflecting a small monopoly, so that’s made it worse. Fans also don’t feel the need to buy tickets and go to the tracks to watch the races. But what’s this disappointing change?

Is NASCAR changing the Cup Series practice schedule?

Historically, the practice sessions have been quite meaningful for both teams and the fans. The teams need it to maximize track acclimatization. Meanwhile, it was yet another session for the fans to enjoy the car’s growling sound on the track. More recently, however, the sport used a different schedule for the practice, dividing the teams into two groups. Each group was given 25 minutes of on-track time, making it a 50-minute session.

This rule, however, was recently scrapped in the Truck and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for the 2026 season. But it still continues in the Cup Series, as veteran insider Bob Pockrass confirmed on social media.

“Not for Cup. Cup will have same practice time in 2026 as it did in 2025. In Xfinity and trucks, they won’t be split into groups for practice and will get 50 minutes (but still same restrictions as far as limited changes, can’t go to the garage, etc),” he wrote on X.

This means, for 2026, Xfinity and Truck teams will get a full 50 minutes uninterrupted for their practice. But the Cup teams will continue the same split, limited practice structure that they used this year.

More interestingly, this was not the sport’s autonomous decision. The teams have pushed to keep the practice sessions this way instead of a common 50-minute session. Understandably, this format helps the bigger teams and does not leave enough time for their competitors. While this might be done to improve their competitiveness on the track, this has simply not sat well with the fans.

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Fans unhappy with Cup Series’ practice session decision

“Damn near zero reason to buy garage passes,” a fan wrote, as they expressed their displeasure with the decision to keep the practice session segmented. This format isn’t exciting enough for the fans, who spend money on the tickets to watch the cars on the track.

Fans are unhappy because the split practice format means there will be fewer cars on track at any given time. This will obviously make the sessions boring despite them paying the full ticket prices.

Many feel that it is quite possible for the sport to increase the practice time, like this user wrote: “Lame. Part of the fun of getting amped up for race day was catching some practice, especially when camping at the track. There’s no reason NASCAR can’t bump up the current practice time to a hour.”

However, some also claim that this might be done only for the monetary benefits: “More money, less anything else.”

Reflecting back to the initial comment, it seems to provide an average reaction from the fans who go to the tracks to watch races. With the lack of on-track activity, someone revealed that they have reduced their visits, with a threat to stop watching the races overall.

“The lack of on track and garage activity during the weekend has led me from going to 4 races with comped VIP passes a year to zero in the last 3 years. It isn’t worth the travel money anymore. My interest in watching on TV is decreasing too so that’ll be next to go.”

Sure, motorsports is one of the most exciting forms of sport in the world, but even the simplest regulation changes can make fans frustrated. “This is dumb. We need storylines to gain interest,” as one user wrote.

With NASCAR still following the same practice schedule for the 2026 Cup Series season as well, will the overall on-track attendance of fans reduce? Or will the sport find something else to keep the fans engaged?