NASCAR Extends Practice Sessions to 50 Minutes for 2026 Season

NASCAR announced that, beginning with the August 23 weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the series will eliminate split‑group practice sessions and double the length of practice to 50 minutes for all tracks except superspeedways. The new format, which applies for the remainder of the 2026 season, also provides an additional practice session, though details of its duration were not disclosed.

The change is intended to give all teams, especially mid‑size and lower‑budget outfits, more track time to fine‑tune car setups. Drivers such as Denny Hamlin expressed skepticism about the impact, while insiders say the overhaul was driven by smaller teams seeking a more level playing field against dominant organizations like Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing.