Racing Towards Change: NASCAR's Practice Policy Under Scrutiny

The NASCAR season is just beginning, but the Daytona 500 is already causing concern among drivers. The issue? The lack of practice time. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, NASCAR reduced practice sessions significantly. Now, teams get only 25 minutes of practice before races. This has sparked debate, with some drivers demanding more time to prepare. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is making headlines this weekend. His Xfinity Series team, JR Motorsports, is entering its first-ever Cup Series race. This milestone makes him even more concerned about NASCAR’s practice policy. He supports Brad Keselowski’s calls for more practice time. Earnhardt Jr. suggests a simple solution: let teams choose whether to practice or not. This would give smaller teams the option to save money, while bigger teams could opt for more practice. Before the pandemic, teams had two hours of practice. Now, most races have 25 minutes, with a slight increase to 50 minutes for the Daytona 500. However, superspeedways have no practice sessions at all. This has led to a divide among teams. Some, like Joe Gibbs Racing or Team Penske, can afford more practice, while smaller teams might struggle with the extra costs. Brad Keselowski, a long-time advocate for longer practice sessions, took to social media to voice his opinion. He believes that practice is crucial for the long-term health of motorsport. Earnhardt Jr. agrees, suggesting that teams should have the freedom to practice if they want to. This approach was used for decades without major complaints.

Cost-saving is a big reason behind NASCAR’s reduced practice time. Teams can use simulation models as an alternative, but these can be expensive. Keselowski explained in April 2024 that simulation models are used to predict how a car will perform. This can be done statically or through multi-body physics models. Earnhardt Jr. ’s idea of flexible practice sessions could be a better solution. Keselowski’s emphasis on practice was proven right during the Daytona 500 practice session. His car started emitting smoke, forcing him to return to the garage. The issue was a steering problem, which could have been disastrous without the practice session. Keselowski has had a tough time at the Daytona 500. He’s finished 22nd or worse in three of his last five starts. This year, his car had a steering issue during practice, which was caught early thanks to the extended practice time. RFK Racing posted a video of Keselowski inspecting his damaged car. They were grateful for the practice session, as it allowed them to identify and fix the problem. Fox Sports’ Regan Smith also commented on the issue, noting that the practice session was a good break for the team. In summary, while Earnhardt Jr. advocates for flexibility, the importance of practice cannot be overlooked. The recent incident with Keselowski highlights the value of practice sessions in catching potential issues early.

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