For the remainder of 2026, the NASCAR Cup Series will have one 50-minute practice session for most tracks on the schedule, NASCAR announced July 22.
More recently, many Cup weekends utilized a setup in which entries were divided into multiple groups that practiced together, with mandated breaks within them.
As part of the change, NASCAR will allot teams an extra set of practice tires for the session.
Superspeedways and tracks with previously announced extended practice sessions were not affected by the announcement.
Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.
At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.