In 2020, NASCAR significantly altered its race weekend structure, cutting back from three 50-minute practice sessions to just two. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced an even more dramatic shift, with most events in 2020 and 2021 eliminating practice and qualifying altogether. By 2022, NASCAR introduced a streamlined 20-minute practice format to save time and cut costs. While efficient, not everyone agreed on its effectiveness.
Fast forward to 2024, Christopher Bell has made his stance clear. Speaking on Dirty Mo Media, the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver openly criticized the current practice format, dismissing it as little more than a systems check. According to Bell, these sessions no longer provide meaningful benefits for top-tier teams like JGR, where preparations are already fine-tuned before arriving at the track.
Bell acknowledged that practice had value in 2022 when teams were still adapting to the Next Gen car. However, with extensive data now available, he sees little need for these sessions. He specifically pointed out how teams already know what to expect at tracks like Daytona, having raced there multiple times with the Next Gen car. “We’ve had six Daytona races with the Next Gen car. You know what you’re going to show up with,” he explained.
For Bell, the primary purpose of practice has become ensuring that the car is assembled correctly—something that experienced teams rarely struggle with. He even joked that his team used the session merely to “get the oil hot.” However, not everyone shares his view. Team Penske’s Joey Logano argues that practice remains crucial for smaller teams to stay competitive.
The 20-minute practice format was originally introduced to streamline race weekends, reducing travel expenses and limiting the number of mechanics needed. While these changes have helped smaller teams, top-tier drivers like Bell feel practice no longer impacts race performance or strategy.
Despite Bell’s criticism, NASCAR is expanding practice time in 2025. Group practice sessions will increase from 20 to 25 minutes, and select races—such as Circuit of The Americas—will feature two 20-minute sessions. NASCAR’s decision suggests that officials see value in additional track time, even if Bell disagrees.
Bell isn’t alone in questioning the necessity of practice. Michael McDowell has also expressed support for eliminating it altogether, arguing that bigger teams gain an advantage from more track time. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. echoed this sentiment, pointing out that extended sessions allow powerhouse teams to collect more data.
However, with NASCAR banning private testing while expanding official practice in 2025, it’s clear that shorter race weekends won’t be happening anytime soon.
