NASCAR plans 50-minute Cup practice at New Hampshire

NASCAR is changing the Cup Series weekend format by moving to a single 50-minute practice session for most non-superspeedway events, starting with the weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. All entered Cup cars will share one uninterrupted session, with no mandated break, while impound rules after qualifying remain in place. Teams will receive an extra set of practice tires to maximize the longer session’s data gathering on handling and setup. The change follows industry feedback and broad support from teams, though superspeedway races and weekends designated for extended or split formats are exempt. New Hampshire will serve as the debut for the unified practice, with some events such as Indianapolis, Iowa, and Richmond continuing to use two-group, shorter practice sessions on certain weekends. NASCAR is also implementing ancillary schedule updates and package adjustments as part of its ongoing 2026 reforms to race weekend procedures.