NASCAR has been an organization in constant change particularly over the last few seasons. Some changes have been well-received, while other changes have not been as well-received. In order to counteract the not-so-good, what are come changes that NASCAR should look at making next season?
This is and should be priority one on NASCAR’s list when it comes to the Next-Gen car. The short track racing since 2022 has been very hit-or-miss. Not every race has been bad, as races such as Richmond this year, the All-Star Open, and Martinsville in 2022 were well-received amongst fans.
However, other races such as the North Wilkesboro All-Star Race and Martinsville this year were not as well-received by fans. Short track racing is NASCAR’s bread and butter, and it is what distinguishes it from other forms of motorsport. IndyCar is not coming to Bristol or Martinsville anytime soon, and Formula One is not rolling up to Richmond during any of its’ existence.
There certainly should be a solution to the improvement of short track racing because there have been a good short track races with this car, but it still needs improvement. If NASCAR wants to improve this product, there needs to be major swings taken with the package.
This year, NASCAR decided to take away stage cautions on road courses, and the results have been generally pretty interesting. Circuit of the Americas produced a solid race, before a wreck-fest ending, that was set up to be determined by fuel mileage, something that NASCAR has not had in a while. The Chicago Street Race was fun, and the lack of stage cautions helped to vary some of the pit strategy used in terms of the usage of tires.
Sonoma was not super well-received, but how much of that was due to the lack of stage cautions? That is a much more complicated question to answer. If stage cautions were gotten rid of in NASCAR, it could allow for crew chiefs to be more aggressive in terms of how they employ their strategy. That has not been nearly as present in NASCAR ever since the advent of stage racing. Plus it allows the race to play out more “naturally” rather than being arbitrarily stopped.
Stage points still absolutely have merit to them, as there is someting to be said for a driver who runs up front throughout the day. However, does NASCAR really “need” to stop the entire race at the end of each stage?
On the same token of improving the on-track product on short tracks and road courses, one of the things that people have been clambering for NASCAR to look at is tire wear with the Next-Gen car. Denny Hamlin, in particular, went into detail about this after the North Wilkesboro race on Actions Detrimental.
At tracks such as Martinsville, tire wear is not nearly as prevalent as it once was, which means that it is harder to pass. Races such as Richmond this year were good because of the difference in tire wear. This could help improve the racing product on short tracks and road courses immensely.
NASCAR has far more schedule flexibility than it once did, and it should take advantage of that. The next-gen car does certain things really well, and it has things that it does not do as well. Does NASCAR really “need” to add more road courses or street tracks?
NASCAR should look into balancing their schedule to a way where it show off their product the best. As they take time and work on things such as the short track product, add in more races at intermediates or at tracks that produce better racing. As the product on other tracks improve, you can go back to some of those venues more often.
NASCAR now has the ability to be flexible with their schedule far more than they have in the past. Why not take advantage of it and make sure that the best product is on the race track.
This is definitely more on the “wishful thinking” end in terms of next year, but, at some point, NASCAR should look at adding another OEM to the fold. They have had discussions in the past few seasons, but nothing has really come of it.
More OEMs involved with the sport means more support which means there can be more teams involved. Instead of 36 charters, maybe there can be 38 or 40 charters, and fields can be expanded back to 42 or 43 cars like it was back in NASCAR’s peak.
Plus it also expands NASCAR’s reach to a potentially new audience. Brand loyalty is one of NASCAR’s biggest pulls, and bringing in a new OEM could allow for NASCAR to open themselves up to those who drive the street cars of this OEM. Again, this is probably not super likely, but it is something NASCAR should look into.
NASCAR is not in a bad place by any means, but it is a sport that is constantly evolving. In order to be the best sport that it possibly can be, NASCAR needs to look at where it can improve.
Lionel Racing finally confirmed the first wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics 1:64 scale diecast for Monday morning, with the line of retail-exclusive diecast featuring a new look for the new year.
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Chase Pistone, a former competitor on the short track racing circuit in addition to NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away. Pistone, now a successful Legends Car owner, was 42.
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Three races in, the 2026 season is finally starting to show its hand. COTA shifted narratives, exposed weaknesses, and raised new questions about contenders, pretenders, and everything in between.
From substitute drivers being forced into action to points gaps growing faster than expected, COTA delivered more than just a road course chess match. There were momentum swings, reputation hits, and at least one young driver stacking up enemies before stacking up results.
Watch Also:
