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Rumor Mill: 50 Minute Practice Sessions on the Way For 2026?

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: A NASCAR Official direct Erik Jones, driver of the #43 AdventHealth Toyota on the grid after a rain delay in the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Kauy Ostlien

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What’s Happening?

A new rumor circulating in the NASCAR community suggests that drivers may finally get to see more on-track practice time during NASCAR race weekends in 2026.

Over the past decade, NASCAR fans have become accustomed to the decline in on-track activity during any given race weekend.

While the number of on-track sessions declined in the late 2010s, the first major hit to practice and qualifying came during the COVID-19-affected 2020 season.

After the pandemic hit, NASCAR revised the 2020 schedule, eliminating all practice and qualifying sessions. Despite the hopes of fans and drivers, a slimmed-down version of practice and qualifying remained in 2021, with only eight races hosting a cut-down version of practice and qualifying.

In 2022, practice and qualifying returned for all races; however, since then, sessions have been cut down, with the field split into two groups for two 25-minute practice sessions at all tracks except superspeedways.

While fans clamor for more on-track time, the cost of adding more on-track time, alongside the integration of sim time into teams’ weekly regimens, has led fans to feel that the addition of more practice time for drivers is a lost cause.

But, in a surprising twist, a new rumor claims that NASCAR could be looking at giving all cars 50 minutes of on-track time in 2026.

Talk of More Practice

The wording of this rumor, from the well-known nascarrumornostalgia account, suggests that this might be available at select tracks and would involve a combined practice, rather than two 50-minute sessions for two groups of cars, as indicated by the poster’s use of the phrase “more 50-minute practice sessions.”

For example, by using the term “more”, they might be implying select races could have a setup similar to the 2025 Daytona 500, which featured three 50-minute combined sessions, with no groups.

Though NASCAR has not announced such a change as of press time, this is far from the first time a practice extension has been discussed this season.

During the September 30 episode of The Dale Jr Download, NASCAR legend and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr claimed that he had heard rumors of an expanded practice format for the OAP Series in 2026.

“Also hearing a little rumor, there could be a little more practice back on the schedule next year. . . I’m hearing this more so in Xfinity, that there’s just conversations around, ‘Should we have more weekends [that] there are more practice?’” — Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Much like the wording of the latest wording, Earnhardt suggests this could be at select tracks, with some events maintaining the group practice and qualifying format.

While this would not be an improvement for the fans, it would, of course, give drivers behind the wheel of the car at different tracks throughout the season.

Though this would be a compromise with fans from a competition aspect, if this expansion is one all-car 50-minute session, fans will likely be hungry for more on-track time, with some, in reaction to this rumor, already suggesting NASCAR keep the two groups of 18 to 20 cars and have two 50-minute sessions during a race weekend.

Nonetheless, NASCAR has not announced any changes to practice or qualifying for 2026, though, if they do change the format, as they have done somewhat consistently throughout the past five years, the announcement has come as early as late November (for the 2022 season) and early December (for the 2025 season).

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Cleetus McFarland Explains The One Catch to His NASCAR O’Reilly Series Schedule

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Garrett Mitchell, better known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, says his 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule isn’t set in stone, something the YouTube star explained to Dale Earnhardt Jr on the latest episode of The Dale Jr Download.

One of the biggest surprises in recent NASCAR news is that YouTube star Cleetus McFarland, whose real name is Garrett Mitchell, will make his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut next month at Rockingham Speedway.

Mitchell, who has just won a NASCAR National Series start to his name, will make this start with Richard Childress Racing in their No. 33 car as part of a part-time development contract that will see him make starts in 2026 and 2027.

Per Mitchell, his contract will cover three races per season, though he hinted it could be more in a Facebook post. Nonetheless, fans are eagerly awaiting an official schedule of what other tracks Mitchell and RCR will tackle in 2026.

Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a little longer for this schedule, as the 30-year-old Floridian explained during a recent interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr, his 2026 schedule is still up in the air a month ahead of his first race.

During an interview on the latest episode of the Dale Jr Download, Mitchell told Earnhardt that while he plans to race the superspeedways after Rockingham, with his sights set on Talladega’s April 25 or October 24 race weekend, the decision lies in the hands of NASCAR.

“NASCAR said I cannot run Talladega unless I go to Rockingham first and do well,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell then clarified that while he will have a rookie test for Rockingham, the race at Rockingham will determine his eligibility to race at Talladega.

Stirring the Pot

Mitchell, who has two ARCA starts at Daytona and one at Talladega, has already taken a rookie test this season at Rockingham for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Despite a minor crash during this test, Mitchell was cleared to race in the season-opening race at Daytona, crashing himself in a single truck spin five laps into the race, after a valiant qualifying effort.

Even with the barrier of Rockingham in the way, fans are already somewhat concerned about McFarland’s skills, given the result of his short time behind the wheel of a truck.

During this episode of The DJD, Mitchell expressed his intentions to work his way up the ladder and learn, but with the caveat that if an opportunity presents itself to him, he will take it, using the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR Cup Series as a metaphorical example.

“I don’t want to drive a Cup car right now. But, brother, if someone calls me and says, ‘We got a spot in a Cup car in the Daytona 500?’ I mean, what am I supposed to do?” — Cleetus McFarland

Despite his doubters, with the support of RCR and their developmental tools, Mitchell seems confident about the opportunity, already getting in some sim time with RCR.

Either way, no matter how much support he has in his corner, Mitchell is diving in headfirst once again with this opportunity.

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Cleetus McFarland’s First NASCAR Diecast is Officially Available for Pre-Order

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Lionel has officially opened pre-orders for Garrett Mitchell’s (better known as Cleetus McFarland) first-ever NASCAR diecast.

  • This announcement comes as part of his upcoming debut in NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series next month. While the sponsor, Tommy’s Express Car Wash, and car number, No. 33, are known, there has yet to be an official render of his paint scheme released to the public.
  • Lionel Racing is offering two diecast options for Mitchell: the first option is the 1:64 scale diecast at $11.75, and the second is a 1:24 scale diecast at $70.00. As of press time, it appears the car will not receive any other options, such as Special Finishes like Color Chrome or Galaxy Colored.
  • Mitchell announced his first NASCAR OAP Series race on Wednesday afternoon, signing a two-year, three-race-per-year deal with RCR. This is a major step for the YouTube star turned NASCAR driver, who made his ARCA debut last season.
  • Due to his popularity both in and out of NASCAR, Mitchell’s diecast may be one of the most anticipated in recent memory. Many race fans are already giving bold predictions for the large order quantity this car will receive by the time it reaches production.

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BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 11: Garrett Mitchell, also known as Cleetus McFarland, driver of the #30 Kenetik Ford waits on the grid prior to the ARCA Menards Series Bush's Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 11, 2025 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

UPDATE: Cleetus McFarland Will Race in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series This Year

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

YouTube star-turned-NASCAR driver Garrett Mitchell, best known by his online persona Cleetus McFarland, has signed a part-time deal to race with Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for the next two seasons.

UPDATE 3:00 PM EST: Per RCR Mitchell will make his debut at Rockingham Speedway on April 4.

  • Mitchell announced his signing with RCR in a Wednesday afternoon post on his Facebook. The 30-year-old says that RCR reached out, offering to make him “a better driver and give you an opportunity to grow in this sport.”
  • The Floridaian will drive the team’s part-time No. 33 on a part-time basis over the next two seasons. Mitchell claims in his post that the deal is three races a year, but hints it could be more, saying “3 races a year right now.”
  • Mitchell, who made his NASCAR debut last season with a four-race schedule in the ARCA Menards Series, has brought a legion of fans to NASCAR in his few starts. So far, Mitchell has made five career starts in the ARCA Menards Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
  • That start in the Truck Series, at Daytona earlier this season, was a spark of controversy, as, after crashing in his test for approval, Mitchell crashed himself early on in the race. While he has his supporters, including many in the garage area, this move up the NASCAR ladder will likely see some pushback from fans across the board.
  • As of press time, Mitchell has yet to announce his first race of this part-time schedule with RCR.

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