A prominent NASCAR insider has called for a number of Cup Series races to be struck off the schedule in order to improve the sport's popularity.
The schedule for 2026 runs from mid-February (or February 1st, if you include the exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium) all the way into November with just two weekends off, and the latter part of the season frequently going up against college football and the NFL.
The Athletic's Jordan Bianchi, in a hypothetical exercise on The Teardown podcast, floated the idea of taking seven races off the schedule – specifically taking Las Vegas, Kansas, Phoenix, Darlington, Bristol, Atlanta and Martinsville all down to one race a year, and then adding a 30th race which rotates between a number of experimental or international spots.
He also advocated for one thing that very few NASCAR fans will agree with: ditching the playoff race at the Charlotte Roval.
Bianchi: How to fix the NASCAR schedule
He explained: "Thirty-eight races – 36 points races, plus two exhibitions – is a lot. I am going to reduce the schedule by (removing) second dates at Las Vegas, Kansas, Phoenix, Darlington, Bristol, Atlanta and Martinsville.
"That puts us down to 29 races. I then would have a floating 30th date somewhere that will be something different, whether that’s Montreal or Mexico City or whatever else.
"We’re also going to move the (season-opening) Clash back to Daytona (from Bowman Gray Stadium) and make that part of the mid-week build-up to the Daytona 500. We talk a lot about how we want to give races a big feel, well, having the Clash at Daytona I think will do that. The All-Star Race is going to be about going to Bowman Gray or South Boston or the Coliseum, or (tracks/venues) like that.
"And then this is the last thing: Get rid of the Roval Charlotte playoff race."
