In what felt like a throwback to a bygone era, the NASCAR Cup Series conducted a 90-minute practice session on Friday in advance of Sunday’s All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway.
For drivers who were part of the sport prior to COVID-19, when the Sanctioning Body first started consolidating race weekends, Friday was a time capsule of sports. Chase Elliott was around back then and turned the most laps around The Moster Mile during practice.
“To have more than one set of tires was kind of weird,” Elliott said. “I hadn’t had that in awhile but I don’t think it will change anything. We’ve been through this for years, and it gives us something to talk about, but it’s not going to change the results.”
And then there’s Ty Gibbs, who grew up in the sport but never participated in the two or three practice session era, who turned 86 laps on Friday.
“86,” Gibbs said with a laugh. “Oh my god. That was like the entire first stage of a race.”
How did that feel?
“Well, it was the most practice I have ever had in my Cup career, and it was fun to turn laps and I thought my team learned a lot,” he said.
Does he want to do this more?
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I’m good with 25 minutes, honestly. I really am. I think it shows how hard everyone works back at the shop. With our sim program, we unload really close, and I think what we have now really rewards that.”
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Combine that with the added expenses of turning extra laps and buying more times or an extra hotel stay 36 weekends a year, and this is why NASCAR nixed extended practice sessions.
Regardless, Brad Keselowski is alone amongst NASCAR Cup Series team owners, and believes the lack of track time every weekend is the wrong direction.
“As a driver and an owner, it’s critical to the health of the sport,” Keselowski said of practice. “Not having it is a big miss for guiding the stars of the future. It’s a big miss for how teams budget.
“I have made my peace and said my peace in different settings and a majority of the owners do not want practice. So I feel like, at some point, NASCAR is just going to have to strong arm owners and say ‘we are practicing and y’all need to figure out how to pay for it’ because that is what is best for the sport and for the fans.
“It’s what is best for the drivers that are coming up and for team owners who are trying to compete at a high level that aren't where they want to be.”
Photos from All-Star Race – Friday
Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing
Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., HYAK Motorsports
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., HYAK Motorsports
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ryan Preece, RFK Racing
Ryan Preece, RFK Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Ryan Preece, RFK Racing
Ryan Preece, RFK Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports
Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports
Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Joey Logano, Team Penske
Joey Logano, Team Penske
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing
Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing
Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing
Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing
Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing
Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Austin Cindric, Team Penske
Austin Cindric, Team Penske
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Austin Cindric, Team Penske
Austin Cindric, Team Penske
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports
Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing
Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Austin Cindric, Team Penske
Austin Cindric, Team Penske
Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
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