Back in the day, NASCAR practice sessions felt like mini-races. Hours on track, plenty of adjustments, and endless notes for teams to carry into race day. Fast forward to now, and the sport looks a whole lot different. Since 2022, cost-saving rules have chopped practice time down to quick-hit sessions: 15–20 minutes for Cup, maybe a little more for Xfinity and Trucks. Add in the group practice format, where only chunks of the field hit the track at a time, and suddenly practice feels less like preparation and more like a scramble.

Sure, the system keeps budgets in check, but it also leaves rookies scrambling for laps and makes it tough for fans and broadcasters to measure true speed. And that’s where the latest garage buzz comes in, with none other than Dale Jr. sharing his thoughts on

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