The NASCAR garage is just coming off a rare weekend off. It was only the second break of the 2026 season, with Easter being the first. NASCAR added this off weekend to the schedule this year to give teams a chance to recharge before the final stretch, a move that made sense given the frequent complaints about the demanding calendar. And during the break, the debate over whether the schedule has become too long was reignited.
A well-known 23XI Racing employee, meanwhile, has presented an alternative solution to the argument. For him, it’s less about the number of races and more about how long they have to work each year.
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“It’s just too long. This, the duration. Like I don’t mind 36 races. I don’t mind 50 races… I mean… I don’t mind doing a 100 races. I just don’t want to do it over 10 months,” said Freddie Kraft on the latest episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast.
The preseason Clash, the yearly All-Star Race, and 36 points-paying events make up the current Cup Series schedule. With just two planned off weekends, the campaign lasts around ten months from the initial event in February to the championship finale in November.
Drivers, crew members, spotters, engineers, and mechanics spend much of the year traveling across the country. Naturally, this leaves little time to recover. Teams also face the non-stop cycle of preparing one race car while simultaneously planning for the following weekend. As a result, the workload rarely eases.
Families often spend months balancing travel schedules, school commitments, and personal events around race weekends.
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Kraft, who is the full-time spotter for Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 team, floated the idea of shortening the calendar by adding more doubleheaders or midweek events. And that’s not an entirely new concept. NASCAR has even held season-opening exhibition events like the Clash on a Wednesday evening, albeit because of weather delays.
Drivers, crew members, employees, and even fans would have more time for other commitments in between two seasons.
Midweek races may be successful in some locations, according to fellow panelist Kevin, a NASCAR fan. However, he said on the podcast that due to travel and job obligations, these would not be feasible for all fans. Nevertheless, the discussion brought to light a perspective that is becoming more and more prevalent in the industry.
The 36-race calendar alone might not be the problem. However, it could be whether the Cup Series needs to occupy nearly ten months of the year to complete it.
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