NASCAR is making changes ahead of the race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway will have 45 laps in the final two stages to combat fuel-saving concerns. This comes after the aggressive fuel saving in superspeedway races during the NextGen car era.
The sport needed to make changes as several drivers complained about the fuel saving after the 2026 Daytona 500. Specifically, three Toyota drivers led a lane and slowed the pace of the field down significantly. Ultimately, Tyler Reddick, a driver for 23XI Racing, won the Great American Race following chaos on the final lap.
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NASCAR is also looking into the possibility of mandatory four-tire pit stops when fueling the cars at superspeedway tracks starting in 2027. This is just one of the ideas floated by the sport’s management. For now, NASCAR will experiment with two 45-lap stages to close out the Cup Series race at Talladega.
More: Ty Gibbs joins Dale Earnhardt on prestigious list after win at Bristol
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: NASCAR shortens final two stages at Talladega in April 2026
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