Daytona is all set to host the final regular-season race of 2026, and there are plenty of storylines to watch. Three playoff spots remain up for grabs, with Bubba Wallace, Shane van Gisbergen, and Austin Cindric currently above the cutline. Just outside sits Ryan Preece, who has already made it clear that he plans to go all in. Adding another layer of uncertainty is NASCAR’s new superspeedway package, which teams and drivers will have to tackle without a single practice session at the track. And that lack of preparation has Kevin Harvick concerned.
“Even if you’re like getting thirty minutes of practice just to get everything right. I think from a safety side of things it would have been better. Because right now one car makes a mistake that starts up at the front. You have a big opportunity to wipe out half the field.” Harvick said on the Happy Hour podcast.
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NASCAR announced the new superspeedway package in July, hoping to eliminate the tedious fuel-saving strategies and break up the rigid two-wide lines that have become common at Daytona and Talladega. The package reduces the rear spoiler from seven inches to four and cuts horsepower from 510 to 465. The goal is to give drivers more handling and power to pull out of line, build their own momentum, and control their own race instead of relying so heavily on drafting partners and late-race track position.
The teams themselves aren’t sure what to make of the new package yet. There hasn’t been a superspeedway race since the changes were introduced, so no one really knows how the cars will behave. That’s why Harvick believes running such an important race for several drivers without even a little practice could be a bad idea. And even with the playoff picture aside, he argued that the lack of preparation could lead to chaos
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“You have no idea what to expect. What’s right, what’s wrong, and it’s the last race of the regular season, so I don’t know. I think they should have had some practice, in fairness to everybody, just to be able to fill it out, so we don’t know what happens if we’re wiped out half the field in the early five laps?” the former Cup Series champion added in his podcast.
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Daytona is very different from other tracks. It has always been one of NASCAR’s most unpredictable venues because the racing is so tight and depends heavily on airflow and holding your line. At superspeedways, teams usually use practice to work on how stable the car feels in the draft. Without that time, it becomes much harder to figure out how aggressive they can be while still keeping the car under control. That makes practice even more important when a new package is being introduced.
And Harvick isn’t the only one concerned. Other drivers have also questioned the decision to debut a revised superspeedway package without giving teams any on-track time before the regular-season finale.
NASCAR garage discusses practice time cuts and new package
NASCAR doesn’t hold practice sessions for its superspeedway races, and the Coke Zero Sugar 400 is no different. Even though it will serve as the regular-season finale, NASCAR hasn’t made any exceptions. However, drivers and insiders aren’t exactly thrilled with the decision, and several have raised concerns about heading into such an important race without any practice time.
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RFK Brad Keselowski addressed this directly during a media session earlier this season in North Wilkesboro. “I would like to have practice, yes. But that decision’s already been made,” he said at the Speedway when asked about NASCAR’s decision.
Keselowski’s comment reflected a common feeling in the garage: even a short practice session would be useful when introducing such major changes, although the schedule is already set. Denny Hamlin, who helped shape the package as part of the working group and is also a three-time Daytona 500 winner, shared a similar concern on his Actions Detrimental podcast.
“It has potential to be absolute chaos. That’s going to be scary. I’m not a practice proponent, but this is one where I would not mind NASCAR saying, ‘You know what, let’s just do 20 minutes, guys.'”
That said, some drivers have focused more on the potential positives of the new package. Chris Buescher said the changes reflect what NASCAR is trying to achieve, adding that if the results match what the simulations predict on paper, it should be a good thing.
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Daniel Suárez also pointed to NASCAR’s “good intentions,” while Kyle Larson said he trusts the process. Larson noted that a committee of drivers was involved in developing the package, and if they believe it will be an improvement, the teams should trust their input.
With opinions around the garage still mixed, the real test will come on race day. Daytona is sure to produce an intense battle, with plenty on the line as drivers fight to secure one of the final spots in the top 16.
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