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While the 2025 NASCAR season has come to an end, we can’t forget that it was nothing short of relentless. From the thunderous start at Bowman Gray Stadium in early February to the season-ending finale in Phoenix nine months later, the sport barely paused for breath. With only one off-week the entire year (tucked awkwardly in April), teams have been pushed to their physical and mental limits. Crew members juggled cross-country travel, drivers battled burnout, and engineers stretched resources thinner than ever. What was meant to be an “action-packed” season for fans has slowly turned into a grind for everyone inside the garage. Even the fans were overwhelmed. And now, after months of non-stop racing, one insider is calling for a dramatic change that could reshape the very rhythm of NASCAR’s future. ADVERTISEMENT Jordan Bianchi wants the 2026 NASCAR schedule revamped Jordan Bianchi recently called for a major reduction in the 2026 NASCAR schedule following the 2025 season’s demanding calendar. “One thing I’m going to do is I’m going to reduce the schedule,” said Bianchi. He pointed to the current 38-race slate (36-point races plus two exhibitions) as excessively long. He argues for canceling the second dates at major venues like Las Vegas, Kansas, Phoenix, Darlington, Bristol, Atlanta, and Martinsville. Bianchi might have a point. Having two races at the same venue in a single NASCAR season can cause overexposure. This saturation can lead to declining fan interest, as the same tracks host multiple events in a season. Reducing to 29 races by removing these additional dates, Bianchi suggests adding a “30th date somewhere” to introduce fresh appeal. “That will be something different, you know, whether that’s Montreal or Mexico City or whatever else, if we want to do something,” he explained. The inclusion of more international venues, instead of US ones, holds promise to grow NASCAR’s global footprint, excite new fanbases, and inject novelty into the NASCAR schedule. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Bianchi also advocates moving the prestigious Clash back to its roots at Daytona, which has held the event since 1979. The event has been moved to other venues like the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2022 to 2024) and Bowman Gray Stadium (2025), but he feels it’s better suited as a season-opening showcase on NASCAR’s most iconic superspeedway. “We’re also going to move the Clash back to Daytona,” he said, emphasizing the tradition and visibility the venue offers. While Bianchi’s proposal focuses on trimming the fat and reviving tradition, not everyone agrees with his approach. Fellow NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck offered a different take – one that doesn’t necessarily see fewer races as the solution. Instead, Gluck believes the issue lies more in how the schedule is structured rather than how long it is. ADVERTISEMENT Jeff Gluck suggests focusing on structure over schedule While Bianchi suggested cutting down the NASCAR schedule, Jeff Gluck argued that the focus should be on enhancing race quality and restructuring the races rather than simply reducing the number of events. “I don’t know how I feel about reducing the schedule that much,” Gluck said. “I think I would, you know, do some Wednesday night races in the summer and try to get the schedule shortened that way rather.” He believes that if races are truly engaging and entertaining, fans will stay invested regardless of schedule length or multiple races taking place at the same venue. Gluck also highlighted the challenge NASCAR faces going head-to-head against the NFL on fall Sundays. “The more you go up against the NFL on these fall Sundays, it’s just such a tough. Nobody’s beating the NFL anymore,” he said. ADVERTISEMENT The numbers back up Gluck’s claim. In 2025, NASCAR struggled significantly in TV viewership, averaging just around 2.5 million viewers per race, marking a 13-18% drop compared to 2024. In stark contrast, NFL games consistently attracted over 15 million viewers per Sunday, dominating the same time slots NASCAR competes in. Thus, shifting the races to a non-NFL day can help NASCAR gain viewers. On the subject of the 2025 Cook Out Clash moving from its traditional Daytona venue to Bowman Gray Stadium, Gluck strongly disagrees with the move back to Daytona proposed by Bianchi. “I straight up disagree with your one on the Clash moving Daytona,” he stated. The 2025 NASCAR Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium was an electrifying start to the Cup Series season.
