Update: NASCAR will be adjusting the stage lengths for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26 (3 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The updated stages will be as follows: Stage 1 will end on lap 98; Stage 2 on lap 143; Final Stage on lap 188.
John Probst, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, discussed the reasoning behind the change during last week’s episode of the Hauler Talk podcast. Below are his comments on this change to address the fuel-savings strategies employed at superspeedways…
John Probst
“Coming out of Daytona we have been working hand-in-hand with a lot of our race teams trying to largely break into two categories things we could do. One are sporting related things, things like rules around pit stops or stage lengths or things of that nature. The other being in a technical bucket, which would mean car changes: spoiler, power level, things of that nature….
“As we went through all of our options, not just with NASCAR but even with the teams, there’s a little bit of reluctance to just make wholesale changes to any of the technical stuff in the middle of the season for fear of the unintended consequences.
“If you look at generally how a lot of our speedways were laid out it was a short stage, a short stage and then a long stage to the end. Going into Talladega, we’re going to flip that and adjust the lengths of the final two stages such that we’re confident that the last two stages are short enough to be made without a fuel stop.
“It could be interesting, as well, in that first stage, the length of it, if there’s some that try to do it on one stop versus some that try to do it on two. We think that if there are some that try to do it on two, they may drag the group that tried to do it on one along with them to where they won’t be able to do it in one, so it’s got the potential there for some pretty interesting strategies.”
— NASCAR —
Original post (4-7-2026): NASCAR will shorten the lengths of its final two stages in the April 26 race at Talladega Superspeedway to address fuel-saving concerns on superspeedways.
Next January will also bring the return of a “Preseason Thunder” test session at Daytona International Speedway, assessing potential technical changes to the cars that could lessen the impact of conservation strategies at superspeedways.
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Though the precise lengths have yet to be announced, Probst said the final two stages at Talladega will be short enough to complete without a fuel stop.
“Generally, how a lot of our speedways were laid out, it was a short stage, a short stage and then a long stage to the end,” Probst said. “Going into Talladega, we’re going to flip that.”
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This year, the first stage likely will be closer to 100 laps, with the last two stages under 50 laps apiece, when the Cup Series returns to the 2.66-mile oval in two weeks.
— NASCAR.com —