Overview

• Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin have intensified calls to reduce the Cup Series’ six road-course races, arguing they dilute NASCAR’s traditional oval focus.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Richard Petty have backed the pushback, highlighting how right-turn tracks can skew playoff outcomes and depart from the sport’s origins.
• Specialists like Shane van Gisbergen continue to dominate on technical layouts, underscoring an emerging generational split in driver performance.
• NASCAR fans remain divided over the road-course boom, with some defending an oval-heavy schedule and others welcoming greater variety on the calendar.
• NASCAR is nearing an agreement to stage a street race in San Diego in 2026, likely to replace Chicago’s expiring contract as part of its urban expansion.