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Christopher Bell Says NASCAR Practice Is “Unnecessary”—Is He Right, or Does It Benefit Smaller Teams?

Arthur Ling by Arthur Ling
February 14, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Christopher Bell Says NASCAR Practice Is “Unnecessary”—Is He Right, or Does It Benefit Smaller Teams?

Feb 12, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell (20) during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Christopher Bell isn’t mincing words when it comes to NASCAR’s current practice format. In a blunt interview on Dirty Mo Media, the Joe Gibbs Racing star dismissed the 20-minute practice sessions as pointless for elite teams, reducing them to little more than a systems check.

“For my team (Joe Gibbs Racing) and my situation… ‘go ride around for a little bit and let me know when the temperature gauge comes on.’ So, that’s literally what we did.”

Bell argues that top-tier teams like JGR already know their setups, making these brief practice runs redundant. He compares today’s NASCAR to its pre-COVID era, when teams had three full practice sessions. But now, with six Daytona races under the Next Gen car, Bell believes teams already know exactly what to expect.

But not everyone agrees.

Joey Logano: “Practice Matters for Smaller Teams”

While Bell and other elite drivers may feel comfortable skipping practice, Joey Logano sees it differently. The Team Penske driver argues that lesser-funded teams need practice time to compete at a high level.

🔹 Why Practice Matters for Smaller Teams:
✅ Gives underfunded teams more track time to catch up.
✅ Helps rookies and part-time drivers get experience.
✅ Allows mid-tier teams to dial in adjustments before the race.

If powerhouse teams like Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, and Hendrick Motorsports have engineers, simulators, and millions in data resources, smaller teams do not.

A driver from Rick Ware Racing or Live Fast Motorsports doesn’t have access to state-of-the-art facilities, making practice their only real opportunity to fine-tune their cars.

NASCAR Expands Practice in 2025—Ignoring Bell’s Complaints?

Despite Bell’s call to eliminate practice, NASCAR is doing the opposite.

🔹 Changes for 2025
✅ Group practices extended to 25 minutes.
✅ Some weekends will feature even longer sessions (e.g., Circuit of the Americas will now have two 20-minute practices).

Clearly, NASCAR believes practice is valuable—even if top-tier drivers like Bell don’t.


Debate: Should NASCAR Keep Expanding Practice or Cut It Down?

✅ Bell’s Side:
🔹 “Top teams don’t need it.”
🔹 “It’s just a systems check.”
🔹 “We already know our setups.”

✅ Logano’s Side:
🔹 “Smaller teams need practice to be competitive.”
🔹 “Rookies and part-timers benefit.”
🔹 “More track time means better racing.”

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