Joey Logano, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, recently spoke with Bob Pockrass ahead of the Phoenix race, highlighting the stark contrast between NASCAR and IndyCar practice formats. As NASCAR adjusts its approach for the 2025 season, Logano underscored how the sport’s shorter practice sessions surprise drivers accustomed to IndyCar’s longer track time, emphasizing the quick preparations required before qualifying.
NASCAR’s updated rules for the Cup, O’Reilly, and Truck Series now allow practice sessions of only 20 to 25 minutes before a single round of qualifying. Superspeedway venues like Daytona operate without traditional practice sessions, offering instead a 50-minute slot solely before qualifying at the Daytona 500. In contrast, IndyCar schedules significantly longer practice periods, enabling drivers and teams to refine their car setups more thoroughly before races.
Logano explained the reaction of IndyCar drivers to NASCAR’s limited time on track:
“These guys get so much practice in one day! They’re very surprised when we say, ‘Yeah, 20 minutes, then we go qualify; that’s what it is.’ A lot of drivers are, like, in disbelief when they hear about that. So obviously we used to have lots of practice. We used to do this. I’m okay doing what we’re doing.”
He currently holds sixth place in the driver standings with 90 points, having earned one top-five and one top-ten finish across three races this season. The Team Penske driver has also amassed 15 stage points and led 35 laps during this early part of the campaign.
Joey Logano’s Ambition to Capture the Dover Monster Trophy Remains Strong
Ahead of the 2025 race at Dover Motor Speedway, Logano shared his persistent goal to win the iconic Monster Trophy, a prize that has eluded him despite multiple attempts. Since debuting in the Cup Series with Team Penske in 2008, he has made 29 starts at Dover but has yet to secure a victory. His best finish at the track has been third place.
Reflecting on the significance of the Dover trophy, Logano told the media:
“As far as coolness of trophies, yeah, it’s up there pretty high. It’s pretty cool; you put the die-cast card, and it looks cool. I got four of the little ones from the Xfinity races, but I’d trade every one of those for a Cup win; Cup wins obviously mean a lot more.”
During the Auto Trader EchoPark Automotive 400 held on July 20, 2025, Logano qualified eighth but finished the 407-lap race in 14th place. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin won the event, narrowly beating Chase Briscoe by 0.310 seconds.
Practice Changes Reshape Preparation and Strategy in NASCAR
The modifications to NASCAR’s practice format signal a shift in how teams prepare for races, demanding sharper focus in shorter time frames. While IndyCar drivers benefit from extended practice durations to optimize vehicle performance, NASCAR competitors must quickly adapt setups and strategies within limited sessions. This dynamic adds pressure but also tests the adaptability and decision-making skills of drivers like Joey Logano.
Such adjustments are likely to influence how racing teams plan for upcoming events, potentially affecting qualifying outcomes and race-day tactics. Observers and fans will be watching closely to see how this new format impacts competition throughout the season, especially given drivers’ mixed reactions and the performance implications these condensed sessions bring.
Joey Logano and I chatted as he watched practice to prepare to be in the FOX Sports booth for the INDYCAR race Saturday (1 p.m. ET, FOX). We talked differences between how an INDYCAR and a Cup car drives. And how about how much practice INDYCAR gets? @IndyCarOnFOX @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/gzzdXUhEd0
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 6, 2026
