NASCAR fans rally against 'dumb' off week verdict with no race
NASCAR fans rally against 'dumb' off week verdict with no race
Sian Jones Sat, August 1, 2026 at 10:07 AM UTC
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NASCAR is having an off-week with no race scheduled (Image: Getty)
NASCAR fans have gone against a Reddit user's "dumb" verdict on the sport's off week, with supporters defending the decision to have no Cup Series race this weekend.
For just the second time this season, racing fans will be without a points race this weekend. Following last Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Cup Series is taking its second scheduled off weekend of the 2026 season before returning next week at Iowa Speedway.
The brief pause gives drivers, teams and crew members an opportunity to recharge ahead of the final four races of the regular season and the crucial push toward the NASCAR Playoffs. NASCAR typically schedules a couple of off weekends each season, with the first coming over Easter.
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The latest break arrives after 22 Cup Series races and just before one of the most important stretches of the campaign. Once racing resumes, only four events will remain before the 16-driver NASCAR Playoffs field is finalized.
One NASCAR fan on Reddit has suggested a major overhaul of the Cup Series schedule, calling for the elimination of off weeks and the All-Star Race to be added to another race weekend. They also want the season shortened by two weeks, allowing the campaign to conclude in October.
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Denny Hamlin currently leads the Cup Series standings (Image: Getty)
The suggestion was met with plenty of backlash from NASCAR fans, with many pushing back against the idea. One user said: "Shortening the schedule still doesn't give them a week off in the middle of the season. You gotta have some bye weeks with the season this long."
Another fan added: "Give the teams a break and go touch some grass. Understand that the crew members are going from feb to November with little weekends off to spend with their family. And your idea only gives them time off when kids are in school. This lets crew members have a little bit of summer with their kids."
One NASCAR fan argued that while off weeks are not inherently "dumb," the timing of the latest break is questionable. They said: "Off weeks aren't dumb but the timing of it is a little strange to me. To me they would have been better off utilizing this off week during week 1 of the NFL Sunday. That race is going to get a horrible rating so may as well take the week off."
Denny Hamlin enters the rare midseason off weekend atop the Cup Series standings, one of four drivers already locked into the playoffs and second in wins, with the remaining field battling for the other 12 postseason spots over the final four races.
The break comes at a good time for several top contenders. Tyler Reddick leads the series with five wins and sits second in points, although he hasn't won since April at Kansas Speedway. He finished 10th at Sunday's Brickyard 400 after starting third. Ryan Blaney is third in points but saw his streak of 11 straight top-11 finishes end at Indianapolis after being caught in a late nine-car crash, leaving him 26th and costing him the $1 million In-Season Challenge prize.
Hamlin's teammate Ty Gibbs became the fourth driver to clinch a playoff spot after scoring stage points, leading 46 laps and finishing 12th at Indy. Carson Hocevar, meanwhile, finished in the top 10 for the second time in three weeks after struggling for consistency earlier in the season. The Spire Motorsports driver sits fifth in the standings.
Source: “AOL Sports”
