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“Not What People Pay to See”- Veteran Journalist Takes Aim at NASCAR Over Cup Series’ Fuel Games at Talladega

NASCAR introduced rule changes, new stage lengths, and a revised aerodynamic package for Talladega Superspeedway, hoping to give the fans what they love: Full-throttle racing, aggressive overtakes, closed-pack running, and daring moves. Instead, fans watched a fuel-saving snoozefest for more…

By Megha Sapre · Essentially Sports

Published: Wednesday, 28 October 2026 at 4:23 AM

Key Things to Know

Journalist Jeff Gluck criticized NASCAR for allowing extreme fuel-saving strategies to compromise superspeedway racing.
NASCAR altered stage lengths and aerodynamic packages at Talladega, but drivers still ran at reduced throttle to conserve fuel.
Gluck argued NASCAR must implement incentives, tire changes, or further package adjustments to eliminate excessive fuel saving.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck has criticized NASCAR over widespread fuel saving at Talladega Superspeedway, arguing that fans do not pay to watch low-throttle racing. Despite NASCAR introducing revised stage lengths and an aerodynamic package designed to promote passing, most drivers spent significant portions of the race running at 25% to 40% throttle to save fuel.

In conversation with Jordan Bianchi, Gluck urged NASCAR to keep adjusting rules, stage lengths, or incentives rather than accepting fuel-saving tactics. RFK Racing drivers Brad Keselowski, Ryan Preece, and Chris Buescher successfully bypassed the fuel pack early on, while Preece suggested restoring bonus points for leading laps to encourage aggressive racing.

Read the full article on Essentially Sports