Superspeedway races have long been defined by high-speed drafting and dynamic lead changes. However, stage racing introduced in recent years has unintentionally encouraged teams to conserve fuel over longer periods. This has resulted in strategy overtaking speed. This trend has reduced overtaking opportunities and caused extended periods of low-intensity racing. And now, NASCAR is working on a plan to add a new stage that has already left many fans furious on Reddit.

The fourth-stage concept has drawn attention across the sport. NASCAR officials are reviewing logistics such as stage lengths, pit strategies, and potential unintended effects. The goal is to boost lead changes and aggressive maneuvers, creating a more exciting on-track product for fans and drivers alike.

The exploration of introducing a fourth stage in superspeedway events like Daytona and Talladega is quite a significant move. The idea aims to curb fuel-saving tactics that have slowed races and diminished excitement. As Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently said in August 2025, “The only way you could probably do that for the rest of the race was to be able to add a fourth stage.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. added, “Fuel is the only thing that matters now,” highlighting how fuel conservation has overtaken aggressive racing. Kyle Busch also criticized the trend, stating, “I felt disgraceful myself as a race car driver wanting to go fast and lead laps and win the Daytona 500.” Together, these voices underline the urgency NASCAR faces in restoring competitive racing at superspeedways.

Despite the rationale, fans have reacted angrily on social media. Many argue that the change might complicate race strategies further, without truly solving the fuel-saving problem. Comments on Reddit warn that races could become even more conservative or contrived rather than genuinely exciting. The backlash underscores the challenge NASCAR faces.

Fourth stage proposal meets with fan backlash

Fans immediately voiced skepticism about NASCAR’s plan to add a fourth stage to superspeedway races. Many questioned whether altering stages would actually address the fuel-saving issue. The fear was that it would merely complicate race strategy. One user suggested a radical simplification. “Just have no live pitstops, and can’t lose position on pitstops.” This showed frustration with how pit strategies currently dominate race outcomes. Overall, structural stage changes alone cannot fix deeper strategic imbalances.

Other fans focused on the mechanics of racing itself. They emphasized that stage adjustments may not eliminate fuel conservation. A Twitter user argued “Still wouldn’t work. Making the last pit stop being as short as possible is the key to getting up front. Only way to make fuel saving meaningless is to make passing super easy.” The reaction forced people to look at the issues right now. Without addressing overtaking difficulty and track dynamics, any stage reformatting may fail to create genuinely competitive racing.

Some reactions criticized the overblown panic surrounding single-file fuel-saving races. One fan commented, “We’re going to look back when we’re running 10 laps increments and realize this was one of the most unnecessary freak-outs ever from the entire industry, fans included. A couple stages of half-throttle strategy, and suddenly there’s a boogyman somehow greater than tandem drafting, and the ‘single file train’ racing.” This highlighted a belief that NASCAR may be overreacting to typical superspeedway strategies. Fan outrage could also be disproportionate to the actual racing dynamics.

Another perspective raised by fans points to how a fourth stage could actually worsen things. This would complicate the fuel-saving dilemma rather than fix it. One user argued, “That makes it worse. Having teams make potentially the final stop (if they add a 4th stage) under caution, which are significantly more competitive stops, means teams are going to save fuel even harder to minimize the fueling timing at the final stop.” This highlighted an important concern. While NASCAR’s intent is to discourage fuel conservation, introducing a new stage could unintentionally push teams to double down on efficiency. This would, in turn, create the very outcome the sanctioning body hopes to avoid.

Several suggestions proposed alternative ways to maintain excitement without adding more stages. Two users offered ideas like, “What if we had, wait for it, no stages?” and “Orrrrrr award stage points, but no stage break, it stays green.” Both views give a preference for preserving continuous racing action. It made it clear that fans value uninterrupted green-flag racing. Adding stages could create artificial breaks that reduce on-track intensity.

Overall, the Twitter reactions reflect widespread frustration with NASCAR’s approach. Fans question whether adding a fourth stage will truly improve racing. The current move seems to merely tinker with superficial mechanics. There is a desire for solutions that prioritize overtaking, strategy fairness, and sustained green-flag competition. The conversation brings the challenges NASCAR faces to light in balancing innovation with fan expectations at superspeedways.