"Maybe 45 minutes" - Jimmie Johnson lobbies NASCAR for more practice time per sources

NASCAR veteran Jimmie Johnson restated the need to double the given practice time so that the teams can gather enough data to improve the car's performance before the main event.

Jimmie Johnson, the co-owner of Legacy Motor Club and part-time driver for the team in the NASCAR Cup Series, is looking to add a 12th win to his illustrious career at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend. The No. 84 Toyota driver will be seen in action for the third time this season on Sunday at the Wurth 400.

According to Jeff Gluck on X (formerly Twitter), Jimmie Johnson once again emphasized the need to add more minutes to the practice time. The seven-time Cup Series champion's proposal to NASCAR is to increase the normal race day practice time from 20 minutes to approximately 45 minutes.

"Legacy co-owner Jimmie Johnson reiterates he's in favor of more practice time than is currently given for the NASCAR Cup Series ("maybe 45 minutes," he says).

"Yes, I am lobbying for more practice. I know that's been a conversation. I think it would be beneficial for all," Jimmie Johnson said according to Jeff Gluck.

The practice time was cut down to 20 minutes in 2022 with one of the official explanations from NASCAR being it would ease the financial burden on the less-resourceful teams in the Cup Series.

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"We're supposed to be professionals" - Chase Elliott on Jimmie Johnson's demand to increase practice time

The Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott recently disagreed with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr Download podcast after the NASCAR veteran Dale Jr. was in support of Jimmie Johnson's proposal for increasing the practice time to 45 minutes before the race day.

Chase Elliott was quoted as saying on the podcast:

"I think we have enough practice. I certainly can understand their perspective on guys either running a part-time schedule or people that are running, maybe full-time in Xfinity and then running a few Cup races here and there." (48:00)

Elliott then compared the NASCAR Cup Series to dirt track racing where drivers also have limited practice time before the main race.

"When I look at the whole argument as a whole, I look at short tracks across the country and there's dirt track races that happen every Friday or Saturday night that they get literally five laps of hot laps and then they run the race."

Elliott further added on the same podcast:

"I'm like, we're supposed to be professionals, and we're supposed to be at the top of our class. Why should we get an hour and a half when people that are trying to come up through the ranks only get five laps?"

The #9 HMS driver broke his winless streak in the 2024 season at Texas Motor Speedway two weeks ago.