NASCAR Schedule 2026 Earns Praise From FOX Broadcaster Amidst Hectic Life Admission

In August 2025, NASCAR unveiled its 2026 Cup Series schedule, marking a pivotal shift in the sport’s landscape. The introduction of a street race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego stands out as a significant innovation, celebrating the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary. Additionally, the return of Chicagoland Speedway to the calendar after a hiatus since 2019 signifies NASCAR’s efforts to revitalize tracks and engage with a broader fan base.

Comparing it with the 2025 schedule, one can see notable changes, like how The All-Star Race, traditionally held in Charlotte, is now set to take place at Dover. But not all fans and drivers alike are happy with this. For instance, taking Dover’s example, Denny Hamlin questioned NASCAR’s decision to remove a points race from Dover, especially after a strong fan turnout.

But along with these schedule changes also come broadcasting shifts, and one Fox broadcaster truly admires these lineups.

Regan Smith managing NASCAR and life off-camera

In a candid conversation with fellow broadcaster Kevin Harvick on his Happy Hour podcast, Regan Smith opened up about the balancing act between his demanding career and family life, and how the current NASCAR schedule has helped him in doing so. “The beauty of the TV schedule being the way it’s broken up is it kind of gives opportunity to focus on other stuff. And other stuff that maybe for the first 35 years of my life, I never paid any attention to.”

Regan Smith continues to serve as a pit reporter for Fox Sports, mainly covering the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In 2025, he was part of the broadcast team for several races, including the DSQ Solutions and Staffing 250 at Darlington on June 7, the iLUNA! 150 at Pocono on June 28, and the Mission 176 at the Glen at Watkins Glen on August 8. “Yeah, and everything’s flowing good and feels good. The second part of the year, I do some of the truck races,” he said.

But even with numerous balancing attempts, one always falls short of time in life. “Time is one thing that I wish I had a little bit more of. Obviously, we’ve got our first, what, 14, 15 episodes a year that we do, and it’s fun. And I think that we all get to the end, especially this year, because it’s a little shorter than it normally is. And it’s like, ‘oh, man, we’re having fun right now, and we don’t want it to stop,'” he continued.

Smith expanded his broadcasting responsibilities by providing commentary for select NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. The role allowed him to gain a broader perspective of the sport, as he explained, “It’s been nice this year getting to do some of the booth work and see it from a different angle, right? Not just be on pit road, and it kind of opens your eyes up to different things. So, do that the second part of the year. And we’ve got a lot of family businesses that I’m heavily involved in and getting more heavily involved in by the day.”

Additionally, Smith contributed to the ARCA Menards Series coverage, providing analysis alongside other commentators. But along with work comes family, and he doesn’t compromise with either. “All of a sudden, you start growing up, and you’re like, ‘oh, wait, there’s more that has to be taken care of after.’ And then, three kids in the mix, Kevin, as you know with your two. That definitely adds a whole other element to it,” he added.

Smith is married to Megan Smith and has three children: Rhett, Eliza, and Rhye. His eldest son, Rhett, has developed an interest in golf, leading Smith to spend a considerable time at golf courses. Smith humorously described his role as Rhett’s caddy, saying, “I spend more time at a golf course now than I ever have. The difference is I don’t actually play. I just get to carry his bag around. I feel like the mule for him, basically. Just tugging a golf bag everywhere.”

His daughter, Eliza, is passionate about dance. In a social media post, Smith shared a moment from a daddy-daughter dance event, showing the bond that the duo shares, and he explained the family dynamics further, saying, “My daughter, who’s our middle child, she’s big into dance. So, dance competitions, all that stuff going on. And we’ve got a three-year-old, too. So, all those things thrown into the mix, it gets very busy. And  fortunate that it is busy, right?” 

Despite his demanding schedule, Smith finds fulfillment in balancing his professional commitments with family life. However, he emphasizes the importance of embracing the chaos and finding fulfillment in both his professional achievements and personal life. But the NASCAR schedule has its own critics.

NASCAR’s struggle to keep the magic alive in the stands

NASCAR tracks that once bragged about sellouts like the Bristol Motor Speedway, having 55 in a row at one point, are now staring at empty rows, tarped-off sections, and a vibe that doesn’t match the glory days. Rising travel costs, changing fan habits, and the comfort of watching from home are all playing their part.

Kevin Harvick has had enough. On his podcast, the former Cup champion laid it down: trim the schedule, stop oversaturating the calendar, and bring back that raw passion. “For my fan base, it was always one of the better fan bases… very passionate… some of that passion comes from the fact that they know in about 2 months won’t be able to come out of their house,” he said, spotlighting New Hampshire’s die-hard Northeast crowd.

Harvick stressed the value of single, high-impact races over double-headers that dilute excitement. “I love the fact that it’s a one race… making one great race instead of two mediocre races… Kansas will be subpar in the grandstands this week, and the first one subpar… a one-race town is loud in Kansas, those types of places.” Empty grandstands hurt more than attendance numbers; they dampen the energy that makes NASCAR special, and Harvick wants the calendar pruned to prioritize passion over filler dates.

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