Racing action during the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Starting times and television coverage for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series were released on November 12. It includes a heavy emphasis on mid-afternoon and late-afternoon races.
NASCAR is expected to “tweak” the championship points system soon, but it is unlikely it will go back to the 36-race, full season points system that was used in the past. But it is likely the final race, four-driver, winner-take-all system will change, according to NASCAR officials in various interviews including the annual “State of the Sport” address that was held at Phoenix Raceway prior to the NASCAR Championship Race earlier in November.
NASCAR Start Times And Networks
Looking ahead to 2026, FOX kicks off the NASCAR Cup Series season at Bowman Gray Stadium (Sunday, Feb. 1, 8 p.m. ET). Its first FS1 events are Dayton 500 Qualifying (Wednesday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. ET) and the Dayton Duel (Thursday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m. ET) that set the field for the Daytona 500 on FOX (Sunday, Feb. 15, 2:30 p.m. ET).
New additions to the FOX slate include Watkins Glen International (Sunday, May 10, 3 p.m. ET on FS1) and the first NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover (Sunday, May 17, 3 p.m. ET on FS1). Races on FOX include: EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta (Sunday, Feb. 22, 3 p.m. ET), Circuit of the Americas (Sunday, March 1, 3:30 p.m. ET), Kansas Speedway (Sunday, April 19, 2 p.m. ET) and Talladega Superspeedway (Sunday, April 26, 3 p.m. ET).
Prime Video opens its second NASCAR season at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Sunday, May 24, 6 p.m. ET). It returns to Nashville Superspeedway (Sunday, May 31, 7 p.m. ET), Michigan International Speedway (Sunday, June 7, 3 p.m. ET) and Pocono Raceway (Sunday, June 14, 3 p.m. ET). Prime Video concludes its portion of the schedule with the new street-course event in San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado (Sunday, June 21, 4 p.m. ET).
TNT Sports takes the reins at Sonoma Raceway (Sunday, June 28, 3:30 p.m. ET), kicking off the second In-Season Challenge before the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Chicagoland Speedway (Sunday, July 5, 6 p.m. ET) for the first time since 2019. TNT will also head back to EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta (Sunday, July 12, 7 p.m. ET), broadcast the first points-paying event at North Wilkesboro Speedway (Sunday, July 19, 7 p.m. ET) since 1996, and travel to Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Sunday, July 26, 2 p.m. ET).
Bubba Wallace and co-owner of 23XI Racing, Denny Hamlin pose with the Brickyard 400 trophy at the yard of bricks after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 Presented by PPG at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Getty Images
USA Sports will close out the season, airing the final 14 races across USA Network, and NBC and Peacock, starting with Iowa Speedway on USA Network (Sunday, Aug. 9, 3:30 p.m. ET). After the regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway (Saturday, August 29, 7:30 p.m. ET) on NBC and Peacock, USA Sports is home to the entire NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and will conclude the season on NBC and Peacock with Talladega Superspeedway (Sunday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m. ET), Martinsville Speedway (Sunday, Nov. 1, 2 p.m. ET), and the return of the NASCAR Championship to Homestead-Miami Speedway (Sunday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m.) for the first time since 2019.
The CW Network returns following a historic first season as the exclusive destination for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at DAYTONA International Speedway (Saturday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m. ET). Highlights of the 33-race slate include the return to Rockingham Speedway over Easter weekend (Saturday, April 4, 2:30 p.m. ET), San Diego (Saturday, June 20, 5 p.m. ET) and the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Sunday, Nov. 7, 5 p.m. ET).
FOX Sports remains the home of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and will broadcast 23 races on FS1. Two additional races will air on FOX, including the inaugural Grand Prix at St. Petersburg (Saturday, Feb. 28, 12 p.m. ET) and the Charlotte ROVAL Playoff race (Friday, Oct. 9, 5 p.m. ET).
Announced previously, FOX will air all 20 ARCA Menards Series races between FOX, FS1 and FS2, beginning with the season opener at DAYTONA International Speedway (Saturday, Feb. 14 at 12 p.m. ET on FOX).
*Playoffs Races In Bold
NASCAR Cup Series
DATE, RACE, PLATFORM, START (ET)
Sun, Feb 1 – Clash (Bowman Gray Stadium), FOX, 8:00 PM
Thu, Feb 12 – Daytona – Duel, FS1, 7:00 PM
Sun, Feb 15
Daytona 500, FOX, 2:30 PM
Sun, Feb 22 – EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta), FOX, 3:00 PM
Sun, Mar 1 – Circuit of the Americas (Austin), FOX, 3:30 PM
Sun, Mar 8 – Phoenix Raceway, FS1, 3:30 PM
Sun, Mar 15 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1, 4:00 PM
Sun, Mar 22 – Darlington Raceway, FS1, 3:00 PM
Sun, Mar 29 – Martinsville Speedway, FS1, 3:30 PM
Sun, Apr 12 – Bristol Motor Speedway, FS1, 3:00 PM
Sun, Apr 19 – Kansas Speedway, FOX, 2:00 PM
Sun, Apr 26 – Talladega Superspeedway, FOX, 3:00 PM
Sun, May 3 – Texas Motor Speedway, FS1, 3:30 PM
Sun, May 10 – Watkins Glen International, FS1, 3:00 PM
Sun, May 17 – All Star (Dover Motor Speedway), FS1, 3:00 PM
Sun, May 24 – Charlotte Motor Speedway, Prime, 6:00 PM
Sun, May 31 – Nashville Superspeedway, Prime, 7:00 PM
Sun, Jun 7 – Michigan International Speedway, Prime, 3:00 PM
Sun, Jun 14 – Pocono Raceway, Prime, 3:00 PM
Sun, Jun 21 – San Diego (Naval Base Coronado), Prime, 4:00 PM
Sun, Jun 28 – Sonoma Raceway, TNT, 3:30 PM
Sun, Jul 5 – Chicagoland Speedway, TNT, 6:00 PM
Sun, Jul 12 – EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta), TNT, 7:00 PM
Sun, Jul 19 – North Wilkesboro Speedway, TNT, 7:00 PM
Sun, Jul 26 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway, TNT, 2:00 PM
Sun, Aug 9 – Iowa Speedway, USA, 3:30 PM,
Sat, Aug 15 – Richmond Raceway, USA, 7:00 PM
Sun, Aug 23 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway, USA, 3:00 PM
Sat, Aug 29 – Daytona International Speedway, NBC, 7:30 PM
Sun, Sep 6 – Darlington Raceway, USA, 5:00 PM
Sun, Sep 13 – World Wide Technology Raceway (St. Louis), USA, 3:00 PM
Sat, Sep 19 – Bristol Motor Speedway, USA, 7:30 PM
Sun, Sep 27 – Kansas Speedway, USA, 3:00 PM
Sun, Oct 4 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, USA, 5:30 PM
Sun, Oct 11 – Charlotte ROVAL, USA, 3:00 PM
Sun, Oct 18 – Phoenix Raceway, USA, 3:00 PM
Sun, Oct 25 – Talladega Superspeedway, NBC, 2:00 PM
Sun, Nov 1 – Martinsville Speedway, NBC, 2:00 PM
Sun, Nov 8 – NASCAR Championship (Homestead-Miami Speedway), NBC, 3:00 PM
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
DATE, RACE, PLATFORM, START (ET)
Sat, Feb 14 – Daytona International Speedway, CW, 5:00 PM
Sat, Feb 21 – EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta), CW, 5:00 PM
Sat, Feb 28 – Circuit of the Americas (Austin), CW, 3:00 PM
Sat, Mar 7 – Phoenix Raceway, CW, 7:30 PM
Sat, Mar 14 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, CW, 5:30 PM
Sat, Mar 21 – Darlington Raceway, CW, 5:30 PM
Sat, Mar 28 – Martinsville Speedway, CW, 3:30 PM
Sat, Apr 4 – Rockingham Speedway, CW, 2:30 PM
Sat, Apr 11 – Bristol Motor Speedway, CW, 7:30 PM
Sat, Apr 18 – Kansas Speedway, CW, 7:00 PM
Sat, Apr 25 – Talladega Superspeedway, CW, 4:00 PM
Sat, May 2 – Texas Motor Speedway, CW, 3:30 PM
Sat, May 9 – Watkins Glen International, CW, 4:00 PM
Sat, May 16 – Dover Motor Speedway, CW, 4:00 PM
Sat, May 23 – Charlotte Motor Speedway, CW, 5:00 PM
Sat, May 30 – Nashville Superspeedway, CW, 7:30 PM
Sat, Jun 13 – Pocono Raceway, CW, 4:00 PM
Sat, Jun 20 – San Diego (Naval Base Coronado), CW, 5:00 PM
Sat, Jun 27 – Sonoma Raceway, CW, 5:30 PM
Sat, Jul 4 – Chicagoland Speedway, CW, 5:30 PM
Sat, Jul 11 – EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta), CW, 7:00 PM
Sat, Jul 25 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway, CW, 4:00 PM
Sat, Aug 8 – Iowa Speedway, CW, 5:00 PM
Fri, Aug 28 – Daytona International Speedway, CW, 7:30 PM
Sat, Sep 5 – Darlington Raceway, CW, 7:30 PM
Sat, Sep 12 – World Wide Technology Raceway (St. Louis), CW, 7:30 PM
Fri, Sep 18 – Bristol Motor Speedway, CW, 7:30 PM
Sat, Oct 3 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, CW, 7:30 PM
Sat, Oct 10 – Charlotte ROVAL, CW, 4:00 PM
Sat, Oct 17 – Phoenix Raceway, CW, 7:30 PM
Sat, Oct 24 – Talladega Superspeedway, CW, 3:30 PM
Sat, Oct 31 – Martinsville Speedway, CW, 4:00 PM
Sat, Nov 7 – (NASCAR Championship) Homestead-Miami Speedway, CW, 5:00 PM
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
DATE, RACE, PLATFORM, START (ET)
Fri, Feb 13 – Daytona International Speedway, FS1, 7:30 PM,
Sat, Feb 21 – EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta), FS1, 1:30 PM
Sat, Feb 28 – Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, FOX, 12:00 PM
Fri, Mar 20 – Darlington Raceway, FS1, 7:30 PM
Fri, Apr 3 – Rockingham Speedway, FS1, 4:30 PM
Fri, Apr 10 – Bristol Motor Speedway, FS1, 7:30 PM
Fri, May 1 – Texas Motor Speedway, FS1, 8:00 PM
Fri, May 8 – Watkins Glen International, FS1, 4:30 PM
Fri, May 15 – Dover Motor Speedway, FS1, 5:00 PM
Fri, May 22 – Charlotte Motor Speedway, FS1, 7:30 PM
Fri, May 29 – Nashville Superspeedway, FS1, 8:00 PM
Sat, Jun 6 – Michigan International Speedway, FS1, 1:30 PM
Fri, Jun 19 – San Diego (Naval Base Coronado), FS1, 7:00 PM
Sat, Jul 11 – Lime Rock Park, FS1, 1:00 PM
Sat, Jul 18 – North Wilkesboro Speedway, FS1, 12:30 PM
Fri, Jul 24 – Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, FS1, 8:00 PM
Fri, Aug 14 – Richmond Raceway, FS1, 7:30 PM
Sat, Aug 22 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway, FS1, 1:30 PM
Thu, Sep 17 – Bristol Motor Speedway, FS1, 8:00 PM
Sat, Sep 26 – Kansas Speedway, FS1, 1:00 PM
Fri, Oct 9 – Charlotte ROVAL, FOX, 5:00 PM,
Fri, Oct 16 – Phoenix Raceway, FS1, 7:30 PM
Fri, Oct 23 – Talladega Superspeedway, FS1, 4:00 PM
Fri, Oct 30 – Martinsville Speedway, FS1, 6:00 PM
Fri, Nov 6 – (NASCAR Championship) Homestead-Miami Speedway, FS1, 7:30 PM
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucemartin/2025/11/12/nascar-announces-starting-times-tv-coverage-for-2026-season/
