With the start of the 2026 NASCAR regular season just around the corner, now’s the time to find out what to expect from the most popular national series, the NASCAR Cup Series. From iconic classics like the Daytona 500 to the second year of the NASCAR In Season Challenge and other exciting changes to the schedule including the return of Chicagoland Speedway and a new street race at Naval Base Coronado, there’s tons of exciting on-track action to get excited for.
There have also been rumors swirling about the possibility of NASCAR changing the playoffs format in 2026, with an announcement expected sometime in the new year. Check back here for the latest.
The NASCAR 2026 schedule is better than ever, and you don’t want to miss a moment of it. This post will go over the entire NASCAR Cup Series season schedule, so you know exactly when and where to tune in to watch live.
Stream NASCAR live with DIRECTV all season long.
How to Watch NASCAR Races Live in 2026
Don’t miss a single moment of the adrenaline-pumping NASCAR Cup Series schedule this year! Racing fans can watch NASCAR live on the following channels:
- FOX (find local affiliate)
- FS1
- TNT
- NBC (find local affiliate)
- USA Network
And for the second year, five races starting on May 24 with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will stream live on Prime Video. A subscription to the platform is required to watch those races live.
Get the channels you need to watch NASCAR plus the ability to connect your Prime Video account to the same interface with DIRECTV’s MySports™! The live TV plan gives you more sports for less.
2026 NASCAR Cup Series TV Schedule
Make sure your calendar stays up to date by bookmarking this page to stay informed about the timing and channels for each NASCAR Cup Series race this year.
Don’t miss a single minute of your favorite races with DIRECTV!
Skip to: FEBRUARY | MARCH | APRIL | MAY | JUNE | JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER
FEBRUARY
Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
Racetrack: Bowman Gray Stadium
Date & Time: Sun, Feb 1, 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Winston Salem, NC
Laps/Distance: 200 laps / 50.6 miles
Where to Watch: FOX
Duel 1 at DAYTONA
Racetrack: Daytona International Speedway
Date & Time: Thu, Feb 12, 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Laps/Distance: 60 laps / 150 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
Duel 2 at DAYTONA
Racetrack: Daytona International Speedway
Date & Time: Thu, Feb 12, 8:45 p.m. ET
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Laps/Distance: 60 laps / 150 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
DAYTONA 500
Racetrack: Daytona International Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Feb 15, 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Laps/Distance: 200 laps / 500 miles
Where to Watch: FOX
Autotrader 400
Racetrack: EchoPark Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Feb 22, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Hampton, GA
Laps/Distance: 260 laps / 400.4 miles
Where to Watch: FOX
MARCH
NASCAR Cup Series Race at COTA
Racetrack: Circuit of The Americas
Date & Time: Sun, Mar 1, 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Austin, TX
Laps/Distance: 95 laps / 228 miles
Where to Watch: FOX
Straight Talk Wireless 500
Racetrack: Phoenix Raceway
Date & Time: Sun, Mar 8, 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Avondale, AZ
Laps/Distance: 312 laps / 312 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube
Racetrack: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Mar 15, 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Laps/Distance: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
Goodyear 400
Racetrack: Darlington Raceway
Date & Time: Sun, Mar 22, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Darlington, SC
Laps/Distance: 293 laps / 400.24 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
Cook Out 400
Racetrack: Martinsville Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Mar 29, 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ridgeway, VA
Laps/Distance: 400 laps / 210.4 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
APRIL
Food City 500
Racetrack: Bristol Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Apr 12, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Bristol, TN
Laps/Distance: 500 laps / 266.5 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
AdventHealth 400
Racetrack: Kansas Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Apr 19, 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: Kansas City, KS
Laps/Distance: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Where to Watch: FOX
Jack Link’s 500
Racetrack: Talladega Superspeedway
Date & Time: Sun, Apr 26, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Talladega, AL
Laps/Distance: 188 laps / 500.08 miles
Where to Watch: FOX
MAY
Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY
Racetrack: Texas Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, May 3, 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Laps/Distance: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
Go Bowling at The Glen
Racetrack: Watkins Glen International
Date & Time: Sun, May 10, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Watkins Glen, NY
Laps/Distance: 90 laps / 220.5 miles
Where to Watch: FS1
NASCAR All-Star Race
Racetrack: Dover Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, May 17, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Dover, DE
Laps/Distance: TBA laps / TBA miles
Where to Watch: FS1
Coca-Cola 600
Racetrack: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, May 24, 6:00 p.m. ET
Location: Concord, NC
Laps/Distance: 400 laps / 600 miles
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Cracker Barrel 400
Racetrack: Nashville Superspeedway
Date & Time: Sun, May 31, 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Lebanon, TN
Laps/Distance: 300 laps / 399 miles
Where to Watch: Prime Video
JUNE
FireKeepers Casino 400
Racetrack: Michigan International Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, June 7, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Brooklyn, MI
Laps/Distance: 200 laps / 400 miles
Where to Watch: Prime Video
NASCAR Cup Series Race at Pocono
Racetrack: Pocono Raceway
Date & Time: Sun, June 14, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Long Pond, PA
Laps/Distance: 160 laps / 400 miles
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Anduril 250
Racetrack: Naval Base Coronado
Date & Time: Sun, June 21, 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: San Diego, CA
Laps/Distance: TBA laps / TBA miles
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Toyota / Save Mart 350
Racetrack: Sonoma Raceway
Date & Time: Sun, June 28, 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Sonoma, CA
Laps/Distance: 110 laps / 218.9 miles
Where to Watch: TNT
JULY
NASCAR Cup Series Race at Chicagoland
Racetrack: Chicagoland Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, July 5, 6:00 p.m. ET
Location: Joliet, IL
Laps/Distance: TBA laps / TBA miles
Where to Watch: TNT
Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart
Racetrack: EchoPark Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, July 12, 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Hampton, GA
Laps/Distance: 260 laps / 400.4 miles
Where to Watch: TNT
Window World 450
Racetrack: North Wilkesboro Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, July 19, 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: North Wilkesboro, NC
Laps/Distance: TBA laps / TBA miles
Where to Watch: TNT
Brickyard 400
Racetrack: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, July 26, 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: Speedway, IN
Laps/Distance: 160 laps / 400 miles
Where to Watch: TNT
AUGUST
Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol
Racetrack: Iowa Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Aug 9, 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Newton, IA
Laps/Distance: 350 laps / 306.25 miles
Where to Watch: USA
Cook Out 400
Racetrack: Richmond Raceway
Date & Time: Sat, Aug 15, 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: Richmond, VA
Laps/Distance: 400 laps / 300 miles
Where to Watch: USA
NASCAR Cup Series Race at New Hampshire
Racetrack: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Aug 23, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Loudon, NH
Laps/Distance: 301 laps / 318.46 miles
Where to Watch: USA
Coke Zero Sugar 400
Racetrack: Daytona International Speedway
Date & Time: Sat, Aug 29, 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Laps/Distance: 160 laps / 400 miles
Where to Watch: NBC
SEPTEMBER
Cook Out Southern 500
Racetrack: Darlington Raceway
Date & Time: Sun, Sept 6, 5:00 p.m. ET
Location: Darlington, SC
Laps/Distance: 367 laps / 501.32 miles
Where to Watch: USA
Enjoy Illinois 300
Racetrack: World Wide Technology Raceway
Date & Time: Sun, Sept 13, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Madison, IL
Laps/Distance: 240 laps / 300 miles
Where to Watch: USA
Bass Pro Shops Night Race
Racetrack: Bristol Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sat, Sept 19, 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Bristol, TN
Laps/Distance: 500 laps / 266.5 miles
Where to Watch: USA
Hollywood Casino 400
Racetrack: Kansas Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Sept 27, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Kansas City, KS
Laps/Distance: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Where to Watch: USA
OCTOBER
South Point 400
Racetrack: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Oct 4, 5:30 p.m. ET
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Laps/Distance: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Where to Watch: USA
Bank of America ROVAL 400
Racetrack: Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval
Date & Time: Sun, Oct 11, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Concord, NC
Laps/Distance: 109 laps / 248.52 miles
Where to Watch: USA
Freeway Insurance 500
Racetrack: Phoenix Raceway
Date & Time: Sun, Oct 18, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Avondale, AZ
Laps/Distance: 312 laps / 312 miles
Where to Watch: USA
Yellawood 500
Racetrack: Talladega Superspeedway
Date & Time: Sun, Oct 25, 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: Talladega, AL
Laps/Distance: 188 laps / 500.08 miles
Where to Watch: NBC
NOVEMBER
Xfinity 500
Racetrack: Martinsville Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Nov 1, 2:00 p.m. ET
Location: Ridgeway, VA
Laps/Distance: 500 laps / 263 miles
Where to Watch: NBC
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
Racetrack: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Date & Time: Sun, Nov 8, 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Homestead, FL
Laps/Distance: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Where to Watch: NBC
2026 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule Changes
Here are the biggest changes and shifts NASCAR fans need to be aware of ahead of the 2026 season.
- Championship race rotation: NASCAR has implemented a rotational system where different tracks can host the championship race each season.
- The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2026.
- Playoff calendar adjustment (cause/effect): To accommodate Homestead-Miami Speedway moving back into the playoffs, New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been removed from playoffs.
- Round/sequence changes: Kansas becomes the first race of Round of 12 (second round). Las Vegas becomes the second race in Round of 12.
- New or returning events (2026):
- Cup Series returns to Southern California with a street race at Naval Base Coronado (San Diego).
- Chicagoland Speedway returns to the schedule for the first time since 2019.
- Events dropped (2026):
- Chicago Street Race (Grant Park 165) will not continue in 2026 (ran three times).
- Mexico City race dropped due to a 2026 FIFA World Cup conflict.
- Events moved / format changes (2026):
- All-Star Race moves from North Wilkesboro Speedway to Dover Motor Speedway.
- North Wilkesboro Speedway receives a points race, stated as its first regular-season race since 1996.
Watch NASCAR on DIRECTV
Watch your favorite Cup Series drivers put the pedal to the metal in 2026 and beyond with DIRECTV.
Frequently Asked Questions
What networks broadcast NASCAR races?
Fans can watch all NASCAR Cup Series races live across these networks & platforms: NBC, USA Network, FOX, FS1, and Amazon Prime Video.
How long does the NASCAR season last?
The 2026 NASCAR season kicks off in February and will end in November with the Cup Series Championship.
What is the In-Season Challenge?
For the second time ever, NASCAR is implementing an In-Season Challenge, which spans five races, with drivers vying for a $1 million prize. It features a 32-driver, single-elimination format, where the top finisher in each matchup progresses to the next round.
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