2026 NASCAR Quick-View Broadcast Table

The 2026 NASCAR TV schedule follows four sequential broadcast windows across the Cup Series calendar. The tables below keep the original season layout and are now updated through the July 26 Brickyard 400, with the August 9 Iowa event marked as the next Cup race.

Window 1 — FOX Sports (Races 1–14 · Feb–May)

Window 2 — Amazon Prime Video (Races 15–19 · May–Jun)

Window 3 — TNT Sports / Max (Races 20–24 · Jun–Jul — In-Season Challenge)

Window 4 — NBC Sports / USA Network (Races 25–36 · Aug–Nov — Playoffs)

The NASCAR Championship race returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time since 2019, airing on NBC at 3 PM ET on November 8. Phoenix Raceway moves to the first round of the semi-final stage. This change is one of the biggest structural shifts in the 2026 NASCAR Cup schedule. The race is free over the air on NBC and streams on Peacock.

Also note: NASCAR changed its point system for 2026, returning to a format similar to the 2004–2013 “The Chase” structure. Race winners earn 55 points (up 15 from before). The top 16 drivers by points qualify for The Chase, eliminating automatic berths for regular-season winners.

The national series are off on August 2. Racing resumes at Iowa Speedway on August 8–9, where the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competes Saturday and the Cup Series headlines Sunday. The Craftsman Truck Series returns the following Friday at Richmond. The complete schedule below uses Eastern Time.

Iowa Speedway · Wikimedia Commons

The key appointment is Sunday, August 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET for the Iowa Corn 350 on USA Network. Saturday features O’Reilly practice and qualifying, Cup practice and qualifying, and the HyVee Perks 250 at 5 p.m. ET on The CW.

For the confirmed green-flag time and any weather-related change, use the NASCAR race start-time guide. Iowa’s short-oval traffic and close racing also make the slipstream explainer useful before Sunday’s race.

You do not need a traditional cable subscription to watch a single lap of the 2026 NASCAR season. The combination of live TV streaming services, standalone streaming platforms, and free over-the-air broadcasts covers every race. Here is the complete stack:

Top Live TV Streaming Services — vMVPDs

For fans who already have a cable or vMVPD login, the FOX Sports App and NBC Sports App allow authentication using your provider credentials — enabling mobile and tablet viewing anywhere with a data connection. The Peacock app streams select NBC-window races and serves as the replay hub for all NBC Cup coverage throughout the playoffs.

The free NASCAR Channel on supported FAST platforms provides replays, classic races and analysis, but not the live Cup telecast. For a current service-by-service breakdown, read how to watch NASCAR in 2026.

Three national series race on most NASCAR weekends, and each has its own TV home. Knowing which series is on which network is as important as knowing the Sunday race channel.

NASCAR weekend at Iowa · Public-domain U.S. National Guard image via Wikimedia Commons

NASCAR Cup Series — The Main Event

The NASCAR Cup Series uses the “Next Gen” platform featuring independent rear suspension, 18-inch aluminum center-lock wheels, and a body design that functions closer to a GT3 car on road courses. Top speed exceeds 200 MPH at superspeedways. The 36-race schedule spans all track types: superspeedways (Daytona, Talladega), intermediate 1.5-mile ovals (Charlotte, Las Vegas), short tracks (Bristol, Martinsville), road courses (Sonoma, COTA, Watkins Glen), and new street circuits (San Diego). For a technical deep-dive, see our how NASCAR racing works guide and how pit stops work in NASCAR.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series — All on The CW, All Free

The 2026 season marks the first full year under the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series branding (formerly Xfinity Series). Every single race is on The CW — a free over-the-air network. This is one of the biggest accessibility improvements in NASCAR broadcasting history: fans no longer need any paid subscription to watch rising talent in a full professional series. The O’Reilly series opened at Daytona on February 14 at 5 PM ET and runs every race weekend alongside the Cup Series. Watch via antenna, the free CW App, or any live TV streaming service.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series — FOX Sports All Season

The Craftsman Truck Series is the wildest category on the NASCAR ladder — the trucks’ huge aerodynamic profile makes drafting extraordinarily powerful, producing chaotic, high-contact racing that often goes to overtime. Nearly all truck races air on FS1, with a few marquee events on the main FOX channel. The series opened at Daytona on February 13 at 7:30 PM ET on FS1 and runs most Friday evenings or Saturday afternoons, making it the natural appetizer before the weekend’s main courses.

Wondering how NASCAR compares to other motorsport? Our IndyCar vs F1 comparison and guide on what downforce is in racing give context for why NASCAR cars handle so differently from open-wheel machinery despite similar speeds on certain circuits.

The Cup Series completed Race 22 of 36 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26. Corey Heim earned his second career Cup victory by holding off Christopher Bell by 0.287 seconds, while Denny Hamlin retained the championship points lead. The next race is the Iowa Corn 350 on August 9.

Iowa Corn 350 victory lane · Public-domain U.S. Air National Guard image via Wikimedia Commons

Most Significant Recent 2026 Cup Results

Current Championship Picture

Denny Hamlin leads the Cup standings after Indianapolis with 886 points, followed by Tyler Reddick with 802 and Ryan Blaney with 766. Ty Gibbs, Carson Hocevar and Chase Elliott complete the top six entering Iowa. The 2026 NASCAR points standings page tracks the weekly changes and provisional Chase cut line.

Heim’s Brickyard win was his second Cup victory and the latest result in a summer stretch that also produced wins for Ryan Blaney at EchoPark and Joey Logano at North Wilkesboro. Review the Chicagoland eero 400 recap, the Pocono results, the San Diego results, and the Sonoma results for race-by-race context.

For the newest winner immediately after the checkered flag, use the who won the NASCAR race today tracker or the broader NASCAR winners archive.

Knowing the network is only half the battle — you also need to know the channel number on your specific cable or satellite provider. FOX, FS1, NBC, and USA Network are all available on every major provider, though the channel number varies by region and package. Here is a general reference guide for the most common providers:

For the most accurate channel number in your specific market, use the channel lookup on your provider’s website or app before each race. Local FOX and NBC affiliates vary significantly even within the same metro area depending on your exact cable tier and zip code.

• → NASCAR Official 2026 Cup Series Schedule — NASCAR.com
• → NASCAR Announces Start Times & Networks for 2026 National Series Races
• → FOX Sports: NASCAR Announces 2026 Schedule — Chicagoland, San Diego Added
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