What Channel Is the NASCAR Race On Today? 2026 TV Schedule, Time & Streaming Guide
There is no Cup race on August 2. NASCAR returns at Iowa Speedway on August 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, with in-car coverage on HBO Max and radio on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
No Cup race today. Iowa is next on August 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.
There is no live NASCAR Cup Series race today, Sunday, August 2, 2026. The series is on an off weekend after Corey Heim won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis on July 26. The next Cup race is the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, August 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. NASCAR lists in-car coverage on HBO Max, with MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio carrying audio.
The Iowa weekend begins Friday with the ARCA Menards Series, continues Saturday with the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Cup practice and qualifying, and concludes Sunday with the 350-lap Cup race. The TNT Sports summer window is now complete; Iowa opens the final 14-race USA Sports portion of the season.
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Quick answer: what channel is the NASCAR race on today?
There is no Cup race on Sunday, August 2. The next race is the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, August 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. NASCAR lists in-car coverage on HBO Max, plus MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Cup practice and qualifying air Saturday on truTV.
NASCAR TV Schedule Today — Sunday, August 2, 2026
The Cup Series is not racing today. The most useful television information is therefore the next live weekend at Iowa Speedway. Cup practice and qualifying are Saturday afternoon, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races Saturday at 5 p.m. ET, and the Cup race is Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
| Date | Series / Program | Track | Channel / Stream | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 2 | NASCAR Cup Series | Off weekend | No live Cup telecast | The series returns at Iowa on August 9. |
| Aug. 7 | JR&CO 150 — ARCA Menards Series | Iowa Speedway | FOX Sports coverage | Friday race at 7 p.m. ET. |
| Aug. 8 | Hy-Vee Perks 250 — O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | Iowa Speedway | The CW | Saturday race at 5 p.m. ET. |
| Aug. 9 | Iowa Corn 350 — Cup Series | Iowa Speedway | USA Network / HBO Max | Sunday race at 3:30 p.m. ET. |
The latest completed Cup race was the Brickyard 400 on July 26, won by Corey Heim. Christopher Bell finished second and Joey Logano third. Iowa starts the USA Sports broadcast window and the final four regular-season races before The Chase.
Full NASCAR Iowa Weekend TV Schedule
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Open USA Network or your live-TV service before the published 3:30 p.m. ET start. The actual green flag follows pre-race ceremonies and can move because of weather or operational delays. MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio are useful backups.
How NASCAR TV Coverage Works After the TNT Window
The five-race TNT Sports portion ended with the Brickyard 400. USA Sports now carries the final 14 Cup races, beginning at Iowa. Most of those events air on USA Network, while Daytona, Talladega, Martinsville and the Homestead-Miami championship air on NBC.
USA Network
The primary channel for Iowa and most remaining 2026 Cup races, including much of The Chase.
NBC
Carries selected marquee events, including Daytona, Talladega, Martinsville and the championship at Homestead-Miami.
HBO Max
NASCAR lists in-car coverage for the Iowa Cup race. Availability and presentation can differ from the main USA Network telecast.
Peacock
Relevant for eligible NBC events and supporting USA Sports coverage later in the season.
The CW / CW App
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races on The CW, with Iowa practice and qualifying streamed through the CW platform.
FOX Sports / MRN
FOX Sports carries ARCA coverage, while MRN and SiriusXM provide radio for Iowa’s national-series events.
For weekly updates, use the how to watch NASCAR guide, the NASCAR channel-today tracker, and the race start-time guide.
How to Stream the Iowa NASCAR Weekend Without Cable
A live-TV streaming service carrying USA Network is the most direct way to watch the main Iowa Cup broadcast without cable. NASCAR also lists in-car coverage on HBO Max. The O’Reilly race is available through The CW, and its practice and qualifying sessions stream through the CW platform.
- Cup race Sunday: use USA Network through a supported live-TV service.
- In-car option: use HBO Max for the Iowa Cup race coverage listed by NASCAR.
- Cup practice and qualifying: watch truTV Saturday at 2:05 and 3:10 p.m. ET.
- O’Reilly race: watch The CW Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.
- O’Reilly practice and qualifying: use the CW streaming platform.
- Audio backup: use MRN or SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Indianapolis ended the TNT Sports Cup window. The Iowa race is on USA Network, not TNT or truTV. truTV is used for Saturday’s Cup practice and qualifying.
Why Iowa Changes the Way You Watch the Broadcast
Iowa Speedway is a 0.875-mile paved oval with progressive banking. The short lap means leaders encounter traffic quickly, while multiple grooves can develop as rubber builds. Instead of watching only the leader, follow the battle for the preferred lane and notice which cars can move through the center without overheating the right-front tire.
Practice is especially useful at Iowa. Long-run speed, tire falloff and the ability to pass in traffic often matter more than a single fast lap. Qualifying still affects pit selection and early track position, but the 350-lap distance gives teams time to adjust.
Pit-road timing can change the race because a caution during a green-flag cycle may trap cars a lap down. Short-oval restarts also compress the field and reward drivers who can launch without spinning the rear tires. Read how pit stops work, how qualifying works, and how race timing works for more context.
At Iowa, the channel tells you where to watch. Saturday practice shows who has long-run balance, qualifying sets the opening track position, and Sunday traffic reveals which teams can protect their tires for 350 laps.
What Channel Is NASCAR On by Series?
NASCAR Cup Series
The next Cup race is Sunday, August 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. Saturday practice and qualifying are on truTV. NASCAR lists in-car coverage on HBO Max and radio through MRN and SiriusXM.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
The Hy-Vee Perks 250 starts Saturday, August 8 at 5 p.m. ET on The CW. Practice begins at 11:30 a.m. ET and qualifying at 12:35 p.m. ET through the CW streaming platform.
ARCA Menards Series
The JR&CO 150 is Friday, August 7 at 7 p.m. ET at Iowa Speedway, with FOX Sports coverage and MRN/SiriusXM audio listed by NASCAR.
Craftsman Truck Series
The Truck Series is not part of the Iowa national-series weekend. Its next event is at Richmond Raceway on Friday, August 14.
Frequently Asked Questions
The current NASCAR television answer
No Cup race is scheduled for August 2. The Cup Series returns Sunday, August 9 at Iowa Speedway at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, with in-car coverage on HBO Max and radio on MRN and SiriusXM.
Saturday includes Cup practice and qualifying on truTV and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at 5 p.m. ET on The CW.
