NASCAR has revealed the confirmed start times for the 2026 seasons of the NASCAR Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts, and Craftsman Truck Series. While the complete schedule will be officially released in August, NASCAR has now disclosed the broadcasting times and networks for the races, with times listed in Eastern Time (ET). The 2026 Cup season will include nine night races that count towards points, featuring the return of Chicagoland Speedway. Most FOX-broadcasted races will air on Fox Sports 1, while the majority of NBC-covered events will be shown on the USA Network.
The NASCAR Cup Series kicks off on February 1st with the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium at 8 pm on FOX, followed by the Duel at Daytona on February 12th at 7 pm on FS1, and the Daytona 500 on February 15th at 2:30 pm on FOX. Races span various tracks including Circuit of the Americas, Phoenix Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Martinsville Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and concludes with Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 8th. Networks include FOX, FS1, Prime, TNT, USA Network, and NBC, with specific start times detailed in the schedule.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series also have their races scheduled with consistent start times and broadcasts primarily on The CW (C.W.) and FS1 respectively, featuring numerous events at major tracks like Daytona, Phoenix, Watkins Glen, and more, detailed in the provided tables.
Fan Take: This announcement is crucial for fans as it provides clarity on when and where to catch their favorite races across all three NASCAR series, enabling better planning for viewing. The return of night races and iconic tracks like Chicagoland brings a renewed excitement and potential for thrilling competition in 2026, signaling a vibrant future for NASCAR.
