The NASCAR Cup Series underwent something of a facelift during its summer break. NASCAR's premier competition will return to action Sunday with the Ally 400, but when it does, it will be seen on a different family of networks.
After an entertaining opening 16 races on Fox channels, the Cup Series schedule will rotate between NBC and USA Network for the remainder of the year.
Fox has plenty of broadcast talent, with Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer and a rotating cast of guest analysts delivering numerous quotables over the course of its run.
NBC isn't lacking in on-screen ability, either. Rick Allen, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton will provide the soundtrack for the remaining regular-season races and all 10 playoff races.
MORE: Watch the Ally 400 live with Fubo (free trial)
So, why NBC? The Sporting News details the switch:
Why NASCAR is on NBC instead of Fox
Money talks, and with two major broadcast corporations willing to spend it to secure broadcast rights, why shouldn't NASCAR get a slice from both?
NASCAR signed a 10-year, $8.8 billion agreement with Fox and NBC in 2015 to share the rights. That has proved profitable for both networks: Fox gets the Daytona 500, the crown jewel of NASCAR's calendar, while NBC airs more races and gets the season-deciding playoff race. A win-win, in every sense of the word.
The reason for the split in programming is a simple one: the NFL's shadow looms large over every American sport, none more than NASCAR, which from September to November shares its Sundays with the country's most popular pastime.
MORE: Starting order, pole for Ally 400 based on qualifying results
Fox airs NFL games throughout day on Sundays. NBC broadcasts just one game per week: "Sunday Night Football."
By turning to NBC to air races as the Cup Series approaches the solar eclipse that is the NFL regular season, all three entities — Fox, NBC and NASCAR — win.
If everybody wins, everybody eats. NASCAR's contract with the networks runs out in 2024. But if last year's numbers are any indication — last year's Cup Series slate averaged 3.06 million viewers per race, per The Athletic's Bill Shea — there will plenty of interest from all parties to thrash out an agreement sooner rather than later.
What channel is the NASCAR race on today?
- TV channel: NBC (U.S.) | TSN5 (Canada)
- Live stream: Peacock, Fubo
The Ally 400 will be broadcast on NBC in the United States. Canadian viewers can follow the action on TSN5.
Sunday's race represents the first one to be aired away from Fox's family of networks this season. NBC will handle the coverage for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.
Veteran broadcaster Rick Allen will lead NBC's coverage, serving as the race's lap-by-lap announcer. He'll be joined in the booth by Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte.
Fans can stream the race online via Peacock or Fubo, which offers a free trial.
NASCAR start time today
- Date: Sunday, June 25
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET
Sunday's race has a 7 p.m. ET listed start time, but pre-race activities are expected to push the waving of the green flag back to 7:22 p.m. ET.
NASCAR schedule 2023: Regular-season races
(All times Eastern)
| Date | Race (winner) | Track | Time | TV | Radio |
| Feb. 19 | Daytona 500 (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.) | Daytona International Speedway | |||
| Feb. 26 | Pala Casino 400 (Kyle Busch) | Auto Club Speedway | |||
| March 5 |
Pennzoil 400 (William Byron) |
Las Vegas Motor Speedway | |||
| March 12 | United Rentals Work United 500 (William Byron) | Phoenix Raceway | |||
| March 19 | Ambetter Health 400 (Joey Logano) | Atlanta Motor Speedway | |||
| March 26 | EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Tyler Reddick) | Circuit of the Americas | |||
| April 2 | Toyota Owners 400 (Kyle Larson) | Richmond Raceway | |||
| April 9 | Food City Dirt Race (Christopher Bell) | Bristol Motor Speedway | |||
| April 16 | NOCO 400 (Kyle Larson) | Martinsville Speedway | |||
| April 23 | GEICO 500 (Kyle Busch) | Talladega Superspeedway | |||
| May 1 | Wurth 400 (Martin Truex Jr.) | Dover Motor Speedway | |||
| May 7 | AdventHealth 400 (Denny Hamlin) | Kansas Speedway | |||
| May 14 | Goodyear 400 (William Byron) | Darlington Raceway | |||
| May 21 | NASCAR All-Star Open (Josh Berry) | North Wilkesboro Speedway | |||
| May 21 | NASCAR All-Star Race (Kyle Larson) | North Wilkesboro Speedway | |||
| May 28 | Coca-Cola 600 (Ryan Blaney) | Charlotte Motor Speedway | |||
| June 4 | Enjoy Illinois 300 (Kyle Busch) | World Wide Technology Raceway | |||
| June 11 | Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Martin Truex Jr.) | Sonoma Raceway | |||
| June 25 | Ally 400 | Nashville Superspeedway | 7 p.m. | NBC | PRN |
| July 2 | NASCAR Cup Series Race at Chicago | Chicago Street Course | 5:30 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
| July 9 | Quaker State 400 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | 7 p.m. | USA | PRN |
| July 16 | Crayon 301 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | 2:30 p.m. | USA | PRN |
| July 23 | M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 | Pocono Raceway | 2:30 p.m. | USA | MRN |
| July 30 | NASCAR Cup Series Race at Richmond | Richmond Raceway | 3 p.m. | USA | MRN |
| Aug. 6 | FireKeepers Casino 400 | Michigan International Speedway | 2:30 p.m. | USA | MRN |
| Aug. 13 | Verizon 200 at the Brickyard | Speedway Road Course | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | IMS |
| Aug. 20 | Go Bowling at the Glen | Watkins Glen International | 3 p.m. | USA | MRN |
| Aug. 26 | Coke Zero Sugar 400 | Daytona International Speedway | 7 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
NASCAR schedule 2023: Playoff races
(All times Eastern)
| Date | Race | Track | Time | TV | Radio |
| Sept. 3 | Southern 500 | Darlington Raceway | 6 p.m. | USA | MRN |
| Sept. 10 | Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas Speedway | 3 p.m. | USA | MRN |
| Sept. 16 | Bass Pro Shops Night Race | Bristol Motor Speedway | 7:30 p.m. | USA | PRN |
| Sept. 24 | AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 | Texas Motor Speedway | 3:30 p.m. | USA | PRN |
| Oct. 1 | YellaWood 500 | Talladega Superspeedway | 2 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
| Oct. 8 | Bank of America Roval 400 | Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval | 2 p.m. | NBC | PRN |
| Oct. 15 | South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | PRN |
| Oct. 22 | NASCAR Cup Series Race at Homestead-Miami | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
| Oct. 30 | Xfinity 500 | Martinsville Speedway | 2 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
| Nov. 6 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship | Phoenix Raceway | 3 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
Fans in Canada can watch all NASCAR races on TSN.