Daniel Suarez (96), Clint Bowyer (14) and Alex Bowman race three-wide during Saturday's Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (HHP/Harold Hinson photo)
A number of drivers and cars will see big changes in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021. (HHP/Harold Hinson photo)

NASCAR Sets National Series Start Times

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR, in collaboration with FOX Sports and NBC Sports, has announced race start times and networks for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series seasons.

Twenty-three total races will air on FOX and NBC this year, a two-race increase over 2020. Eleven of those will air on FOX, including the first seven NASCAR Cup Series races of the season beginning with the DAYTONA 500 (Sunday, Feb. 14, 2:30 p.m. ET). The first premier series race on dirt since 1970 will also air live on FOX when the Cup Series rolls into Bristol Motor Speedway (Sunday, March 28, 3:30 p.m. ET).

Another 12 races will air on NBC, including the debut of the NASCAR Cup Series at Road America (Sunday, July 4, 2:30 p.m. ET). The NASCAR Cup Series Championship from Phoenix Raceway (Sunday, Nov. 7, 3 p.m. ET) highlights five NASCAR Cup Series playoff races airing on NBC.

Five NASCAR Xfinity Series tilts will air live on broadcast television in 2021, highlighted by the series’ first visit of the season to Talladega Superspeedway (Saturday, Apr. 24, 4 p.m. ET, FOX) and three consecutive playoff races: the Charlotte Roval (Saturday, Oct. 9, 3 p.m. ET, NBC), Texas Motor Speedway (Saturday, Oct. 16, 3 p.m. ET, NBC) and Kansas Speedway (Saturday, Oct. 23, 3 p.m. ET, NBC).

Martinsville Speedway will host a pair of primetime events in the spring with both the NASCAR Xfinity Series (Apr. 9, 8 p.m. ET, FS1) and NASCAR Cup Series (Apr. 10, 7:30 p.m. ET, FS1) taking the green flag under the lights on consecutive evenings.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be primetime viewing 13 times in 2021, highlighted by the first-ever NASCAR race on the dirt at Knoxville Raceway on Friday, July 9 (9 p.m. ET, FS1).

Additionally, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series will take part in six Saturday day-night twin bills, including Atlanta Motor Speedway (March 20, 2:30 and 5 p.m. ET, FS1), COTA (May 22, 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET, FS1) and the penultimate playoff races in both series at Martinsville (Oct. 30, 1 p.m. ET on FS1 and 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN, respectively). A Saturday Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series double dip in Texas (June 12, 1 and 4 p.m. ET, FS1) will set the stage for FOX Sports’ NASCAR Cup Series finale, which will be the debut of All-Star festivities under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway (Sunday, June 13, 6 p.m. ET, FS1).

Finally, CNBC will be home to the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International (Saturday, Aug. 7, 4 p.m. ET) as NBC Sports wraps up its coverage of the 2021 Olympics.

Complete times and network schedules for all three national series are below. All times eastern and schedule subject to change.

2021 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule (TV/Race Start Times)

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2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Schedule (TV/Race Start Times)

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2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule (TV/Race Start Times)

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