NASCAR Today? Next Race Time + Full 2026 Schedule!
NASCAR 2026: Mid-Season Break, Next Race, and Complete Schedule
Article based on NASCAR update from August 2, 2026.
Why Is NASCAR Off This Weekend?
Think of NASCAR like a long school year. Right now, it’s summer break!
- All three major NASCAR series (Cup, Xfinity, and Trucks) have this weekend off (August 2).
- It’s the last breather before the final push of the regular season.
- After this break, the Cup Series will race 14 weekends in a row—all the way to the championship in November.
Important: The "regular season" is the first part of the year where drivers earn points to make the playoffs. The playoffs (called "The Chase") start next month.
When Is the Next Cup Series Race?
Mark your calendar!
Next Race: Iowa Corn 350
Where: Iowa Speedway
When: Saturday, August 9 at 2:30 p.m. Central Time
TV: USA Network (this is the first Cup race on USA this year)
What About the Other Series?
| Series | Next Race | Track | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cup Series | Iowa Corn 350 | Iowa Speedway | Aug. 9 |
| Xfinity Series (O’Reilly Auto Parts Series) | Same weekend | Iowa Speedway | Aug. 9 |
| Truck Series | Richmond Raceway | Richmond, VA | Aug. 23 (two weeks later) |
How to Watch: TV Channel Changes
Big news for TV viewers!
- USA Network will broadcast 10 of the last 14 Cup races.
- NBC will show:
- The Daytona regular-season finale (Aug. 29)
- The final three playoff (Chase) races (Oct. 25, Nov. 1, Nov. 8)
Important: If you’ve been watching on Fox or FS1 earlier this year, switch to USA Network for most remaining races.
Who Won the Last Race?
Corey Heim won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis on July 26.
- It was his second win of 2026.
- He took the lead on the final restart while battling Denny Hamlin.
- He held off Christopher Bell and Joey Logano to win.
Fun Fact: Heim is a rising star—this win makes him a serious playoff contender!
The Full 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule
All times Central. Bold = upcoming races. Italics = completed races.
| Date | Race | Track | Winner / Time / TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 4 | Cook Out Clash (non-points) | Bowman Gray Stadium | Ryan Preece |
| Feb. 12 | Duels at Daytona (qualifying) | Daytona International Speedway | Joey Logano & Chase Elliott |
| Feb. 15 | Daytona 500 | Daytona International Speedway | Tyler Reddick |
| Feb. 22 | Autotrader 400 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Tyler Reddick |
| Mar. 1 | DuraMax Grand Prix | Circuit of the Americas | Tyler Reddick |
| Mar. 8 | Straight Talk Wireless 500 | Phoenix Raceway | Ryan Blaney |
| Mar. 15 | Pennzoil 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Denny Hamlin |
| Mar. 22 | Goodyear 400 | Darlington Raceway | Tyler Reddick |
| Mar. 29 | Cook Out 400 | Martinsville Speedway | Chase Elliott |
| Apr. 5 | OPEN WEEKEND | — | — |
| Apr. 12 | Food City 500 | Bristol Motor Speedway | Ty Gibbs |
| Apr. 19 | AdventHealth 400 | Kansas Speedway | Tyler Reddick |
| Apr. 26 | Jack Link’s 500 | Talladega Superspeedway | Carson Hocevar |
| May 3 | Würth 400 | Texas Motor Speedway | Chase Elliott |
| May 10 | Go Bowling at The Glen | Watkins Glen International | Shane van Gisbergen |
| May 17 | NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points) | Dover Motor Speedway | Denny Hamlin |
| May 24 | Coca-Cola 600 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | Daniel Suárez |
| May 31 | Cracker Barrel 400 | Nashville Superspeedway | Denny Hamlin |
| Jun. 7 | FireKeepers Casino 400 | Michigan International Speedway | Denny Hamlin |
| Jun. 14 | Great American Getaway 400 | Pocono Raceway | Denny Hamlin |
| Jun. 21 | Anduril 250 | Naval Base Coronado (San Diego) | Corey Heim |
| Jun. 28 | Toyota/Save Mart 350 | Sonoma Raceway | Shane van Gisbergen |
| Jul. 5 | eero 400 | Chicagoland Speedway | Chase Briscoe |
| Jul. 12 | Quaker State 400 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Ryan Blaney |
| Jul. 19 | Window World 450 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Joey Logano |
| Jul. 26 | Brickyard 400 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Corey Heim |
| Aug. 2 | OPEN WEEKEND | — | — |
| Aug. 9 | Iowa Corn 350 | Iowa Speedway | 2:30 p.m., USA Network |
| Aug. 15 | Cook Out 400 | Richmond Raceway | 6:00 p.m., USA Network |
| Aug. 23 | Dollar Tree 301 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | 2:00 p.m., USA Network |
| Aug. 29 | Coke Zero Sugar 400 | Daytona International Speedway | 6:30 p.m., NBC |
| Sep. 6 | Southern 500 | Darlington Raceway | 4:00 p.m., USA Network |
| Sep. 13 | Enjoy Illinois 300 | World Wide Technology Raceway | 2:00 p.m., USA Network |
| Sep. 19 | Bass Pro Shops Night Race | Bristol Motor Speedway | 6:30 p.m., USA Network |
| Sep. 27 | Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas Speedway | 2:00 p.m., USA Network |
| Oct. 4 | South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 4:30 p.m., USA Network |
| Oct. 11 | Bank of America 400 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | 2:00 p.m., USA Network |
| Oct. 18 | Freeway Insurance 500 | Phoenix Raceway | 2:00 p.m., USA Network |
| Oct. 25 | YellaWood 500 | Talladega Superspeedway | 1:00 p.m., NBC |
| Nov. 1 | Xfinity 500 | Martinsville Speedway | 1:00 p.m., NBC |
| Nov. 8 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 2:00 p.m., NBC |
Important Points to Remember
- Break Week: No races this weekend (Aug. 2).
- 14 Straight Weekends: Cup Series races every weekend from Aug. 9 to Nov. 8.
- Regular Season Ends: After Aug. 29 (Daytona), the playoffs (Chase) begin Sep. 6.
- TV Home: USA Network for most races; NBC for Daytona finale + final 3 playoff races.
- Four Regular-Season Races Left: All in August (Iowa, Richmond, New Hampshire, Daytona).
Summary
NASCAR is on a one-weekend pause before a non-stop 14-week sprint to the championship. The next Cup race is the Iowa Corn 350 on August 9 at 2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network. Corey Heim won the last race (Brickyard 400) and is building playoff momentum. The regular season has four races left, then the 10-race playoffs (Chase) kick off at Darlington on September 6. Most races will air on USA Network, with NBC handling the big finale events.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why is there no NASCAR race this weekend (August 2)?
It’s a scheduled off-weekend—the last break before the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.
2. When do the NASCAR playoffs (The Chase) start?
The playoffs begin September 6 with the Southern 500 at Darlington. Only drivers who qualify (via wins or points) compete for the championship over the last 10 races.
3. What TV channels will show the remaining 2026 Cup races?
- USA Network: 10 races (Iowa through Phoenix, Oct. 18).
- NBC: 4 races (Daytona Aug. 29, Talladega Oct. 25, Martinsville Nov. 1, Championship Nov. 8).
4. How many races are left in the 2026 regular season?
Four—all in August: Iowa (Aug. 9), Richmond (Aug. 15), New Hampshire (Aug. 23), Daytona (Aug. 29).
5. Who won the most recent Cup race, and why does it matter?
Corey Heim won the Brickyard 400 (July 26). It’s his second win this year, locking him into the playoffs and making him a dark-horse title contender.
