NBC Sports Group’s 20-week Sprint Cup schedule is highlighted by seven races on NBC, 12 races on NBCSN, and one race on USA Network during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
NASCAR announced the start times and TV networks for the upcoming Sprint Cup schedule. Fox will air 11 points races with six points races on Fox Sports 1.
NBC’s portion of the schedule begins in July. Races on NBC will be Daytona, the Southern 500 at Darlington, and Chase races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and the season finale in Miami.
NBCSN races will be New Hampshire, Kentucky, Indianapolis, Pocono, Bristol, Michigan, Richmond and Chase races at Chicagoland Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway.
The race at Watkins Glen, held during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games that NBC Sports Group will broadcast, will be on USA Network.
Eight races will have earlier start times than a year ago. Races in the second half of the season at Indianapolis, Michigan, Chicagoland, Dover, Talladega and Homestead will start 30 minutes earlier this year. The Southern 500 will start an hour earlier than last year, and Martinsville’s fall race will start 15 minutes earlier than last year.
Two races will start later this year than a year ago. Watkins Glen and the Bristol night race each will start 30 minutes later.
NBC’s coverage will again include Rick Allen as lead announcer with Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton in the booth. Krista Voda returns to host pre- and post-race coverage alongside NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett and analyst Kyle Petty. Pit road will again feature Marty Snider, Mike Massaro, Kelli Stavast and Dave Burns. NASCAR Talk‘s Nate Ryan will provide news and Rutledge Wood also is back to do features.
Here’s the 2016 Sprint Cup schedule with starting times and TV networks:
(All Times Eastern)
Feb. 13 – Sprint Unlimited (Daytona International Speedway) … 8 p.m. … Fox
Feb. 14 – Daytona 500 qualifying … 1 p.m. … Fox
Feb. 18 – Duel qualifying races at Daytona … 7 p.m. … Fox Sports 1
Feb. 21 — Daytona 500 … 1 p.m. … Fox
Feb. 28 – Atlanta … 1 p.m. … Fox
March 6 — Las Vegas … 3:30 p.m. … Fox
March 13 — Phoenix … 3:30 p.m. … Fox
March 20 — Auto Club Speedway … 3:30 p.m. … Fox
March 27 – Easter (off weekend)
April 3 – Martinsville … 1 p.m. … Fox Sports 1
April 9 – Texas … 7:30 p.m. … Fox
April 17 – Bristol … 1 p.m. … Fox
April 24 – Richmond … 1 p.m. … Fox
May 1- Talladega … 1 p.m. … Fox
May 7 – Kansas … 7:30 p.m. .. Fox Sports 1
May 15 – Dover … 1 p.m. … Fox Sports 1
May 20 – Sprint Showdown at Charlotte … 7 p.m. … Fox Sports 1
May 21 – Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte … 7 p.m. … Fox Sports 1
May 29 – Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte … 6 p.m. … Fox
June 5 – Pocono … 1 p.m. … Fox Sports 1
June 12 – Michigan … 1 p.m. … Fox Sports 1
June 19 – Father’s Day (off weekend)
June 26 – Sonoma … 3 p.m. … Fox Sports 1
July 2 — Daytona … 7:45 p.m. … NBC
July 9 – Kentucky … 7:30 p.m. … NBCSN
July 17 – New Hampshire … 1:30 p.m. … NBCSN
July 24 – Indianapolis … 3 p.m. … NBCSN
July 31 – Pocono … 1:30 p.m. … NBCSN
Aug. 7 – Watkins Glen … 2:30 p.m. … USA Network
Aug. 14 – Off weekend
Aug. 20 – Bristol … 8 p.m. … NBCSN
Aug. 28 – Michigan … 2 p.m. … NBCSN
Sept. 4 – Darlington … 6 p.m. … NBC
Sept. 10 – Richmond … 7:30 p.m. … NBCSN
Sept. 18 – Chicagoland (first race in Chase) … 2:30 p.m. … NBCSN
Sept. 25 – New Hampshire … 2 p.m. … NBCSN
Oct. 2 – Dover … 2 p.m. … NBCSN
Oct. 8 – Charlotte … 7 p.m. … NBC
Oct.16 – Kansas … 2:15 p.m. … NBC
Oct. 23 – Talladega … 2 p.m. … NBCSN
Oct. 30 – Martinsville … 1 p.m. … NBCSN
Nov. 6 – Texas … 2 p.m. … NBC
Nov. 13 – Phoenix … 2:30 p.m. … NBC
Nov. 20 – Homestead … 2:30 p.m. … NBC