NASCAR heads back to one of its biggest stages this weekend, and there is plenty on the schedule before Saturday night’s main event at Daytona International Speedway.
The NASCAR Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will both be in action at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, with qualifying beginning Friday afternoon before the weekend culminates with the Cup Series’ Coke Zero Sugar 400 under the lights Saturday night.
For fans trying to keep track of when NASCAR is on, where to watch and when the green flag is scheduled to fall, here is the complete Daytona weekend schedule for Friday, Aug. 28, and Saturday, Aug. 29.
NASCAR Schedule for Friday, Aug. 28
Friday’s schedule begins with qualifying for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series before the Cup Series takes the track to set the starting lineup for Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series then takes center stage Friday night for the Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola.
- 3 p.m. ET: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying
TV/Streaming: ESPN - 5 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
TV: truTV
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM - 7:30 p.m. ET: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola
TV/Streaming: The CW, ESPN
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM
There are no Cup Series practice sessions scheduled at Daytona. That puts even more importance on Friday’s qualifying session, which will establish the starting lineup for one of NASCAR’s most unpredictable races of the season.
NASCAR Schedule for Saturday, Aug. 29
Saturday is all about the Cup Series.
After Friday’s qualifying session sets the field, NASCAR’s premier series returns Saturday night for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
- 7:30 p.m. ET: NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400
TV: NBC
Streaming: HBO Max
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM
The 400-mile race is scheduled for 160 laps around Daytona’s 2.5-mile superspeedway.
With no Cup practice and only qualifying separating teams from Saturday night’s green flag, drivers will have little opportunity to learn much on track before being thrown directly into race conditions.
What Time Is the NASCAR Cup Race at Daytona?
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Daytona International Speedway.
NBC will carry the television broadcast, with HBO Max also listed as a viewing option. MRN and SiriusXM will provide radio coverage.
Daytona’s summer race annually brings the possibility of pack racing, drafting battles and multi-car incidents, making it one of the most unpredictable stops on the NASCAR schedule.
Before any of that begins, however, the starting order has to be decided.
Cup Series qualifying is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET Friday, giving fans their first look at where the field will line up for Saturday night’s race.
NASCAR Daytona Weekend Schedule: Race Times, TV Channels, Qualifying