How to watch NASCAR race for free today

Denny Hamlin enters the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol with a nine-point lead in the Chase Standings. Find out how to watch for free. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)AP Photo/Derik HamiltonIf you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.By Robert Fenbers, cleveland.comcleveland.com Express DeskBRISTOL, Tenn. -- The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs return to the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway for the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Night Race today. You can watch this postseason race for free on multiple streaming services. How to watch NASCAR for free today What: NASCAR Cup Series playoffs: 2026 Bass Pro Shops Night RaceWhen: Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern (6:30 p.m. Central)Where: Bristol Motor Speedway | Bristol, Tenn. Channel: USA NetworkStreaming options: DIRECTV (free trial and $35 off your first month), FuboTV (free trial and $25 off your first month) and SlingTV How do I watch NASCAR Bristol Bass Pro Shops Night Race for free?This NASCAR Cup Series Chase race will broadcast live on USA Network with the green flag expected at 7:40 p.m. Eastern. You can get free trials from DIRECTV and FuboTV, which also offer steep discounts on your first month. Looking for a different streaming service? Fans can watch this race on SlingTV with Sling Blue or combining the Sling Orange and Blue plan. Here are five storylines to watch for today’s race: 1. Kyle Larson secures pole position amid weather cancellationsKyle Larson earned the pole for the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Night Race via qualifying metrics after lightning forced the cancellation of the scheduled qualifying session. Larson enters the event with significant momentum, coming off a win at Gateway and a history of sweeping stages at Bristol in both 2024 and 2025.2. Denny Hamlin maintains a narrow lead in the Chase standingsDenny Hamlin currently holds a slim nine-point lead over Larson in the postseason standings as the field of 37 drivers prepares for 500 laps of competition. Hamlin will start the race from the third position, positioned directly behind fellow multi-time Bristol winner Joey Logano.3. Bristol’s reputation for chaos and high caution volumeKnown for testing driver tempers, Bristol Motor Speedway saw a staggering 137 caution laps during last year’s iteration of the Night Race. The track’s challenging environment often results in dominant performances, with a single driver sweeping the stages in five of the last six races held at the venue.4. Christopher Bell returns as the defending race winnerDefending champion Christopher Bell, who won the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Night Race, currently sits in third place in the Chase standings, 18 points behind the leader.5. High stakes for playoff contenders at the bottom of the gridSeveral prominent Chase drivers find themselves in a precarious position, including William Byron and Daniel Suarez, who sit more than 100 points behind the leader. With only three current playoff drivers having won multiple times at Bristol, the race presents a critical opportunity for those at the bottom of the standings to avoid falling further behind.How to watch Texas football game todayWhere to watch LSU vs. Ole Miss FREE STREAM | Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford Where to watch NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Bass Pro Shops Night Race FREE STREAM today How to watch Michigan vs. UTEP FREE STREAM today How to watch Ohio State football game for free today Robert Fenbers, who has been a freelance journalist since 2015, is the sports commerce reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Robert focuses on local and national sporting event ticket sales and how...This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.