NASCAR: Darlington playoff race not being broadcast on NBC

The opening race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at Darlington Raceway is the first of four playoff races set to be shown live on USA Network as opposed to NBC.

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are scheduled to get underway this weekend with Sunday evening’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Last weekend’s regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway marked the halfway point of NBC’s portion of this year’s broadcast schedule.

NBC took over from Fox with 10 races remaining on the 26-race regular season schedule, and it is responsible for all 10 playoff races as well.

But not all of NBC’s NASCAR Cup Series races are actually on regular NBC.

Six of the final 10 regular season races were shown live on USA Network, which is the NBCUniversal-owned alternative broadcast network during NBC’s portion of the broadcast schedule. USA Network took over from NBC Sports Network when the latter shut down at the end of 2021.

Just four of the 10 playoff races are set for USA Network as opposed to NBC, but those four races are the first four, starting with Sunday afternoon’s race at the “Track Too Tough to Tame”. The season’s final six races are all set to air live on NBC.

The other three races on USA Network’s schedule for 2023 include the next round of 16 race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, September 9; the round of 16 finale at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 16; and the round of 12 opener at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 24.

Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones is the reigning winner of the Cook Out Southern 500, having won it last year to open up the playoffs, despite the fact that he was not one of the 16 playoff drivers.

Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron is the most recent winner at the four-turn, 1.366-mile (2.198-kilometer) oval in Darlington, South Carolina, having won a chaotic race at the track back in May.

FanDuel Sportsbook, which is giving fans an instant $200 for signing up and betting $5, lists Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson as co-favorites to win Sunday night’s 367-lap race.

Odds and availability are subject to change. Lock in your $200 now!

Darlington Raceway is set to host the Cook Out Southern 500 this Sunday, September 3. USA Network is scheduled to broadcast the race live beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET. Start a free trial of FuboTV today and be sure not to miss it!