For the first time since it was added to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2022, World Wide Technology Raceway is scheduled to host a playoff race rather than a regular season race this Sunday afternoon.
Sunday's 240-lap Enjoy Illinois 300 around the four-turn, 1.25-mile (2.012-kilometer) Madison, Illinois oval, which had traditionally been held in June, is the middle race of the opening round of 16 of the playoffs, sandwiched between traditional playoff races at Darlington Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
Just like the race at Darlington, and just like the upcoming race at Bristol, Sunday's Gateway race will not be shown live on NBC.
Gateway playoff race not being shown on NBC
NBC's portion of the 2025 Cup Series broadcast schedule, which was reduced from 20 races to 14 as a result of the introduction of new broadcast partners Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports in NASCAR's new seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal, got underway in early August at Iowa Speedway.
But the first three races at Iowa, Watkins Glen International, and Richmond Raceway were shown live on USA Network, rather than NBC. USA Network is in its fourth year as the alternate channel during NBC's portion of the schedule after replacing NBC Sports Network following NBC Sports Network's post-2021 shutdown.
The regular season concluded with a race at Daytona International Speedway, and that race was actually shown live on NBC. But it was the final race on NBC for roughly two months.
Under the previous media rights agreement, the 20 races during NBC's part of the schedule were split up evenly, with 10 on NBC and 10 on USA Network. But while USA is still responsible for 10, NBC is now only responsible for four.
The first seven races of the playoffs are all on USA Network's schedule, with NBC not set to air another race until the middle race of the round of 8 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 19.
NBC is then set to broadcast the round of 8 finale from Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, October 26 as well as the Championship 4 title decider from Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, November 2.
Irrespective of whether a race is shown on NBC or USA Network, the broadcast booth trio remains the same. Leigh Diffey is in his second season (first full season after replacing Rick Allen in late August 2024) as the lead announcer, alongside analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte, who are both in their 11th seasons with the team.
Tune in to USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, September 7 for the live broadcast of the Enjoy Illinois 300 from World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. If you have not yet had a chance to start a free trial of FuboTV, do so now and don't miss it!