One week after the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season unofficially got underway with the postponed Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, the season is truly set to get started this evening at Daytona International Speedway.
The single-car qualifying session at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval is set to determine the front row for Sunday's 200-lap Daytona 500, and it is set to determine the full starting lineups for Thursday night's two 60-lap America 250 Florida Duel qualifying races.
Wednesday night's qualifying session will not be shown live on Fox.
Daytona 500 qualifying not being shown live on Fox
Fox's season-opening portion of the broadcast schedule, which was reduced from 18 races (16 points races) to 14 (12) ahead of the 2025 season as a result of NASCAR's new seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal, is split up between Fox and Fox Sports 1.
While the first three (four including the Clash) races of the year are on Fox, Daytona 500 qualifying is set to be shown live on Fox Sports 1 instead.
Tomorrow's Duel races are also set to be shown live on Fox Sports 1 ahead of Sunday's 68th running of the "Great American Race", which is indeed set to be shown live on Fox.
It is worth noting that whether a race is shown live on Fox or Fox Sports 1, the broadcast booth remains the same. Mike Joy is the lead announcer for the 26th consecutive season, and he is once again joined by analyst Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick, who arrived with the network in 2021 and 2024, respectively.
Tune in Fox Sports 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET for the live broadcast of the Daytona 500 single-car qualifying session. Start a free trial of FuboTV and catch all of the action from the "World Center of Racing"!