Daytona International Speedway will host the 26th and final race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series regular season this Saturday night, the Coke Zero Sugar 400, with two playoff spots still up for grabs.
For the first time this year, a Cup Series race will be broadcast live on NBC, as the Daytona night race is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET start. The 160-lap shootout around Daytona’s famous 2.5-mile, four-turn oval will cap a season-long reshuffle in broadcast rights.
Under NASCAR’s seven-year, $7.7 billion media deal that began in 2025, NBC’s live Cup coverage shrank from 20 races to 14, with the remaining events shifted to USA Network. The split reflects a broader strategy that also saw Fox reduce its live Cup coverage while expanding streaming and alternate-channel coverage for the sport. In 2024, NBC aired about half of its races on NBC and the other half on USA Network; in 2025, NBC is responsible for just four live broadcasts, while USA handles the rest, including the first seven playoff races.
This weekend’s Daytona race marks the first NBC live telecast of the season. After the Coke Zero Sugar 400, NBC will be off the air for nearly two months on live Cup coverage, with the playoff opener and the ensuing seven races all scheduled on USA Network. NBC is slated to air a live race again for the middle race of the Round of 8 at Talladega on October 19, followed by the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville on October 26 and the Championship 4 decider at Phoenix on November 2.
The broadcast team remains consistent across networks, with Leigh Diffey in the anchor chair and Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte providing color commentary.
Summary: Daytona’s Coca-Cola 400 on Saturday night serves as the final chance to grab playoff spots in the regular season, while NBC’s live Cup coverage shifts to a rare on-network telecast this weekend before the playoffs shift primarily to USA Network. The multi-network strategy underscores NASCAR’s ongoing effort to balance traditional TV with broader streaming access, as fans prepare for what promises to be a tense and high-stakes night at Daytona.
Additional notes and context:
– The same broadcast booth will call the race regardless of whether it’s on NBC or USA Network.
– The outcome at Daytona will influence seedings and momentum heading into the playoff rounds, which will unfold across multiple networks in the early stages before NBC’s later playoff games and the Championship 4 finale.
– A positive takeaway for fans is the clear commitment to continuing NASCAR coverage across platforms, ensuring multiple ways to watch the start of the 2025 playoffs while maintaining continuity in the on-air team.