The TV channel for a NASCAR race is elusive enough in a normal season when Fox and FS1 trade broadcasts of Cup Series events through the first half of the schedule before NBC takes over for the second half. The schedule shake-up associated with the coronavirus pandemic make the "what channel is today's NASCAR race on" question even more understandable.
Today, for the first time this season, the TV channel for the NASCAR race is NBC. The Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, officially named the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records, is still the debut for NBC's NASCAR broadcasts this season despite the schedule changes brought on by the virus.
MORE: Watch today's NASCAR race live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Sunday's Brickyard 400 is the 12th race in NASCAR's return on an altered, short-term schedule, and the 16th Cup Series races overall as NASCAR attempts to keep a 36-race slate intact for 2020. For now, with remaining doubt about how NASCAR can construct its schedule beyond July given differing restrictions on gatherings of people from state to state, the short-term schedule only includes races through Aug. 2.
Though the date for Sunday's NASCAR race at Indianapolis is the same as originally scheduled, the Brickyard 400 start time has been moved back to 4 p.m. ET (from 3:30 p.m. ET).
Below is how to watch Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis, including the TV channel and live stream options.
What channel is NASCAR on today?
- Race: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Date: Sunday, July 5
- TV channel: NBC
- Live stream: NBCSports.com | fuboTV (7-day free trial)
- Radio: IMS Radio
NBC is the TV channel for Sunday's Brickyard 400 as originally scheduled even though Fox is not finished with its portion of the season. After the Indianapolis race, the next two Cup Series events — Kentucky and Bristol (All-Star Race) will broadcast live on FS1. Then NBC/NBCSN will continue with the rest of the Cup races in 2020.
NBC was able to keep the Brickyard 400 in part because the race is now part of a historic doubleheader with an IndyCar race, which will take place on the IMS road course the day prior and broadcast live on NBC.
Below are the top TV markets in the United States and the NBC affiliate/TV channel for each.
| Market | NBC TV channel (digital) |
| New York | 4 (36) |
| Los Angeles | 4 (36) |
| Chicago | 5 (29) |
| Philadelphia | 10 (34) |
| Dallas-Ft. Worth | 5 (24) |
| San Francisco/Bay area | 11 (12) |
| Washington D.C. | 4 (48) |
| Houston | 2 (35) |
| Boston | 15 (43) |
| Atlanta | 11 (10) |
| Phoenix | 12 (12) |
| Tampa/St. Petersburg | 8 (7) |
| Seattle | 5 (48) |
| Detroit | 4 (45) |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 11 (11) |
| Miami | 6 (31) |
| Denver | 9 (9) |
| Orlando | 2 (11) |
| Cleveland | 3 (17) |
| Sacramento | 3 (35) |
| Charlotte | 36 (22) |
| Portland | 8 (8) |
| St. Louis | 5 (35) |
| Pittsburgh | 11 (23) |
| Baltimore | 11 (11) |
| Raleigh-Durham | 5 (48) |
| Nashville | 4 (10) |
| San Diego | 39 (40) |
| Salt Lake City | 5 (38) |
| San Antonio | 3 (16) |
| Kansas City | 41 (36) |
| Columbus | 4 (14) |
| Milwaukee | 4 (28) |
| Cincinnati | 5 (35) |
| Las Vegas | 3 (22) |
| Jacksonville | 12 (13) |
| Oklahoma City | 4 (27) |
| New Orleans | 6 (43) |
| Memphis | 5 (5) |
| Buffalo | 2 (33) |
As is the case for all the Cup Series races on NBC and NBCSN this season, Rick Allen will call the race with the assistance of analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte. Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe also will provide race analysis.
What time does the NASCAR race start today?
- Date: Sunday, July 5
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
The green flag for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis will wave shortly after 4 p.m. ET, assuming there are no rain delays as there have been so often since NASCAR returned to live racing in May.
Sunday's Brickyard 400 was moved back to 4 p.m. ET rather than 3:30 p.m. ET as originally scheduled. The race is scheduled for 160 laps around the 2.5 mile oval with stage lengths of 50, 50 and 60 laps.
The later start time is notable, because Indianapolis Motor Speedway does not have lights in the event Sunday's race is delayed by weather.
NASCAR live stream for Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis
Anybody who has a cable or satellite subscription can stream Sunday's NASCAR race at Indianapolis live via NBCSports.com or the NBC Sports app. This should be the preferred route for a viewer who has such a subscription but isn't able to get in front of his or her TV.
For those who don't have a cable or satellite subscription, there are five OTT TV streaming options that carry NBC — Sling, Hulu, YouTubeTV, fuboTV and AT&T Now. Of the five, Hulu, YouTubeTV and fuboTV offer free trial options.
Below are links to each.
NASCAR schedule 2020
NASCAR on June 4 released its latest revised Cup Series schedule through July of 2020. It remains committed to running 36 races, four of which were completed before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sports world. NASCAR hopes to keep its 10 playoff races in the fall intact and at their original tracks.
Below is the schedule revision for the Cup Series, starting with the races at Darlington the Cup Series ran in its return last month:
| Date | Track | TV channel | Start time |
| Sun., May 17 | Darlington | FOX | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| Wed., May 20 | Darlington | FS1 | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Sun., May 24 | Charlotte | FOX | 6 p.m. ET |
| Wed., May 27 | Charlotte | FS1 | 8 p.m. ET |
| Sun, May 31 | Bristol | FS1 | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| Sun, June 7 | Atlanta | FOX | 3 p.m. ET |
| Wed, June 10 | Martinsville | FS1 | 7 p.m. ET |
| Sun, June 14 | Homestead-Miami | FOX | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| Sun, June 21 | Talladega | FOX | 3 p.m. ET |
| Sat., June 27 | Pocono | FOX | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| Sun., June 28 | Pocono | FS1 | 4 p.m. ET |
| Sun., July 5 | Indianapolis | NBC | 4 p.m. ET |
| Sun., July 12 | Kentucky | FS1 | 2:30 p.m. ET |
| Wed., July 15 | All-Star Race (Bristol) | FS1 | 8:30 p.m. ET |
| Sun., July 19 | Texas | NBCSN | 3 p.m. ET |
| Thurs., July 23 | Kansas | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Sun., Aug. 2 | New Hampshire | NBCSN | 3 p.m. ET |
The Darlington race on May 17 ran instead of the the Chicagoland race that was originally scheduled for June 21. The Darlington race on May 20 ran instead of the postponed Richmond race that was originally scheduled for April 19. The Charlotte race on May 27 ran instead of the Sonoma race that was originally scheduled for June 14.
The Pocono doubleheader remained as previously scheduled for the final weekend of June, with the Cup Series racing on back-to-back days. Those races were presented on Fox (and FS1) rather than on NBC. Fox's will close its coverage this season with the All-Star race at Bristol on July 15 before NBC takes over, but NBC will still broadcast the Brickyard 400 on July 5.
The Cup Series races still postponed include events at Dover and Michigan. NASCAR's next challenge will be finding dates for those races while it tries to sort out the rest of the 2020 schedule, but doubleheaders at those tracks in August are possible.