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 and NBCSN take 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.
For the second time this season, NASCAR is entering a Saturday-Sunday doubleheader as part of those schedule changes, this time at Michigan International Speedway. The TV channel for both NASCAR races is NBCSN. Saturday's FireKeepers Casino 400 marks NBC/NBCSN's fifth broadcast of the season, as Fox/FS1's slate ended with the July 15 All-Star Race.
MORE: Watch today's NASCAR race live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Saturday's race at Michigan is the 17th race in NASCAR's return on an altered, short-term schedule, and the 21st Cup Series races overall as NASCAR attempts to keep a 36-race slate intact for 2020. The first Michigan race originally was scheduled to run in early June but was rescheduled amid the pandemic and paired with the August Michigan race for a doubleheader.
The start time for Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan is 4 p.m. ET, relatively late in part because NBCSN also will show the Xfinity race at Road America starting at noon ET.
Below is how to watch Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan, including the TV channel and live stream options.
What channel is NASCAR on today?
- Race: FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 8
- TV channel: NBCSN
- Live stream: NBCSports.com | fuboTV (7-day free trial)
- Radio: MRN
NBCSN is the TV channel for both Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan and Sunday's race. Of the 20 NASCAR Cup Series races NBC will broadcast in 2020, 12 were scheduled to be shown on NBCSN with the other eight on NBC's flagship cable network.
As for Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series race on NBCSN, the network has a channel finder feature for viewers to find the TV channel options in their areas.
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.
What time does the NASCAR race start today?
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 8
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
The green flag for Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan 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.
Though NASCAR will have plenty of time to get the race in with the sun not setting in Brooklyn, Mi., until almost 9 p.m. ET, the relatively late start time for an afternoon race is notable because Michigan International Speedway does not have lights.
Saturday's race is scheduled for 156 laps around the two-mile oval for a total of 312 miles.
NASCAR live stream for Michigan race
Anybody who has a cable or satellite subscription can stream Saturday's NASCAR race at Michigan 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 and NBCSN — 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 July 8 released its latest revised Cup Series schedule through August 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 regular season, starting with the races at Darlington the Cup Series ran in its return in May.
| 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 | Bristol (All-Star Race) | 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 |
| Sat., Aug. 8 | Michigan | NBCSN | 4 p.m. ET |
| Sun., Aug. 9 | Michigan | NBCSN | 4:30 p.m. ET |
| Sun., Aug. 16 | Daytona (road course) | NBC | 3 p.m. ET |
| Sat., Aug. 22 | Dover | NBCSN | 4 p.m. ET |
| Sun. Aug. 23 | Dover | NBCSN | 4 p.m. ET |
| Sat., Aug. 29 | Daytona | NBC | 7:30 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 closed its coverage this season with the All-Star Race at Bristol on July 15.
The previously postponed races at Dover and Michigan are now part of Saturday-Sunday doubleheaders at those respective tracks in August.
Because New York requires people to quarantine for 14 days after traveling from one of the states impacted heavily by COVID-19 (including North Carolina), the Watkins Glen race on Aug. 16 was moved to the Daytona road course. According to The Athletic, NASCAR tried to get a quarantine waiver for its Watkins Glen races but was denied by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office.
The Aug. 16 race will be the NASCAR Cup Series' first on the road course at Daytona.