For the sixth time in the span of just three weeks, those seeking the start time for a NASCAR Cup Series race are doing so in order to catch real, live action rather than a virtual competition. Both the start time and the date for this year's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway are later than originally scheduled.
Due to the same coronavirus pandemic-related issues that shut down live sports in March, NASCAR created a modified schedule of races for May and June that continues today at 3 p.m. ET at the 1.5-mile oval in Hampton, Ga. Like all races currently on the schedule, Sunday's race at Atlanta will run without fans in the stands and with a limited number of team and NASCAR personnel allowed to attend.
The start time for Sunday's race at Atlanta, 3 p.m. ET, is later than NASCAR's original time (2 p.m. ET) for its Cup race at the track, but the distance remains the same — 325 laps and 500.5 miles with stage lengths of 105, 105 and 115 laps.
Below is all you need to know about the schedule for Sunday's race at Atlanta and beyond.
MORE: Watch today's NASCAR race live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
What time does the NASCAR race start today?
- Race: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway
- Date: Sunday, June 7
- Start time: 3 p.m. ET
The 3 p.m. ET start time for Sunday's race at Atlanta is the first such start time on NASCAR's modified Cup Series schedule for 2020. The series' race at Talladega on June 21 also is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET, as is the July 19 race at Texas and the Aug. 2 race at New Hampshire.
The other day races on NASCAR's confirmed short-term schedule will start at 2:30 p.m. ET, 3:30 p.m. ET or 4 p.m. ET.
What channel is NASCAR on today?
- TV channel: Fox
- Live stream: Fox Sports Go | fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Including Sunday's race at Atlanta, Fox (and FS1) will broadcast eight more Cup Series races, including the July 15 All-Star Race, before NBC takes over to broadcast its half of the schedule.
Below are the top 40 TV markets in the Unites States and the local Fox affiliate for each.
| Market | Fox affiliate (digital/virtual channel) |
| New York | WNYW (5) |
| Los Angeles | KTTV (11) |
| Chicago | WFLD (32) |
| Philadelphia | WTXF-TV (29) |
| Dallas-Ft. Worth | KDFW (4) |
| San Francisco/Bay area | KTVU (2) |
| Washington D.C. | WTTG (5) |
| Houston | KRIV (26) |
| Boston | WFXT (25) |
| Atlanta | WAGA-TV (5) |
| Phoenix | KSAZ-TV 10 |
| Tampa/St. Petersburg | WTVT (13) |
| Seattle | KCPQ (13) |
| Detroit | WJBK (2) |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | KMSP-TV (9) |
| Miami | WSVN (7) |
| Denver | KDVR (31) |
| Orlando | WOFL (35) |
| Cleveland | WJW-TV (8) |
| Sacramento | (KTXL 40) |
| Charlotte | WJZY (46) |
| Portland | KPTV (12) |
| St. Louis | KTVI (2) |
| Pittsburgh | WPGH-TV (53) |
| Baltimore | WBFF (45) |
| Raleigh-Durham | WRAZ (50) |
| Nashville | WZTV (17) |
| San Diego | KSWB-TV (69) |
| Salt Lake City | KSTU (13) |
| San Antonio | KABB (29) |
| Kansas City | WDAF-TV (4) |
| Columbus | WTTE (28) |
| Milwaukee | WITI (6) |
| Cincinnati | WXIX-TV (19) |
| Las Vegas | KVVU-TV (5) |
| Jacksonville | WFOX-TV (30) |
| Oklahoma City | KOKH-TV (25) |
| New Orleans | WVUE-DT (8) |
| Memphis | WHBQ-TV (13) |
| Buffalo | WUTV (29) |
As is the case for all the Cup Series races on Fox and FS1 this season, Mike Joy and Jeff Gordon will call Sunday's race at Atlanta. Until further notice, they will do so remotely from the Fox studio rather than the booth at the track.
NASCAR live stream for Charlotte race
Anybody who has a cable or satellite subscription can stream Sunday's race at Atlanta live via Fox Sports Go. 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 major OTT TV streaming options that carry Fox — 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. According to Fox Sports, 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 (Charlotte) | FS1 | 7 p.m. ET (open) | 8:30 p.m. ET (race) |
| 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 remains as previously scheduled for the final weekend of June, with the Cup Series racing on back-to-back days. Those races now will be presented on Fox (and FS1) rather than on NBC. Fox's will close its coverage this season with the All-Star race at Charlotte 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.