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What Channel Is the Daytona Race on Tonight

What channel is the Daytona 500 on today? Start time, TV schedule for 2021 NASCAR season opener

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What channel is the NASCAR race on today? What time does the NASCAR race start? Race fans ask those questions every weekend during the NASCAR Cup Series season. During the first half of the 2021 season, the answer will begin with Fox or FS1.

On Sunday, Feb. 14, Fox will air NASCAR's showcase event, the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. The 63rd running of the Great American Race will also be the opening race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

MORE: Follow the latest Daytona 500 weather updates

With track attendance this year limited to around 30,000 because of COVID-19 protocols, being able to watch the race live on television takes on greater importance. Fortunately for fans, there will be multiple ways to do that.

Below is all you need to know to watch the 2021 Daytona 500, including the TV channel, start time and live stream info.

MORE: Watch the Daytona 500 live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

What channel is the Daytona 500 on today?

  • TV channel: Fox (TSN in Canada)
  • Live stream: Fox Sports Go, fuboTV
  • Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Fox will provide flag-to-flag coverage of the 63rd Daytona 500. The network is beginning its 21st season covering the NASCAR Cup Series, and this year's race will be the 18th for Fox Sports.

Below are the 40 largest U.S. television designated market areas, or DMAs, according to Nielsen Global Media, and the Fox affiliate in each market area:

Market Fox affiliate (digital/virtual channel)
New York WNYW (5)
Los Angeles KTTV (11)
Chicago WFLD (32)
Philadelphia WTXF (29)
Dallas-Fort Worth KDFW (4)
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose KTVU (2)
Atlanta WAGA (5)
Houston KRIV (26)
Washington, D.C. WTTG (5)
Boston WFXT (25)
Phoenix KSAZ (10)
Seattle-Tacoma KCPQ (13)
Tampa-St. Petersburg WTVT (13)
Minneapolis-St. Paul KMSP (9)
Detroit WJBK (2)
Denver KDVR (31)
Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne WOFL (35)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale WSVN (7)
Cleveland-Akron WJW (8)
Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto KTXL (40)
Portland, Ore. KPTV (12)
Charlotte WJZY (46)
St. Louis KTVI (2)
Raleigh-Durham WRAZ (50)
Indianapolis WXIN (59)
Pittsburgh WPGH (53)
San Diego KSWB (69)
Baltimore WBFF (45)
Nashville WZTV (17)
Salt Lake City KSTU (13)
San Antonio KABB (29)
Hartford-New Haven WTIC (61)
Columbus, Ohio WTTE (28)
Kansas City WDAF (4)
Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville WHNS (21)
Cincinnati WXIX (19)
Milwaukee WITI (6)
Austin KTBC (7)
West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce WFLX (29)
Las Vegas KVVU (5)

Calling the race will be play-by-announcer Mike Joy and analysts Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer and Larry McReynolds. This will be Joy's 42nd Daytona 500, counting his TV and radio work. Bowyer is in his first season in the Fox booth after retiring from full-time racing last year.

The network will employ three pit reporters: Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Vince Welch.

The "NASCAR RaceDay" prerace show will begin on FS1 at 11 a.m. ET and then move to Fox at 1 p.m. ET. Chris Myers and Shannon Spake will host, while Gordon, Bowyer, McReynolds, Michael Waltrip, Bobby Labonte and Tom Rinaldi will provide additional coverage.

MORE: Will rain in forecast disrupt 2021 race?

What time does the Daytona 500 start today?

Start time: 2:30 p.m. ET

NASCAR lists 2:30 as the race's start time, but televised prerace ceremonies will likely push the drop of the green flag back to around 3 p.m. ET.

Daytona 500 live stream

Streaming options for the Daytona 500 abound. AT&T TV, fuboTV, Hulu, Sling, Vidago, TVision and YouTube TV all carry Fox. You can watch the race free on fuboTV if you sign up for a seven-day trial.

Anyone with a cable or satellite subscription can watch Fox's live broadcast of the Daytona 500 via Fox Sports Go.

NASCAR Cup Series 2021 TV schedule

Regular season

Date Race Track Time TV Radio
Feb. 14 Daytona 500 Daytona International Speedway 2:30 p.m. Fox MRN
Feb. 21 O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 at Daytona Daytona Road Course 3 p.m. Fox MRN
Feb. 28 Dixie Vodka 400 Homestead-Miami Speedway 3:30 p.m. Fox MRN
March 7 Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube Las Vegas Motor Speedway 3:30 p.m. Fox PRN
March 14 NASCAR Cup Series Race at Phoenix Phoenix Raceway 3:30 p.m. Fox MRN
March 21 Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 Atlanta Motor Speedway 3 p.m. Fox PRN
March 28 Food City Dirt Race Bristol Motor Speedway 3:30 p.m. Fox PRN
April 10 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 Martinsville Speedway 7:30 p.m. FS1 MRN
April 18 Toyota Owners 400 Richmond Raceway 3 p.m. Fox MRN
April 25 GEICO 500 Talladega Superspeedway 2 p.m. Fox MRN
May 2 NASCAR Cup Series Race at Kansas Kansas Speedway 3 p.m. FS1 MRN
May 9 NASCAR Cup Series Race at Darlington Darlington Raceway 3:30 p.m. FS1 MRN
May 16 Drydene 400 Dover International Speedway 2 p.m. FS1 MRN
May 23 NASCAR Cup Series Race at COTA Circuit of the Americas 2:30 p.m. FS1 PRN
May 30 Coca-Cola 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway 6 p.m. Fox PRN
June 6 Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sonoma Raceway 4 p.m. FS1 PRN
June 13 NASCAR All-Star Open Texas Motor Speedway 6 p.m. FS1 MRN
June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race Texas Motor Speedway 8 p.m. FS1 MRN
June 20 Ally 400 Nashville Superspeedway 3:30 p.m. ET NBCSN MRN
June 26 NASCAR Cup Series Race at Pocono-1 Pocono Raceway 3 p.m. NBCSN MRN
June 27 NASCAR Cup Series Race at Pocono-2 Pocono Raceway 3:30 p.m. NBCSN MRN
July 4 NASCAR Cup Series Race at Road America Road America 2:30 p.m. NBC MRN
July 11 Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart Atlanta Motor Speedway 3:30 p.m. NBCSN PRN
July 18 Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 New Hampshire Motor Speedway 3 p.m. NBCSN PRN
Aug. 8 Go Bowling at The Glen Watkins Glen International 3 p.m. NBCSN MRN
Aug. 15 Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard powered by Florida Georgia Line Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course 1 p.m. NBC IMS
Aug. 22 FireKeepers Casino 400 Michigan International Speedway 3 p.m. NBCSN MRN
Aug. 28 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Daytona International Speedway 7 p.m. NBC MRN

Playoffs Round of 16

Date Race Track Time TV Radio
Sept. 5 Cook Out Southern 500 Darlington Raceway 6 p.m. NBCSN MRN
Sept. 11 Federated Auto Parts 400 Richmond Raceway 7:30 p.m. NBCSN MRN
Sept. 18 Bass Pro Shops Night Race Bristol Motor Speedway 7:30 p.m. NBCSN PRN

Playoffs Round of 12

Date Race Track Time TV Radio
Sept. 26 South Point 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway 7 p.m. NBCSN PRN
Oct. 3 YellaWood 500 Talladega Superspeedway 2 p.m. NBC MRN
Oct. 10 Bank of America ROVAL 400 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course 2 p.m. NBC PRN

Playoffs Round of 8

Date Race Track Time TV Radio
Oct. 17 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 Texas Motor Speedway 2 p.m. NBC PRN
Oct. 24 Hollywood Casino 400 Kansas Speedway 3 p.m. NBCSN MRN
Oct. 31 Xfinity 500 Martinsville Speedway 2 p.m. NBC MRN

Playoffs Championship 4

Date Race Track Time TV Radio
Nov. 7 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Phoenix Raceway 3 p.m. NBC MRN

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What Channel Is the Daytona Race on Tonight

Source: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nascar/news/daytona-500-channel-time-schedule/1hwck59a5rza7zqg5r4h4aj9n