NASCAR: Bristol playoff race not being broadcast on NBC

As a seasoned NASCAR enthusiast with over two decades of watching paint scuff and rubber burn under the hoods of these mighty machines, I can’t help but feel a tad disappointed that the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway won’t be gracing our screens on NBC this time around. I remember the golden days when NBC Sports Network held that role, back in 2021, before it shut down and left a void that USA Network has been trying to fill ever since.

2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoff’s initial stage will wrap up on a Saturday evening at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the Bass Pro Shops Night Race serving as its finale.

In simple terms, the 0.533-mile high-banked oval track located in Bristol, Tennessee is the second of seven tracks featured in the four-round playoff schedule consisting of ten races. Earlier this year, a race was held there towards the end of March.

Instead of NBC, three successive races – the final one of the regular season at Darlington Raceway, followed by the initial two races in the playoffs at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International – were broadcast live on USA Network. This trend will continue over the weekend with another live broadcast on USA Network.

Bristol race not being shown on NBC

Since 2022, USA Network functions as an additional channel owned by NBCUniversal during the broadcast schedule when NBC is on air, taking over the role previously held by NBC Sports Network, which ceased operations at the end of 2021.

This coming weekend marks the final race USA Network will air this year, with the exception of the Round of 12 opener at Kansas Speedway, which is scheduled for next Sunday afternoon.

NBC is planning to conclude the season by holding six consecutive races, starting with the Round of 12 event at Talladega Superspeedway in early October and ending with the championship-deciding race at Phoenix Raceway in November.

Regardless of whether a race is aired on NBC or USA Network, the same team of commentators will be in place. Leigh Diffey now serves as the main announcer, with Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte joining him in the commentary box following Rick Allen’s departure.

A full starting lineup for Saturday night’s race can be found here.

Listen in to USA Network at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time this coming Saturday, September 21, for a live telecast of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race from Bristol Motor Speedway. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin is the current race champion, having also won there in March. If you sign up for a free trial of FuboTV right away, you won’t miss any of the excitement from the last race of the initial round of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs!

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