Racing moves to the concrete high banks of Dover Motor Speedway this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and the Craftsman Truck Series prepare for one of the most physically demanding challenges on the calendar. Known as the "Monster Mile," this one-mile concrete oval in Delaware requires a specific broadcast strategy for fans to catch every practice session, qualifying run, and race lap, especially with the 2026 broadcast landscape involving multiple streaming and cable partners.

The schedule for late April typically marks a pivotal transition in the season where championship contenders begin to distance themselves from the pack. For this weekend, coverage is split across traditional cable networks like FS1 and the emerging presence of streaming giants and dedicated sports platforms. Below is the full breakdown of times, channels, and platforms to ensure no part of the triple-header weekend is missed.

Friday: Trucks and ARCA take the stage

The weekend action begins with the heavy machinery of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the rising stars in the ARCA Menards Series. Friday's schedule focuses on finding the limits of the concrete surface, which often changes grip levels significantly as temperatures fluctuate throughout the afternoon.

Practice and Qualifying Sessions

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice and qualifying are the primary focus for the early afternoon. At Dover, the aerodynamic package for the trucks often leads to intense qualifying battles, as starting position is critical on a track where passing can be difficult once a long green-flag run begins.

  • Truck Series Practice: 1:00 PM ET on FS2
  • Truck Series Qualifying: 1:30 PM ET on FS2
  • ARCA Menards Series Practice/Qualifying: 3:00 PM ET (Streaming-only options vary)

Friday Night Lights at the Monster Mile

The main event for Friday is the 200-mile truck race. This event serves as a precursor to how the track will rubber up for the heavier Cup cars on Sunday. Historically, the Truck Series at Dover is known for high-attrition restarts and aggressive side-by-side racing in the turns.

  • Race: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 200
  • Time: 5:30 PM ET
  • TV Channel: FS1
  • Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Saturday: Cup Series qualifying and Xfinity Series showdown

Saturday represents a significant shift in the 2026 broadcast strategy. While traditional TV remains a factor, digital-first platforms now handle much of the mid-weekend workload for the Cup Series.

NASCAR Cup Series Practice and Qualifying

Under the 2026 television agreement, Prime Video takes the lead for many practice and qualifying sessions during this portion of the season. Fans looking to see how their favorite drivers handle the "Monster" will need to navigate to the Prime Video app. The sessions are usually broken into Group A and Group B, followed by a final round to determine the Pole Position.

  • Time: 10:30 AM ET
  • Platform: Prime Video
  • Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

The Xfinity Series Race on The CW

The NASCAR Xfinity Series continues its exclusive residency on The CW in 2026. This move has centralized Xfinity coverage, making it easier for fans to find the series' high-energy races without searching through various cable tiers. The Dover race is a 200-lap sprint that often rewards drivers who can manage their right-rear tires on the abrasive concrete.

  • Pre-Race Show: 1:00 PM ET on The CW
  • Race: A-GAME 200
  • Green Flag: 1:30 PM ET
  • TV Channel: The CW
  • Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday: The Main Event - The Wurth 400

Sunday is the centerpiece of the weekend. The Cup Series stars take on 400 laps of grueling competition. For 2026, this race falls within the FOX Sports portion of the schedule, though some regions may see it on FS1 depending on major league sports overlaps.

Sunday Schedule Breakdown

  • NASCAR RaceDay: 12:00 PM ET on FS1
  • Race: Wurth 400 at Dover
  • Pre-Race Coverage: 1:00 PM ET on FOX
  • Green Flag: 2:00 PM ET
  • TV Channel: FOX (Check local listings for FS1 alternates)
  • Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Race Details

  • Distance: 400 miles (400 laps)
  • Stages: Stage 1 ends at Lap 120; Stage 2 ends at Lap 250; Final Stage ends at Lap 400.
  • Defending Insights: Expect the concrete to take a heavy toll on brakes and suspension components. Teams will focus on "landing" the cars into the steep 24-degree banked turns, a move that provides speed but risks bottoming out the chassis.

How to stream NASCAR this weekend

With the 2026 season being more digitally integrated than ever, viewing options extend beyond the traditional cable box. Depending on your current subscriptions, there are several ways to access live feeds and exclusive camera angles.

Prime Video

As noted, Prime Video is the exclusive home for this weekend's Cup Series practice and qualifying. Subscribers can access this through the Prime Video app on smart TVs, mobile devices, and gaming consoles. This coverage typically includes expert analysis and unique data overlays not found on standard broadcasts.

Max (formerly HBO Max)

For those interested in a more immersive experience, the Max app often provides B/R Sports Add-on content, including in-car cameras for the Cup Series. This allows viewers to sync their main broadcast with the dashboard view of specific drivers, providing a direct look at the steering inputs required to navigate Dover's unique transitions.

The FOX Sports App and NBC Sports App

While FOX holds the primary rights for this Sunday's race, the FOX Sports app remains a viable way for authenticated cable subscribers to stream the race on the go. Similarly, the NBC Sports app or Peacock may carry peripheral content or specific replay features depending on the weekend's ancillary events.

Fubo, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV

These major streaming providers carry FOX, FS1, FS2, and The CW. They are the most straightforward replacements for traditional satellite or cable packages, offering DVR capabilities for fans who cannot watch the 2:00 PM ET Sunday start live.

Understanding the 2026 Broadcast Partners

It is helpful to keep a quick reference of which networks cover which series and events throughout the 2026 season. The landscape has changed to provide more specialized coverage but requires fans to be more agile in their viewing habits.

  1. FOX Sports (FOX/FS1/FS2): Carries the first 14 races of the Cup Series season, including the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. They also remain a primary home for the Craftsman Truck Series.
  2. Prime Video: Operates as the exclusive home for a mid-season block of five Cup Series races and almost all mid-week Cup practice and qualifying sessions throughout the spring and early summer.
  3. TNT Sports / Max: Covers the five races following the Prime Video block. Their coverage is often characterized by a high-tech approach and deep integration with the Max streaming platform.
  4. NBC Sports (NBC/USA Network): Handles the final 14 races of the season, including the high-stakes Cup Series Playoffs and the Championship weekend.
  5. The CW: The exclusive destination for all 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races, providing a consistent home for the "Names are Made Here" series.

Track Spotlight: Why Dover is Different

When looking at the TV schedule, it's worth understanding why the Dover broadcast is unique. The track is one of the few all-concrete surfaces on the circuit. Unlike asphalt, which absorbs heat and turns black, concrete reflects heat and turns white. This creates a visually distinct broadcast where the "rubber in" process is clearly visible to the cameras.

Viewers should watch for the "marbles"—chunks of spent rubber that collect near the outside wall. If a driver misses their line and gets into the marbles, the broadcast often catches the high-speed slides that make Dover so dangerous. The broadcast cameras at Dover are often positioned lower to the ground to emphasize the vertical compression as cars drop into the corners, a sensation drivers compare to a roller coaster.

Weather Outlook and Potential Delays

Weather is always a factor in Delaware during late April. Concrete tracks take longer to dry than asphalt because they lack the porous nature of newer asphalt compounds. However, NASCAR’s "Air Titan" drying technology is highly effective at the Monster Mile.

  • Friday Forecast: Partly cloudy with highs in the upper 60s. Low risk of delay for the Truck Series.
  • Saturday Forecast: Mostly sunny, ideal for the afternoon Xfinity race on The CW.
  • Sunday Forecast: A mix of sun and clouds with a 20% chance of isolated showers. In the event of rain, NASCAR typically attempts to dry the track within 90 to 120 minutes provided the rain has stopped.

If the Sunday race is postponed due to weather, the broadcast usually shifts to Monday morning, typically at 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM ET on FS1.

Radio and International Viewing

For fans who are traveling during the race times, radio remains a powerful way to follow the action. Motor Racing Network (MRN) provides the call for the Dover weekend. Their announcers are positioned around the one-mile track, providing a surround-sound experience that captures the roar of the engines better than some TV microphones.

Internationally, fans in Canada can find the Cup Series action on TSN, while viewers in the United Kingdom usually tune into Viaplay or a similar sports affiliate. In South America and Brazil, the Band Sports network often carries the live feeds.

Looking Ahead: Standings Impact

As the schedule progresses through the spring, the "Points Reset" for the playoffs begins to loom large. A win this weekend at Dover virtually guarantees a spot in the Round of 16 for any Cup Series driver. Watch for teams that have historically performed well on high-load concrete tracks, as the data gathered here will be vital for the upcoming summer stretch.

The current standings show a tight battle at the top, with consistent finishers gaining ground on those who have suffered early-season mechanical failures. Dover’s 400 laps are a test of durability as much as speed, and the TV broadcast will likely spend significant time analyzing the "Cut Line"—the points gap between 16th and 17th place in the standings.

Whether you are watching on a traditional TV via FOX, streaming on Prime Video for qualifying, or catching the Xfinity stars on The CW, this weekend's schedule offers a comprehensive look at NASCAR's three national series at one of their most iconic venues. Tune in early for the pre-race shows to get the latest technical updates and garage news before the engines fire at the Monster Mile.