How to watch NASCAR Southern 500 at Darlington: Weekend schedule, start time, TV

NASCAR Cup drivers must prepare for 500 miles of grueling racing at Darlington Raceway, which will host the 77th running of the Southern 500 and the opening round of the 2026 Chase for the championship.

Chase Briscoe is attempting to become the first driver in nearly three decades to win three consecutive Southern 500s, while Denny Hamlin enters the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the championship fight.

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In this story, you can find all the information you need to watch all the action at Darlington, from the full weekend schedule to where to watch, and even the full entry list.

You can also visit our Southern 500 viewer’s guide for more information on this weekend’s event.

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1:30pm EST — NASCAR O’Reilly practice — CW APP / ESPN UNLIMITED

2:35pm EST — NASCAR O’Reilly qualifying — CW APP / ESPN UNLIMITED

4:00pm EST — NASCAR Cup practice —  truTV / HBO Max

5:10pm EST — NASCAR Cup qualifying — truTV / HBO Max

7:30pm EST — NASCAR O’Reilly race [147 laps] — THE CW / ESPN UNLIMITED

Sunday, September 6

4:30pm EST — NASCAR Cup pre-race show — USA

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5:10pm EST — NASCAR Cup Series race [367 laps] — USA

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet; Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Club Toyota

How can I watch the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington?

Date: Sunday, September 5Green flag: 5:10pm ESTLaps/Miles: 367 laps / 500 milesStages: 115 / 115 / 137Sets of tires: 13 sets TV channel: USA | TSN (Canada) | Other international viewing optionsLive stream: USARadio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Watch: Chase Briscoe fends off Tyler Reddick for Southern 500 victory

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Who is competing in the Southern 500 at Darlington?

There are 38 entries for the 77th running of the Southern 500, including two open teams — the No. 66 ‘Garage 66’ Ford of Chad Finchum, and the No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota of Corey Heim.

Open entries italicized 

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