The NASCAR Cup Series continues in the second half of the Chase with the Freeway Insurance 500 on Oct. 18 at Phoenix.
Kyle Larson leads the Cup points standings by 49 points over Denny Hamlin.
Larson will start 22nd at Phoenix. Ryan Blaney is on the pole, with Penske teammate Joey Logano also on the front row.
Phoenix, the site of the championship race for several seasons, is now tucked deeper in the Chase ahead of Talladega, Martinsville and Homestead.
Here's how you can watch Sunday's race:
PHOENIX PICKS: NASCAR Phoenix predictions 2026, expert picks for Cup Series race
NASCAR Phoenix TV schedule, start time for the Freeway Insurance 500
- Green Flag Time: Approx. 2:05 p.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 18
- Track: Phoenix Raceway (1-mile oval) in Avondale, Arizona
- Length: 312 laps, 312 miles
- Stages: 60 laps, 125 laps, 127 laps
- TV coverage: USA Network
- Radio: MRN (102.5-FM The Game in Nashville)
- Streaming: HBO MAX app for in-car cameras (subscription required); NASCAR.com and SiriusXM on Channel 90 for audio (subscription required)
The Freeway Insurance 500 will be broadcast nationally on USA Network. Other streaming options for the race include HBO MAX for in-car cameras for each driver.
Watch Sunday's NASCAR race live with Sling
NASCAR Cup Series 2026 schedule, race results
All times Central.
- Feb. 4: Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray, Bowman Gray Stadium (Winner: Ryan Preece) Non-points
- Feb. 12: America 250 Duels at Daytona qualifying races, Daytona International Speedway (Winners: Joey Logano and Chase Elliott)
- Feb. 15: Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- Feb. 22: Autotrader 400, Atlanta Motor Speedway (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- March 1: DuraMax Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- March 8: Straight Talk Wireless 500, Phoenix Raceway (Winner: Ryan Blaney)
- March 15: Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- March 22: Goodyear 400, Darlington Raceway (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- March 29: Cook Out 400, Martinsville Speedway (Winner: Chase Elliott)
- April 5: OPEN WEEKEND
- April 12: Food City 500, Bristol Motor Speedway (Winner: Ty Gibbs)
- April 19: AdventHealth 400, Kansas Speedway (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- April 26: Jack Link's 500, Talladega Superspeedway (Winner: Carson Hocevar)
- May 3: Wurth 400, Texas Motor Speedway (Winner: Chase Elliott)
- May 10: Go Bowling at The Glen, Watkins Glen International (Winner: Shane van Gisbergen)
- May 17: NASCAR All-Star Race, Dover Motor Speedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin) Non-points
- May 24: Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway (Winner: Daniel Suarez)
- May 31: Cracker Barrel 400, Nashville Superspeedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- June 7: FireKeepers Casino 400, Michigan International Speedway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- June 14: Great American Getaway 400, Pocono Raceway (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- June 21: Anduril 250, Naval Base Coronado in San Diego (Winner: Corey Heim)
- June 28: Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sonoma Raceway (Winner: Shane van Gisbergen)
- July 5: eero 400, Chicagoland Speedway (Winner: Chase Briscoe)
- July 12: Quaker State 400, Atlanta Motor Speedway (Winner: Ryan Blaney)
- July 19: Window World 450, North Wilkesboro Speedway (Winner: Joey Logano)
- July 26: Brickyard 400, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Winner: Corey Heim)
- Aug. 2: OPEN WEEKEND
- Aug. 9: Iowa Corn 350, Iowa Speedway (Winner: Ty Gibbs)
- Aug. 15: Cook Out 400, Richmond Raceway (Winner: Joey Logano)
- Aug. 23: Dollar Tree 301, New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Winner: Ryan Blaney)
- Aug. 29: Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona International Speedway (Winner: Ryan Preece)
- Sept. 6: Southern 500, Darlington Raceway (Winner: Christopher Bell)
- Sept. 13: Enjoy Illinois 300, World Wide Technology Raceway (Winner: Kyle Larson)
- Sept. 19: Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway (Winner: Joey Logano)
- Sept. 27: Hollywood Casino 400, Kansas Speedway (Winner: Kyle Larson)
- Oct. 4: South Point 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Winner: Chase Briscoe)
- Oct. 11: Bank of America 400, Charlotte Motor Speedway (2 p.m., USA Network)
- Oct. 18: Freeway Insurance 500, Phoenix Raceway (2 p.m., USA Network)
- Oct. 25: YellaWood 500, Talladega Superspeedway (1 p.m., NBC)
- Nov. 1: Xfinity 500, Martinsville Speedway (1 p.m., NBC)
- Nov. 8: NASCAR Cup Series Championship race, Homestead-Miami Speedway (2 p.m., NBC)
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What channel is the NASCAR Phoenix race on today? Time, TV schedule for Freeway Insurance 500
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