TNT will air five NASCAR Cup Series events in 2026, kicking off with the Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. The Sonoma weekend marked the season's halfway point, but the real story lies in the expanded calendar that blends tradition with fresh challenges.
The network's return to the Cup Series in 2025 was part of a new media‑rights agreement that promises broader coverage and innovative presentation. Building on that foundation, TNT has crafted a schedule that emphasizes marquee moments and strategic race placements.
The In‑Season Challenge format
A centerpiece of the 2026 slate is the In‑Season Challenge tournament, which will feature 32 drivers competing in head‑to‑head matchups across five consecutive race weekends. The stakes are high, with each showdown influencing playoff positioning and adding a narrative layer that fans can follow week by week.
New venues join the lineup, most notably Chicagoland Speedway, which will host the eero 400 – the first Cup Series race at the track since 2019. The event marks a strategic shift, as the Chicago street race has been replaced by a return to the historic oval, bringing the series back to the Midwest's racing heartland.
North Wilkesboro Speedway will stage the tournament's fourth round, reviving a historic track for a points race after three decades away from the Cup schedule. Meanwhile, Dover Motor Speedway will host the All‑Star Race in mid‑May, filling a gap left by the tournament's traditional fourth‑round slot.
Championship finale at Indianapolis
The climax of the In‑Season Challenge will unfold at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in late July. Live coverage of the eero 400 from Chicagoland Speedway will begin at 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 5, offering viewers a prime‑time start to what promises to be a thrilling championship showdown.