The NASCAR Cup Series Bristol race weekend opens with Bass Pro Shops Night Race practice and qualifying on Sept. 18.
Two weeks into the Chase, Denny Hamlin's points lead is down to nine points ahead of Kyle Larson. Hamlin has gone four races without a top-five finish for the first time in 2026. And while the last four races include two top-10s for Hamlin, a run of seventh-place finishes likely won't win a Cup Series title in the Chase format
Bristol is the site of Ty Gibbs' first career Cup Series victory from the spring earlier this season. Gibbs is running a Kyle Busch-inspired M&Ms paint scheme this weekend.
Here is what you need to know about NASCAR Cup qualifying at Bristol.
What channel is qualifying on today for the NASCAR Cup race at Bristol?
- Qualifying time: 5:40 p.m. Eastern/4:40 p.m. Central on Sept. 18 (practice begins at 4:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. CT)
- TV: truTV | Radio: SiriusXM and MRN Radio
- Streaming: NASCAR.com and SiriusXM for audio (subscription required)
- Track: Bristol Motor Speedway (0.533-mile oval) in Bristol, Tennessee
NASCAR Bristol news, stories
after Gateway disaster?
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Bristol qualifying channel today, time, TV schedule for Bass Pro Shops Night Race
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.













